Ideas to Try
Make a string fiddle
You will need: short flat piece of wood (about 30cm x 5cm), six small tacks/nails (about 2- 3cm long), oblong of stiff card (about 5cm x 2cm), thin elastic bands, plastic tub (eg for margarine), hammer, hacksaw, scissors, sticky tape, ruler.
Safety
Before you start, think about how to use this equipment safely. Will you need to wear safety gear? Check with your teacher if you are not sure about safety requirements.
1. Hammer the nails into opposite ends of the piece of wood:
Make sure the nails do not go all the way through to the other side!
2. With a hacksaw, cut a straight groove across the wood, near to one end:
3. Make a string for your fiddle by stretching an elastic band between two of the nails. Make two more strings in the same way:
4. Push the oblong of card under the strings and stand it on edge in the groove. Your strings should now be held up, away from the wood:
This is called the 'bridge'.
5. Fix the tub to the piece of wood with tape. Make sure the open side of the tub is facing the bridge:
Now you have added a ‘sound box’ to your fiddle.
6. Play your fiddle by plucking the strings. You can change the pitch of each string by holding it down in different places with your finger. Shorter strings make higher notes.
Try using a ruler to ‘saw’ across the strings, like a bow. Can you make a sound? Can you make different notes? Can you play a tune?
Music making
Add your own percussion to the soundtrack of the video and play along with Anna, Emma, Kerri and Eilidh. Watch the step dance and try to reproduce the moves with your friends, adding in some moves of your own. Take turns to act as the caller.
If you play a musical instrument such as the recorder, look through books of music to find some traditional Irish or Scottish folk songs that you can play. You should be able to find the music for songs such as: Molly Malone, The Harp that Once Through Tara’s Halls, Will Ye No Come Back Again? and The Skye Boat Song, as well as many others. The links from this site can help you find out more.
