The Tenpenny Bit - Irish jig on viola

Here's the Tenpenny Bit, a very popular jig, played on the viola.
This version is played in a key that is optimised for viola, so it is a 5th lower than what would normally played by traditional fiddle players.
The sheet music for this version, plus a version in the original key for playing along with the violins, is in my pdf book of traditional tunes for viola, available at folkviola.co.uk - this tune is in Volume 1 (here's a direct link to the sheet music purchase page: payhip.com/b/Stru )
**NEW: sheet music with bowing and ornament suggestions for this tune is now available at: payhip.com/b/92Avi . This is also available as part of a discounted sheet music bundle of ten tunes, Folk Viola Bowings and Ornaments Book 1: payhip.com/b/Nfl9T **
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Website: www.folkviola.co.uk
Tip jar: ko-fi.com/folkviola
Bandcamp: folkviola.bandcamp.com
Buy all my sheet music with 33% off! --- payhip.com/b/Gcbla

[@folkviola]

**NEW: sheet music with bowing and ornament suggestions for this tune is now available at: payhip.com/b/92Avi . This is also available as part of a discounted sheet music bundle of ten tunes, Folk Viola Bowings and Ornaments Book 1: payhip.com/b/Nfl9T **

[@penultimateh766]

I think this sounds so much better on viola/

[@shinikamisama]

Agree! From another viola

[@ktj4691]

From one violist to another BRAVO. I plan to learn all of the tunes you've posted.

[@jackx4311]

To me, this sounds *SO* much better than it would do on a fiddle - the higher notes of which are way too screechy for my taste - *BRAVO!!*

[@en3usiastfortesque368]

Superb rendition......and what a great tone......👍

[@RascalOutdoors]

I am definitely planning on learning this!

[@catdaddy7982]

Always wondered why more people didn't solo on viola. Harmonically so much fuller and richer

[@CineMutt]

Super!!

[@markswintonorganist8227]

Wonderful as always - and is that a familiar bit of CD cover artwork that I can see to your left? If so, I still have that particular disc. My kids love it!

[@folkviola]

Thanks! And yes -- well spotted!

[@gavinmcnutt1524]

Is this tunes like a violin or tunes like a viola? I know it is a viola so the strings should be tuned like one, but are you tuning the strings as you would on a violin?

[@folkviola]

The strings are tuned in the normal way for a viola: CGDA

[@Juventus4Life23]

❤

[@cindyrubinfine2941]

The folks I play with all know the pieces in good keys for fiddle, and don't want to change keys. I need the self confidence to just go ahead and shift! Any tips?

[@folkviola]

Hi, I would personally definitely *NOT* recommend changing the keys when you're playing with others in a social music situation (e.g. a traditional music session) - in a lot of trad sessions that would make people quite annoyed!
Personally, I would only play these tunes in the viola keys when playing solo, or in a viola-led band, and in a trad session I would only do so when people had specifically requested it, or were actively interested.
However, I made a book of sheet music for exactly this situation, which has all the tunes written out in the traditional keys, but in alto clef and first position so you can join in on the viola in the keys that everyone else is playing in. You can get it here: www.folkviola.co.uk/traditional-tunes-viola.php

[@airisalmela4461]

I'm a Happy owner of a five string electro acoustic violin. I used to own a viola too, but it was far too big for me. Now I can pretend to Be both, a violinist/viola player without worrying about keys 😊

[@trapperscout2046]

Three Little Drummers

[@johnmc3862]

Swing.