Writing fiddle tunes is a wonderful thing- especially if you can play the fiddle- but probably, like most people, you think it's something you'll never be able to do. Think again. The fact is....

I started writing tunes years ago, by trial and error. It was a big trial and full of error, because I didn't have a clue what I was doing. Over the years my tunes have got more polished, the writing process has got easier and a great deal quicker. I've finally figured out that, just as in the natural world there are physical forces which nature has to follow, so in the world of music there are laws which melodies have to follow. In folk music these laws are remarkably straightforward. The best thing is that, if you already play a lot of traditional tunes, you already know what these rules are subconsciously. Get these rules down on paper in front of you , understand how they work, and tune writing is as easy as making toast. Here's the key: don't leave it to chance. Decide in advance exactly what kind of tune you want to write ; the style, the genre, the key, time signature, length, feel and so on, and within minutes you'll be able to create the tune which you wanted. Having discovered this secret, this treasure, this holy grail of tune writing, surely only a fool would let the secret out...only a fool would write a book and give all the secrets away. Damn! I wrote the book!

If you want to get your hands on this goldmine , first check out samples from the chapters:

Introduction

Why write your own tunes?

Decomposition

Tune structures

The Pentatonic scale

Improvisation

In search of the Lost Chord

Putting the Cart before the Horse

Modes

Starting Points

The element of surprise

The Title

A taste of the exotic

Where, When and How?

But is it any good?

So here's the book, Any Fool can write Fiddle Tunes!

The book goes through, in easy steps and straightforward fashion, almost everything you might want to know about how to write fiddle tunes which sound as good as the ones you already know.

It's just been published (June 2003) by Spartan Press, at a price of 9.99

Ring Spartan at 01528 544770; or write to Spartan Press, Strathmashie House, Laggan Bridge, Highland PH20 1BU, UK