This page contains information and downloads for everyone who has registered for Camp this year. Below the heading for each instructor are notes and goodies for their workshops.

Some advice for all campers: you are free to bring and use a digital recorder if you want to capture parts of your workshops to take home for study and practice. A pen and a note pad will also be useful.

Unless it is specifically mentioned otherwise, you should bring with you whatever instruments you intend to play during camp - at workshops and jams.

Piano students: Thanks to the East Richmond Education Centre, we will have keyboards available for Hilda's piano classes - although you are free to bring your own if you wish. There is an upright piano at the Inn for our jam sessions and Band Lab showcase.

Ukelele students: Again, thanks to EREC we will have ukes available for anybody who doesn't have one.

Luthier shop:

Our master luthier Johannes Sturm is on hand all day Saturday and Sunday morning to effect emergency repairs, tuning, and condition appraisals of your stringed instruments. You can visit him during any of the 'Luthier Consults' periods on the workshop schedule.

Workshop 2C: Celtic Guitar Picking Beginners

We'll "pick" a few easy tunes to learn the basics of flat picking, as well as finger ornamentations for adding flavour to the tunes.  We'll stick with the easy keys and keep the tempos slow.

Workshop 3C: Jerry Holland Fiddle Tunes

We'll explore a cross-section of Jerry's compositions, with discussions about what made him special as a player and composer.  The PDF download here includes Allie's selection of a few jigs, reels, strathspeys, marches, waltzes, laments and slow airs that serve as good examples for this class. We won't have time to cover all of these tunes, so the selection will be made according to the overall playing ability of the class. We will make it comfortable for everyone.

Allie has also provided some YOUTUBE links to a few select Jerry Holland tunes:

Old Faithful - www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_pizdR0NRI   

Mom's Jig - www.youtube.com/watch?v=pASn1f0iV3c

Stan Chapman's Jig - www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpQyW38bgQg

Tears - www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsmmNVYCSLw

In Memory of Herbie MacLeod - www.youtube.com/watch?v=afcR04vjgZE

Workshop 4B: Cape Breton Guitar Rhythms

We'll examine the best ways to strum for the different types of tunes - marches, strathspeys, reels and jigs, along with variations that can be used.  Chord charts will be available for those who read them.  Bring your capo.

Workshop 1G: Intro to Ukelele

In this course you'll be introduced to the Ukulele, and learn to accompany yourself while singing. We will go over counting time, strumming, tuning, chords, and understanding how chords are used in the progression of a song.Students are welcome to bring along a thumb drive, notebook and recording device for future reference. If you have a uke, bring it along. If not, we can provide one for you courtesy of East Richmond Education Centre.

Workshop 2G &3G: Singing 101
This workshop is for the beginners, and for those of you who have had some experience singing. We will address vocal warm up, breathing, what is a musical chord, finding vocal range, counting time, and singing in a small group. Students are invited to bring along a note book, thumb drive and recording devise if they so desire.

Workshops 2K & 3K: Campers taking Acadian Folk  Songs 1 or 2 might want to get familiar with the lyrics and sounds for some of the pieces she'll present in class.

Workshop 1F: Cape Breton and Scottish Fiddle Beginner 

An introduction to the fundamentals of fiddling, with a focus on basic bow techniques, notation reading versus learning by ear, and a few good turns through a classic strathspey and a reel from the Cape Breton dance repertoire. Directly below, Colin has provided two reels and a strathspey with audio and sheet music files for you to download and get familiar with before you come to camp. Colin's audio files are recorded slow to help you get it. With enough practice, you will get it up to speed like this (YOUTUBE link) http://youtu.be/SYU22NKsp2M

Workshop 2F: Cape Breton and Scottish Fiddle Advanced 

A look at a few trickier tunes "in the flats" from the dance repertoire of Winston Fitzgerald, but no worries, we'll take 'er nice and easy: "If you go too fast, you'll miss all the scenery!" From the collection of the White Point fiddler (Cranford Publications), we'll look at a jig, a strathspey, and a reel, focusing on ornamentation, bowing techniques, and the little things that help define a C.B. fiddler's sound.

Workshop 3F: Celtic/Contemporary Fusion for Fiddle Advanced

A look/listen to some tunes by groups who compose and arrange a little "outside the box". Well have some fun with rhythmic fiddle accompaniment, and talk about certain grooves from popular music that translate well to jigs, reels, and strathspeys. 

Here are some downloads of tunes we could cover in this workshop. Listen up, and let us know at the workshop if there are some  you'd like to learn.

Workshop 3L: Composition Lab

How do you cook up a delicious tune? And how do you season it so it becomes completely addictive?  Barbara will provide the beginning of a melody, and you will complete it, either on your own or with a small team.  The result: a “monster melody” we can play together.  The idea is to jump in, get your feet wet, and leave excited about making more tunes.

Who is the Composition Lab for?
If you play an instrument or sing and are curious about making up your own tunes, you will be able to participate.  In the past we have had all levels and ages 6 to 60+.  You can play by ear or use notation or both.  Bring any instruments you like.  (We’ll focus mostly on melody, so instruments like fiddle and whistle are great.)  You do not have to have composed music before, but if you have, that is OK too.

