TUNES & TOOLS

Purpose: Fundamental for all Irish ornaments.
Credit: Markus Tullberg (who got it from Jörgen Fischer) - Malmö, Sweden 2015

 

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• Start the D-Drone and 60 BPM Metronome.

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• Play low D as powerfully and steadily as before, keeping all fingers down throughout this exercise.

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• Execute a 'flicky' movement with the ring finger D

  • Raise and lower it instantly.

  • This is the Irish ornament known as 'cut'.

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• Perform this 'flicky' movement on the middle finger E, and again with the index finger F#.

  • When you lift the fingers, no note should be heard, only the low D being 'cut' twice.

  • Listen to how the tone sounds between these cuts.

  • It’s easy to focus too much on the fingers. Remember the first exercise and strive to maintain the best tone possible.

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• Use the metronome to execute these cuts on the beat.

  • First D (ring finger), then E (middle finger), then F# (index finger) in the sequence D, E, F#.

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• The next three fingers are: E (long), then F# (index), then G (ring finger on the other hand).

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• Repeat each trio of fingers two to five times in a row before moving on to the next trio.

The entire exercise is as follows:
D,E,F# E,F#,G F#,G,A G,A,B A,B,A *** B,A,G A,G,F# G,F#,E F#,E,D E,D,E