Scottish 2/4 pipe marches on tenor guitar

**kmmando** · Mar-21-2012, 4:18am

Had a grand tune with Ali Beag MacLeod up in Coigach the other day (on St Patrick's Day as it happened).
Over 70, very deaf in one ear and struggling with arthritis in his hands after a hard physical working life, he can still play with this utterly distinctive and superb West Highland style. I think he's a wonderful musician, and a joy to accompany.

Any advice on horizontally panning a hand held video camera without shaking?!

**donaidh** · Mar-21-2012, 4:57am

Hi Kevin,

This is brilliant stuff - as always! I really love the 2/4's and two of the three tunes are ones I play regularly myself (must learn "Lady Lever Park" now!).

Re: the third tune in your set - I live a mile away from Clachantrushal. It's said to be the tallest standing stone in Scotland at 6 metres, and it's reckoned to be the only survivng stone from a 5,000 year old circle. Anyway, it's a great tune!

Donnie

**Steve L** · Mar-21-2012, 6:34am

Thanks for that, Kevin. That was great to see AND hear.

**kmmando** · Mar-21-2012, 6:43am

Hi Donaidh,

I'd forgotten I knew these as well, hadn't played them inyears -Ali plucked them out of the air - Lady Lever Park should be relatively easy to source for the dots. Fascinating about Clachantrushal - I never knew where it was! By the way, there's a great ceilidh in Reef on Friday

http://www.scotlandsislands.com/fest...and-exhibition

to inaugurated the new Land Raiders commemorative monument that my artist cousin Will Maclean and his wife Marion Leven have designed - looks like being a good night! Wish I could be there! Say hi to Will if you make it. He's a great pal of Ali Beags too.

http://www.ceuig.com/archives/4077

All the best, Kevin

**kmmando** · Mar-21-2012, 6:44am

When the weather's good up there its a wonderful wilderness landscape, Steve. Cheers!

**donaidh** · Mar-21-2012, 7:12am

Thanks for the link Kevin. Looks like a good lineup for Friday. I've played in the Uig hall a couple of times. Always lots of willing dancers!

Donnie

**Jim Garber** · Mar-21-2012, 12:12pm

Wonderful tunes and playing. Are you two related? And you can download on itunes?

Originally Posted by kmmando

Any advice on horizontally panning a hand held video camera without shaking?!

Get yourself a tripod.

**Steve Davis** · Mar-21-2012, 12:42pm

Any advice on horizontally panning a hand held video camera without shaking?!

**kmmando** · Mar-22-2012, 5:22am

Hi Jim, yes we are actually related, but back a few generations I believe. Tripod with abubble level would be better still perhaps, thanks, Kevin

Yes, all our recordings, "Sands of Achnahaird", "Braes of Badentarbat" and my solo cds on Greentrax are on iTunes, and I've got proper cds if you prefer the real thing - pm me if you're after anything specific.

**John Kelly** · Mar-22-2012, 7:15am

Great stuff Kevin, as usual! Lovely lift in Ali's playing yet, in spite of onset of arthritis.
Re camera panning, the tripod is the answer, but if you are trying panning without one then try not to have too much zoom on the camera as telephoto end of things emphasises shake; keep your elbows tucked in and pivot from the hips as you pan - oh, and hold your breath if you can while panning. In fact, it is easier to play than to work the video camera!

**kmmando** · Mar-22-2012, 11:50am

Haha! Perhaps I'd be better sticking to music, John! But its quite fun making these wee films. Good to hear from you, and I trust your playing loads of great tunes as ever! Slainte, Kevin

**John Kelly** · Mar-23-2012, 10:14am

It is indeed fun making the videos and another way of keeping the old grey matter stimulated. Just as being on these chat groups is!
Now, a wee while at the instrument instead of the computer.

**Loretta Callahan** · Mar-23-2012, 11:52pm

Lovely! Thank you!

**Bertram Henze** · Mar-24-2012, 11:14am

Originally Posted by John Kelly

...keep your elbows tucked in and pivot from the hips as you pan - oh, and hold your breath if you can while panning.

breaking news ... unknown camera man found in the Highlands ... apparently died of asphyxiation and twisted-off backbone ... the Highland monster strikes again ...

Thanks for the vid Kevin, there's all in there that needs to be. And as for shaking cameras - this is widely accepted as cool style ever since Blair Witch Project.

**kmmando** · Mar-26-2012, 11:01am

Unknown's the status, that's for sure! Thanks, I had a great laugh at the image!!! Need to watch my back in future!

**John Kelly** · Mar-27-2012, 2:35pm

Bertram, your postings continue to give the greatest pleasure. As the proposer of the various gyrations intended to keep the camera steadier, I too just had to laugh out loud while reading your news flash!

There is always the possibility of acquiring a steadycam, Kevin, if you have several tens of thousands of £s at your disposal - the ones you see wielded by the touchline cameramen at the football matches.

**kmmando** · Apr-12-2012, 7:14am

Still shaking!

**John Kelly** · Apr-12-2012, 1:07pm

Never mind the shakes - the music is as good as ever. Scenery up there around that area is truly spectacular!
My last attempt at filming we did with camera on tripod and totally unmoved throughout the recording of the two tunes, then John (the other one) took some stills which we blended into the final video. We thought the straight video of two elderly players might be a bit boring so added in the stills. Result can be viewed at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=ZD73NamUjOE

**kmmando** · Apr-12-2012, 3:51pm

Nice! Lovely sounds and playing! Good old tunes too. Are these instruments you've made John?

Here it is in full ...

**kmmando** · Apr-12-2012, 4:20pm

http://www.luthierjohn.co.uk/

**kmmando** · Apr-13-2012, 3:58am

Mandomusic by myself and the amazingly talented Luke Plumb .....

**John Kelly** · Apr-13-2012, 4:16am

Loved the scenery and the playing. I have a friend who is a keen sailor and he sailed a lot in the Western Isles and up where you have been filming and has called his house Tanera Mhor!
The instruments John and I are playing in our video are indeed two of my own builds, Kevin. The tenor has spruce top and Spanish Cypress back and sides, and the octave is spruce with Indian Rosewood back and sides. Thanks too for posting my website link!

**John Kelly** · May-08-2012, 2:29pm

Just back from a great weekend at the Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival in Oban where I had a great time listening to some truly amazing fiddle and box playing. While in Oban I went into the great wee music shop there and found a music book I had never seen before, "Tunes of Coigach" by Ali Beag MacLeod. Published in 2010 and with a lot of input in the layout and photography by a certain Kevin HJ Macleod! It is a great wee collection of Ali's compositions and I am having fun now playing through them and adding to my store of tunes I'd like to be able to play!

**Beanzy** · May-08-2012, 3:54pm

If anyone wants to avoid the shakey bit with a typical video camera while remaining fairly nimble, try using a monopod.
You can hold it with a single hand and either plant the spike for a pan or hold it loosely at the top and use the small weight to act as a pendulum. Hold the arm out from your side and use it to smooth any vertical variations.
You'll still get movement but it will be gradual and unintrusive; not steady-cam smooth, but very acceptable for most uses.
I find tripods tend to be a bit heavy and clunky to move about much unless you've got a side-kick.

**kmmando** · May-09-2012, 7:01am

hey, John, that's great you found Ali's tune book - it was excellent to get it printed, as nothing had been formally done with his compositions and tales. Good tunes too, I've recorded a few of them myself, and also Ali plays some of them on his two cds.

http://www.musicscotland.com/cd/Ali-...f-Coigach.html

Eoin, very useful idea - I like the sound of that - I'll get one I think, cheers!