A tunelist, compiled by Cathie from our collective suggestions, was used as the basis for the December dance. (10/17/00)

The pages containing tunes have been reorganized, into separate tunelist and session pages. (10/17/00)

A discussion and install instructions for the abc format and conversion software, to dots and MIDI. Do check this out. If you're local, I can get you a CD-ROM with the links filled in. Send me mail. (11/22/00)

More tunes, including Spootiskerry, Scollay's, Swallowtail. MIDI for all that have dots. Still need to add a bunch more transcriptions. Tempos are arbitrary. (10/19/00)

The tunes whose transcriptions are posted here are all believed to be in the public domain, except as otherwise noted. If you believe otherwise, please let me know. All other materials relating to the course, including the arrangements of these tunes, are copyright 2000 (c) Cathie Whitesides.

Manifesto

The tunes are available here in various formats:

• abc This is a barely-scrutable text format, which available utility programs can translate into nice printed output or even MIDI. See Chris Walshaw's abc page for details. I've provided the abc for the tunes here in two bulk files, the dance tunelist and the other session tunes.
• PostScript I've provided individual, large-font single-page versions of each of the tunes in Adobe PostScript format. I've also provided two bulk files, the dance tunelist tunes and the other session tunes, with the tunes in a smaller, straight-up format.
• Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) Use Acrobat Reader, provided free by Adobe, to read these files. I've provided single-page versions in landscape (nice and large!), as well as two bulk files, the dance tunelist tunes and the other session tunes.
• MIDI Most of the files are also available in MIDI format. Note! The tempo markings on the printed pages are the tempos used in these MIDI files. Use your favorite MIDI player, or check out MidiGate, a low-cost shareware program. The MIDI flies slickly add a boom-chuck based on the chords, which only means I needed to make up some chords and add them to the tune. (You may well disagree with my choices.)

All tunes transcribed here are believed in the public domain, except as noted. All tunes not in the public domain that are made available here are solely for the use of students in Cathie's workshop. Students in the workshop who want transcriptions of other tunes we've encountered, please send me e-mail. For difficulties in arranging printed copies, please also send mail.

The transcriptions to PostScript and translations to MIDI use the 'abc' format, developed and popularized by Chris Walshaw. The conversion utilities used were written by J.R. Allwright, and are particularly well done, I think. Thank you!

These tunes go through a revision process as I transcribe them (basically, Cathie fixes the mistakes!). Send me mail if you would like to be on an e-mail notification list. Otherwise, you should check back here periodically.

Sources

Tunebooks

• The New England Fiddler's Repertoire
• The Portland Collection
• The Fiddler's Fakebook
• The Waltz Book (and The Waltz Book II)

Groups/recordings:

• New England Chestnuts I and II (Laurie Andres, accordion, Rodney Miller, fiddle, playing Chorus Jig
• Wild Asparagus
• Nightingale
• Stuff Smith discography (at Excite) and buying info (MusicSearcher search engine)

History

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