There's something wonderful about a tune with an empty first beat! I've written the tune as I analyse the rhythm, but you should listen to these versions to make your own mind up, especially if you're not familiar with polskas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exibow2_GEM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty48tLp2CqE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnAwU66Pllw
...the last of which has some different notes, altering the mood slightly and emphasising the sun-coming-out-from-behind-the-clouds feeling of the second part. And listen to the way the harmony varies under the repeated phrase in the first part. These three versions together make a fascinating comparison!
Another tune I learnt from the great Dan Stewart. How is he so good? Anyway, this is a popular and well-known tune at the moment so you should be able to find people to play it with. There's nothing particularly tricky going on, so just enjoy it.
What's important here is, of course, the direction of the bow rather than the actual notes. But, since you have to play some notes, you might as well play these, for practice. Perhaps you'd like to let an open A drone ring out while you're noting the D string. Or you might like to hit the A string just on down bows, for instance. Experiment with this, and with things like how much bow you use, and how much swing you give the rhythm.
%%abc-version 2.1
%%abc-copyright (C) Copyright Ben Paley 2023
%%writefields N
%%writefields D
%%measurenb 0
%%partsbox 1
X:1
T:Polska efter Kings Selma Olofsdotter
T:Polska from the playing of Kings Selma Olofsdotter
T:Kings Selma
L:1/16
M:3/4
C:Trad arr. © 2020 Ben Paley
N:There's something wonderful about a tune with an empty first beat! I've written the tune as I
N:analyse the rhythm, but you should listen to these versions to make your own mind up,
N:especially if you're not familiar with polskas:
N:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exibow2_GEM
N:">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exibow2_GEM</a>
N:<a
N:href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty48tLp2CqE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty48tLp2CqE<
N:/a>
N:<a
N:href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnAwU66Pllw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnAwU66Pllw<
N:/a>
N:...the last of which has some different notes, altering the mood slightly and emphasising the
N:sun-coming-out-from-behind-the-clouds feeling of the second part. And listen to the way the
N:harmony varies under the repeated phrase in the first part. These three versions together make
N:a fascinating comparison!
O:Dalarna, Sweden
Q:1/4=106
R:Polska
D:Hedningarna, '"Kaksi!", 1991
Z:Ben Paley <ben.paley@benpaley.com>
K:D Dorian
P:A
|: z4 G2F2 E2DE | F4 A4 c3A | B4 G2F2 E2DE | F4 A2F2 D4 |
z4 G2F2 E2DE | F4 A4 c3A | B4 G2F2 E2DE |[1 F4 D8 :|[2 F4 D6A2 |]
P:B
|: _B3c d4 _B3d | d4 c2A2 F3A | _B3c d4 _B3d | d4 cdcA F3A |
G3B BA3 F4 |[1 E4 D6A2 :|[2 E4 D8 |]
X:2
T:Little Dutch Girl
L:1/8
M:C|
C:Trad arr. © 2022 Ben Paley
N:Another tune I learnt from the great Dan Stewart. How is he so good? Anyway, this is a popular
N:and well-known tune at the moment so you should be able to find people to play it with. There's
N:nothing particularly tricky going on, so just enjoy it.
Q:200
R:Reel
Z:Ben Paley <ben.paley@benpaley.com>
K:A
P:A
|: e2fg a2c2 | efed cBA2 | e2fg a2c2 | e8 |
e2fg a2c2 | efed cBA2 | cBcA BG3 | A8 :|
P:B
|: e6 d2 | c6 AB | cBcA d2c2 | B8 |
f2f2 f3f | efed cBAB | cBcA BG3 | A8 :|
X:3
T:Shuffle bowing patterns
L:1/8
M:C|
C:Trad arr. © 2005 Ben Paley
N:What's important here is, of course, the direction of the bow rather than the actual notes.
N:But, since you have to play some notes, you might as well play these, for practice. Perhaps
N:you'd like to let an open A drone ring out while you're noting the D string. Or you might like
N:to hit the A string just on down bows, for instance. Experiment with this, and with things like
N:how much bow you use, and how much swing you give the rhythm.
O:USA
Z:Ben Paley <ben.paley@benpaley.com>
K:D
P:Nashville Shuffle
|: v(EF)uFvF u(EF)vFuF | v(EF)uFvF u(EF)vFuF | v(EF)uFvF u(EF)vFuF | v(EF)uFvF u(EF)vFuF :|
P:Georgia Shuffle
|: (uEF)vF(uF EF)vF(uF | EF)vF(uF EF)vF(uF | EF)vF(uF EF)vF(uF | EF)vF(uF EF)vFuF :|
