A New Ornament: Cuts

Hi, friends. In this lesson I introduce cuts.

Please check out the video linked to the right.

Cuts are embellishments or ornaments to a tune. Ornaments are intended to enhance the phrasing and to express the emotion of a tune. Cuts in Irish music are just as important as the notes themselves. Cuts arena of the most frequently used ornaments.

Cuts are played by quickly bouncing off of a higher than the one you are starting to play at the very beginning of that note. It sounds more complicated than it is.

Experienced players might execute a cut in the middle of a note that has a longer duration, but for now let’s focus on the basics.

Quickly raise and lower a finger on a higher note than the one you are intending to play. The purpose of the cut is to, well, cut the entry of the note.

The cut does not impact the length of the note.

There are many recommendations for performing a cut. Some say we should use any note higher than the one you are going to play. 

Others recommend cutting with the G (three holes covered on a D whistle) if you’re playing a D, E, F#, or G. If you’re play an A or a B, then you’ll use the B to cut. 

Cuts should have a bit of an edge to them. That’s why it’s recommended that we go a few notes higher.  

Use what sounds and feels right for you. A good deal will depend on your comfort playing and your current skill level.

But, when do we play a cut?

First rule: cuts are ornaments. Don’t go crazy. They are intended to enhance the phrasing and the emotion of a tune, they’re not intended to dominate the tune or distract from it.

If the tune has  two consecutive of the same notes, then cut to distinguish the second one.

Another way to use the cut is to highlight a transition in a song, or highlight the rhythm in a song. We’ll get into that more, but one expression of that is in the second line of this song.

Playing well and adding ornaments are both developed through practice. SO, please keep going.