For steel-strung or nylon-strung guitar, by Rob MacKillop

[An incredible 18,000 mp3 and 4,500 book downloads so far! 18 June, 2006]

~ Russian Translation Available! Enquire ~

From the Introduction:

One of my chief concerns in this book is to show the stylistic differences between regions of Scotland, and also between periods. Guitars, lutes and citterns have been played in Scotland for almost a thousand years, and have always had a distinctive, contemplative voice. The arrangements in this book unite history with the present. Different areas of Scotland have cultivated different styles. These regional variations are a vital part of Scottish culture, but I fear they are being eroded due to political and economic pressures. In my arrangements, I have tried to reflect the origin of the tunes, with their appropriate ornaments and phrasing. The accompanying mp3 recordings are essential for a deeper understanding of the subtle art of phrasing, which cannot be found on the printed page alone.

I have spent many years researching and performing the historical traditional music of Scotland, and I feel that has given me an insight into a Scottish tradition of performing traditional music on plucked, fretted string instruments such as guitar, cittern and lute. I have tried in this book to show that thousand-year tradition for what it is, and to incorporate it into later material, from Gaelic song to traditional airs and dances. My main hope is that this book will raise an awareness amongst guitarists and their audiences of the great heritage the modern guitar can lay claim to, and the unique and distinctive style of Scottish guitar playing.

This book (I believe for the first time) attempts to define a uniquely Scottish way of playing the guitar, and it does so not through a dry academic analysis, but through performance - the heart of any musical culture.

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All the MP3 files are free to download. For the book, I am asking for a minimum donation of £5. Simply click the Donation button below which will link to a highly secure PayPal site. Please note that you do not require a PayPal Account to use this service. The book will be emailed to you (1.48 MB). Please note that you must also email me to state that it is The Scottish Guitar book you are ordering.

The following are free MP3 files:

NEW!! Please note that the guitar I used for these recordings is now FOR SALE

Section 1: DADGAD tuning

1. Prelude No.1
2. Prelude No.2
3. Phiurag nan Gaol - Sister of Loves
4. Tighean Geala Sildeag
5. Oran a' Mhaighdean Mhara
6. Low Lies the Mist on Mallavurich
7. Maol Donaidh - The Fisherman's Song for Attracting the Seals
8. Suas Leis a' Mhagairlean
9. My Cheeks are Furrowed
10. Farewell to Whisky (Niel Gow)
11. Welcome Whisky Back Again (Niel Gow)
12. Roslin Castle (James Oswald?)
13. The Flooers O' the Forest

Section 2: Tunes in Open G Tuning

1. Wet is the Night and Cold
2. A Mother's Lament on the Death of Her Child
3. Gur Eutrom an t Tiseag
4. An Chearc ar Fad is an Anairthe
5. Ask My Father
6. My Love Has Deceived Me
7. Oran an Aoig - The Song of Death

Sections 3: Tunes in OPEN D Tuning

1. I Long for Thy Virginitie
2. Rhona's Tune
3. Shoes Rare and Good In All - Lilt Ladie An Gordoun
4. The Canaries
5. Lady Lie Nier Me
6. Lilt-Milne
7. My Lady Binnis Lilt
8. Blew Riben
9. Lady Lothian's Lilt
10. Courante and Double
11. A Port (No.1)
12. A Port (No.2)
13. Port Jean Lindsay
14. Port Priest
15. Port Rorie Dall
16. Port Atholl
17. The Chancelours Farewell
18. If Thou Were Myn Own Thing
19. The Lord Aboin's Air
20. For Old Long Syne

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Example of the notation:

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I am available for concerts and workshops. Contact.

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Your comments are welcome, and will be placed below (unless you tell me otherwise).

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Such lovely music making! I didn't know Tighean Geala Sildeag - what a stunningly lovely tune...How beautiful and haunting My Cheeks are Furrowed sounds on the guitar - wish you'd played it two or three times over...I could go on - but anyway you've got the drift of my pleasure. Many many thanks. Dr John Purser, author of Scotland's Music.

What a fine contribution you have made! This is the Internet at its best. Jack

Your CDs give me a great deal of pleasure - some of the tunes make the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and the music certainly strikes a deep chord in my Scottish soul. Wonderful music, beautifully arranged and played with the touch of a maestro. If I was 40 years younger I would go out and buy a lute tomorrow! Roy

The book is amazing. Learning the phrases has deepened my appreciation for the guitar, and made me a better artist! Brett

Thanks Rob, I visited your website, and I DL the book. The mp3's were very helpful as well. Many thanks. Learning the phrases has really increased my appreciation for the instrument. I now can play two of the songs you wrote! Very soothing music! B#

Thanks for your gift to us. I love pieces using DADGAD and learning some of them is much easier than the current classical repertoire with which I've been struggling, so this is a nice break. Excellent site, and I especially appreciate the distinction you make between Scottish and Celtic music. Rick

This is Brilliant !! THANK YOU !! Blugtrz2

This work is both brilliant and truly a gift. RH

Wonderful and generous--hope this volume gets wide circulation! Steve Bornfeld

I really ejoyed the mp3's on your site, and the book looks wonderful too. It's wonderfully understated playing, beautiful melodies masterfully arranged. I can't understand why a publisher would leave this off the shelves. Maybe you should change the title to "Celtic Music for EZ Acoustic Guitar" or some other nonsense. Jon Gomm

My name is Igor. I am the administrator of site lute.ru (Russia). I have with the great pleasure familiarized with your book. It is very good job. Accept my congratulations. I am assured, that she will be interesting to all amateurs of the lute and guitar in Russia. I ask of your sanction to translation of the book to russian language and publications of these materials (only text contents) on site www.lute.ru Also I shall put the link to yours site where users can directly download your book. Igor

A most profound THANKS! This was really generous from you! This is going to serve me as a coursebook this summer :))) Scaramousche

That's an absolute gem -- I can't wait to get to my guitar to start trying some of those pieces! "Thanks" hardly seems to cover it! digitig