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Advanced Scottish Fiddle Techniques

Improve your musicianship and repertoire with this course for the advanced player

The Advanced Scottish Fiddle Techniques course is for those who are fairly confident players who would like to improve their musicality.

A lot of emphasis is placed on bowing and ornamentation in this course and several less familiar keys are played including E Major and G Minor.

Similar rhythms and styles from the Intermediate course are here, however they are at a more challenging level.

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Course Intro

Alistair McCulloch

Your Tutor - Alistair McCulloch

Alistair McCulloch hails from Ayr in Scotland and is one of the country’s best known fiddle performers, teachers and composers with many appearances on radio and television. Past winner of many fiddle championships, Alistair is fiddle instructor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
The Alistair McCulloch Trio features Aaron Jones of Old Blind Dogs, and former Capercaillie whistle wizard Marc Duff. His playing has seen him confirmed “as one of the finest fiddlers and composers of his generation” by The Living Tradition.

Lessons in Course

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Red Treble Clef
Fiddle

Lesson 1. George McHardy

Alistair begins his Advanced Scottish Fiddle Technique course by looking at a four part 2/4 Pipe March by Angus Lawrie from Oban called George McHardy.   This Post is only available to

Fiddle
Fiddle

Lesson 2. The Sands of Murness

Alistair teaches the brilliant strathspey The Sands of Murness by Shetlander Frank Jamieson, who wrote some amazing tunes.   This Post is only available to subscribed members. Login

Violin
Fiddle

Lesson 3. The Marquis of Tullibardine

Alistair moves on to the reel The Marquis of Tullibardine by John Crerar, a pupil of Niel Gow in the 18th Century.   This Post is only available to subscribed members. Login

Fiddlers
Fiddle

Lesson 4. Lady Ann Hope’s Favourite

Alistair now turns his attention to a beautiful slow air from the 18th Century by Niel Gow; a lesser known air called Lady Ann Hope’s Favourite.   This Post is only available

fiddle picture
Fiddle

Lesson 5. Mrs A. McGlashan

This time Alistair focuses on a Jig in an unsual key – G Minor. Written in the 19th Century by John McGlashan.   This Post is only available to subscribed members. Login

girl with violin
Fiddle

Lesson 6. The Auchterarder VIP

A technical hornpipe this time written by Dundonian Angus Fitchett dedicated to Irish accordionist Paddy Neary.   This Post is only available to subscribed members. Login

fiddle and flute
Fiddle

Lesson 8. Rosemary Brown

A lovely waltz written by english fiddler Pat Shuldhum Shaw who also wrote the very popular Margaret’s Waltz.   This Post is only available to subscribed members. Login

manuscript
Fiddle

Lesson 9. The Cat and The Dog

Another different type of tune this time, the slip jig in 9/8 time. A pipe tune from Benbecula in the Western Isles called The Cat and The Dog.   This Post is

Alistair McCulloch - Fiddle Tutor
Fiddle

Lesson 10. The Brig o’ Potarch

Alistair returns to the strathspey to teach one written by the legendary ‘Strathspey King’ James Scott Skinner, which contains updriven bows as a technical feature.   This Post is only available to

ornamental violin
Fiddle

Lesson 11. The Hills of Kaitoke

Alistair teaches a contemporary slow reel in E Major, written by Catherine Fraser of Adelaide, named after Camp Kaitoke, New Zealand, where the annual Southern Hemisphere International School of Scottish Fiddle is

fiddle and bow
Fiddle

Lesson 12. The Dashing White Eejit

A great tune with a great name, Alistair’s final lesson in his Advanced Scottish Techniques course is this reel by Allan Henderson.   This Post is only available to subscribed members. Login

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