Fingering question ....The Atholl Highlanders

[Johnny J]

I'm having a go at The Atholl Highlanders just now...

It's fairly straightforward although I can't settle on a good finger pattern for Part 3 on my right hand. Some possibilities seem to work better than others.

Any suggestions? The rest of the tune is OK.

 

[Johnny J]

I should add that it's in "A" but I'm sure you'll know that already!

 

[Matt Butcher]

Piano accordion, is that right?

 

[Johnny J]

Correct.
Sorry, I should have clarified that.

 

[george garside]

Johny - I am not going to recommend a particular way of playing the 3rd part of Athol Highlanders but instead a couple of suggestions

- it tends to be played mainly, but not exclusively, at one of two speeds. It was originally composed as a pipe march and the speed should be around 90. It does however often get played as a 'jig' sometimes at quite undanaceable speeds which may be acceptable for a 'stage' performance. Learn it at 90 and shut your eyes and imagine you are marching behind a drum major in a pipe band e and visualise the 'swirl' of the kilts. You have plenty of time to sort out the fingering at that speed!

- experiment very slowly with fingering to find what works best for you in the context of a particular part of a particular tune. If its feeling difficult there is often an easier way of doing it! Perhaps more importantly such experimentation greatly facilitates sorting out tricky fingering on the hoof which can often be required in the playing of traditional / folk music

george

 

[Johnny J]

Thanks George..

I think the best way involves using the pinkie on the high A and then the 4th finger on the E below followed by the 3d finger on the D and the second on the C#. It feels a bit of a stretch for the first couple of notes but it's less clumsy than some of the alternatives where the thumb(or 1st finger) seems to cause other problems.

 

[Anyanka]

I just had a look at the notes (I haven't actually played this, and am not allowed much p/accordion practice right now because of a shoulder injury) - I think I would play the third part thus:
55531 55531 55531 234321
55531 55531 353543 2321

However, I find that fingering sort of 'evolves' from what seems best into what feels right...

 

[Johnny J]

Thanks, Anouka.

Sorry, but that doesn't seem to work well for me.

In the version I know, the first note is a single high "A" followed by a triplet on E, then a D followed by C sharp.

I think something like A(5) E(434) D(3) C#(2) seems to work quite well for me now and it avoids having to use the thumb on the black note.

After the third time, I would play B(1) C#(3) D(4)c#(3) B(2) A(1).

The ending is less tricky, of course.

 

[Anyanka]

Different version! I looked it up on Session.org - http://thesession.org/tunes/107
Three high As at the start of part 3...

Can you post or find your version?

 

[Johnny J]

Hi Anouka,

This version is fairly close although I tend to play it a little more dotted than this(I am very familiar with it from the fiddle and mandolin).

http://www.nigelgatherer.com/tunes/tab/tab7/athol.html

Incidentally, since I last posted, I realised that Sandy Brechin includes the tune in his Intermediate Accordion DVD but his fingering is a bit different too even in the other parts. However, I note that he does use his thumb(F1) on the C# on the third part which was something I had thought it was better to avoid doing where possible.
No doubt, there are differing opinions on this practice.

As you and others have suggested, it is often a case of whatever works best for oneself, although at my stage Im always keen to try out different possibilities.