First Steps, An Introduction to Playing the Wire-Strung Clarsach                     

Available to purchase here. Recordings are available to purchase here.

 

CONTENTS

 

Foreword

i

A brief guide to reading music

1

Tuning your clarsach

2

Obair Latha  (Karen Marshalsay) a first tune

3

Fixed positions, damping and the C major scale

4

Fixed position exercise

5

Uamh 'n Oir  (Trad Gaelic)

6

Modes

7

Dh'fhalbh an Triùir Mhaighdeanan (Trad Gaelic)

8

Olaf's Reel  (Karen Marshalsay)

9

1s and 0s / Thinking about rhythm (Obair Latha)

10

Coupled Hands Technique

11

Queen Mary, Queen Mary  (Trad Scots)

12

Thig am Bàta  (Trad Gaelic)

13

Saky Saky Pirn Taes   (Trad Scots)

14

Hishie Ba (Trad Scots)

15

The Three-Legged Clàrsach   (Karen Marshalsay)

16

The Owls of Alnwick Castle   (Karen Marshalsay)   

using the thumb choke, half scratch,

bee’s plait and break.

17-20

The Robert ap Huw manuscript

21

Edward Bunting

21

Sources of Scottish repertoire and further study

22