The .pdf directly below has information on tunes we’ll use to warm up for our composing.  Try to get to know one or more of the tunes if you can.

If you have questions, or any problems with the links or downloads, you can email Barbara at i@iammakingthisup.com. 

Or call (902) 226-0711. 

Workshop 1K/2L: A Quick Start at Reading Music

Why is a waltz in 3 and a jig in 6—or two?!  Why is a tune with one sharp sometimes in G and sometimes in A minor?  What are those dots after the notes for?  If you play by ear and are curious about music notation, this nuts-and-bolts workshop will get you started or keep you going.  Focusing specifically on the needs of musicians who play by ear, we'll talk about the staff, pitches, rhythms and key signatures, and we’ll also make time to talk about those nagging questions you wonder about.  Notation can open up new opportunities: as a memory aid, as a way to access more tunes, and as a tool to share your favorite tunes with others.

Who is the A Quick Start at Reading Music for?
Traditional musicians who play by ear.  Many have explored notation some but still have questions.  If you have specific topics you would like to know more about, I’ll be delighted to hear from you before camp, and I will try to fit your questions in if time permits. Contact info is below.

The .pdf directly below has information on tunes we’ll use as examples.  Try to get to know one or more of the tunes if you can.

If you have questions or requests, or any problems with the links or downloads you can email Barbara at i@iammakingthisup.com.  Or call (902) 226-0711. 

All students must bring a D whistle to the workshops!!!

Some of you have asked, what is a tin whistle? Here is the wiki definition. Please come back after looking at it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_whistle

Workshop 1E: Tinwhistle Intro

We will be working in one octave from lowest D to middle D. See the D scale chart below, and two simple tunes to play with sheet music and audio samples which will get you on the right path for this workshop.

Workshop 2E: Tinwhistle Jigs and Reels 

Students for this class should be proficient in the whole D Scale. Here is a jig you can get familiar with before class.

Workshop 1J: Dwayne's Own Fiddle Tunes and Techniques - Advanced

This class is for experienced players. Come and learn some of my SOCAN fiddle tunes by ear. An audio will be provided in advance. We will focus on techniques such as bowing...fingering...cuts...I am looking forward to teaching my tunes to you.

Here are recordings of three of my original fiddle tunes that we can work on in class.

Workshop 2J & 5E: Celtic Fiddle Techniques for Beginners

In this class we will focus on the best and easiest way to conquer fiddle tunes at a relaxed pace. We will also concentrate on proper bowing....fingering.....and left and right hand movements. I am looking forward to teaching this class.

Here are two of the tunes you can expect to work on in this class:

Visit YOUTUBE on these links to hear how they sound:

Dark Island: http://youtu.be/b0IMC18YzmI

Fairy Dance: http://youtu.be/sjovcKC6s7s

Workshop 3J: How to Play Guitar with Cape Breton fiddlers

In this class we will focus on relative chord structures.  We will play in different keys to strengthen your knowledge as an accompaniast. When you finish this class, I hope to see many of you chording during the jam sessions at night.

Workshop 4F: Fiddle From Scratch for Absolute Beginners

Come experience a fun way to learn about fiddling. We will focus on holding the fiddle and bow and finger movements.My desired end result for this course is that you will have an interest in fiddling and want to learn more in the future. Dwayne will be bringing a couple of fiddles with him, but if you have, or can borrow one to bring it would very helpful.

Note to all piano students: You can bring your own keyboard if you wish, but we will have 10 keyboards available for you to use courtesy of our local public school, East Richmond Education Centre.

Workshop 1H: Intro to Cape Breton Piano - Talk and demo

Hilda has prepared a presentation to introduce the back-up piano styles played in Cape Breton over the past number of decades, illustrated with recorded music - interpreted by Hilda so you can learn about the evolution, and the impact that the 'big instrument' has made on Cape Breton's music scene. This session will be very informative for anybody seeking to better understand some of the more unique aspects of Cape Breton piano players and their techniques.

Workshop 2H & 5D: Cape Breton Piano Techniques for Beginners

This workshop will focus on Marches including the Glencoe March and Space Available - and more depending on the interest and desire of students to venture a bit deeper into the repertoire. The exceptionally high popularity of this workshop has resulted in a repeat session on Sunday morning to keep the class sizes reasonable.

Workshop 3H: Cape Breton Piano Techniques for Advanced Players

This workshop will concentrate on Cape Breton jigs and reels, and will respond to the specific interests of participants. As a somewhat smaller class size is anticipated you can expect lots of individual attention. If you have specific tunes in mind that you'd like to learn, bring any sheet music you have, or see if you can find it on line, for example at http://thesession.org/.

Just for fun, here's a YOUTUBE clip of Natalie on piano accompanying hubbie Donnel.

http://youtu.be/ZTM3iyXZF6Q

There's more to come, folks. Please keep checking these pages before camp begins.