Transcript

File: macdonaldpaul-oh-irishrolls_M.mp3

Speakers:

PM – Paul MacDonald

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

KP: What are some of the others?

PM: One that's slowly moving its way into Scottish fiddle music which has been prevalent in Irish music is the roll. And that's becoming really popular in Scottish music with the addition of Jerry Holland and Howie MacDonald. Of course, Jerry play a lot of Irish music and he's added a lot. Now that is much more difficult for most of us Scottish fiddlers to look at and go,“What's he doing there?' If you're not used to it. Now...

KP: They kind of use it the way you would a cut, I think.

PM: It's ..that's what it is. It's a substitution. Like where a tune would be …

Demonstrates Phrase without Roll or Cut

PM: I would go…

Demonstrates Phrase with Cut

PM: With a cut, see. And they [Irish fiddlers] are going…

Demonstrates Phrase with Roll

PM: Now what it is, in slow motion, again maybe no one's explained it. They probably have, but

KP: Nope.

PM: But anyway. It's (demonstrates) and this is my note that I'm going to do it on. And what I'm doing is, in slow motion, putting my third finger and going…

Demonstrates Notes in Roll Slowed Down

… awful fast. Kim Vincent calls it the whip.

Demonstrates Roll a Little Faster, then Slowed Down

KP: Can you slow it down?

PM: OK

Demonstrates Notes Roll Further Slowed Down

PM: That's what I'm doing slowly. Now, that is slowly moving its way in.

KP: Now, I saw it in that one that it was coming down a third, I guess.

PM: Yeah.

KP: Is that usual in a roll?

PM: That's the standard way to do it.

KP: And…

PM: No, it's almost always done that way when you're using your first finger. Now if you're using your second finger, again you're going…

Demonstrates Irish roll Off Second Finger

KP: And slowly?

Demonstrates Irish roll Off Second Finger More Slowly