A Tune For Lewis – Feedback Video

[jason kleinberg]

Here’s FiddleHed Kevin playing “A Tune For Lewis” by Kirstie Mclanaghan.
I offer feedback on his playing…
Kevin sounds good! Nice tone and feel. The Irish embellishments are nice and relaxed. I love the mad scientist fiddle laboratory.
One suggestion: don’t always use embellishments. Try to play a phrase with variation and then take it away.
Another suggestion: Work on tuning the fourth finger (sharp on the E string) as well as the low second finger on E and A string (both are also sharp). Work on single notes and then on little runs: EL2-3-4

Thanks for letting us share this Kevin!
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All-access subscribers can get feedback by submitting video on this page.
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Listen to Kirstie’s version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn5RxTWmiQ0.

[Tom]

Thanks for sharing that, Kevin! I discovered the same tune and its sad back story earlier this year, and since i cound not find any sheet music online, I had to figure it out by ear and learn it that way; likely same as you?

Eventually, I reached out to Kirstie Mclanaghan over facebook to thank her for writing it. She was happy to hear someone was working with it and learning from it (She is a fiddle teached in Edinburgh, so of course she would be!) She sent me her “dots” (sheet music), along with a couple of short “Fiddle-hed style” teaching videos, but with a sweet scottish accent. I can share those with you if you want, just to check your work. Though you seem to have it well in hand.

Also thanks to Jason for the comments. I can take those to heart as well!

[kevo]

Hello Tom! Actually it was you that introduced me to the song on one of the Zoom calls! Thank you! Jason was able to send me a copy of the sheet music that you sent him – so thank you again!

Kirstie Mclanaghans story about how the song came about is truly heart breaking, but it is absolutely one of the loneliest, sad and beautiful tunes I have every heard in my life.

One of these days I hope to be able to play it with a bit more accuracy. The feedback from Jocelyn and Jason may just get me there!
(maybe I should start by cleaning up my basement…:)

[Tom]

So I did. I wasn’t aware who might have been there that day, but I’m glad someone picked it up. Your versions sounds really good already.

I think it’s a relatively easy tune to learn and it is beautiful. It has become one of my go-to tunes to start a practice session and if anyone is willing to listen!

[Joanne Iles]

What a heartbreaking tune Kevin, you play it beautifully. I looked up Kirstie’s story on the back of this feed. Thank you for sharing.

[kevo]

Thank you very much Joanne! I think Kirstie said at that time it was the only tune her fiddle could play. Heartbreaking isn’t a strong enough word. Kevin

[Marg Sherringham]

What a beautiful tone and feel you have in your playing Kevin. This tune has me intrigued now, I’m going to look it up. Jason’s comments are helpful to all of us so thanks for letting us in on the feedback.

[kevo]

Hey Marg, thank you so much! I love this tune and I’m not much at playing fast songs so I was really interested after Tom introduced us to it. I love Jason’s comments and they help tremendously. Still lots of work to be done….

[Author]

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