"The Cut" Gracenote: Scottish Fiddle Technique Tutorial by Hanneke Cassel

In this technique tutorial, Hanneke Cassel demonstrates how to play the Scottish grace note “The Cut”. Also known as the Bowed Triplet or The Burl, this gracenote is a must-know if you want to jam Scottish style...See all technique videos for free at www.fiddlevideo.com/category/fiddle-technique-fiddle-lessons/.
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[@jasonvansteenwyk5984]

Hanneke has it right. In the Scottish/Cape Breton traditions the term they use is "cut." Irish fiddlers and others use the cut to refer to the other ornament you refer to, but in the Scottish and Cape Breton context, Hanneke's terminology is correct.

[@tullochgorum6323]

As she hints in the video, dropping the bow like that is very much her personal approach - if you can pull it off you're going to impress people but I've never seen anyone else do it, even Cape Breton fiddlers. Personally I find it dauntingly difficult. She seems to be using metal strings which may help. It's much more common in all styles, I think, to play the burl on the string - something that I for one find much easier.

[@kaysay328]

Thank you for this helpful explanation!

[@MrNicoleb45]

Merci de créer ces vidéos!

[@comesahorseman]

I bet it doesn't come overnight; looks damned tricky!! ;)

[@daves.9479]

Sounds to me like most of the examples (3:27) are 4 notes rather than 3 (2:14).

[@josephmcmahon7470]

Her bow starts down and ends down... that means 3 notes.

[@daves.9479]

@@josephmcmahon7470 Slow it down to 0.25 and you can clearly hear 4 notes: 1234.....1234....1234....1234... etc, Is it a bow bounce that's creating the extra note?

[@musosolo]

That isn't a cut LOL - not even in Breton.

[@nozecone]

It is certainly what's known as a 'cut' in Cape Breton; I'm not qualified to comment on the fiddle terminology of 'Breton', however.

[@quilpiepark]

so who taught You?

[@Fiddlevideocom]

Thanks for the question, Quilpiepark. You can read about Hanneke's background here: www.fiddlevideo.com/about-2/our-team/