Lesson 36 - Swallow's Nest

This tune is a composition of the late Paddy O'Brien from Nenagh in Co. Tipperary.

Paddy O'Brien’s tunes are often very challening, but are also very musical.

You will need to move your left hand into the third position when you reach the 11th bar. You can use the gap provided by the open E at the beginning of the bar to move into the third position, and then move back to open position for the last two bars.

This, incidentally, is the last tune in Book 2.

Sun, 11 May 2008

File size is 2.93MB.

Duration is 12 minutes 50 seconds.

Direct download: Swallows_Nest.mp3

Lesson 35 - Silver Spire

This reel is in D, so there are no notes
that are played on the first fret.

Also the highest note in the tune is the F# on the 1st string, 2nd fret, so you won’t have to move your left hand.

The tune does require picking on all six strings. Keeping your left hand 'square' to the fretboard will help.

In the accompaniment, there area a few B Minor chords placed at strategic points in the second part of the tune, which add a touch of melancholia.

Sun, 4 May 2008

File size is 1.74MB.

Duration is 7 minutes 37 seconds.

Direct download: Silver_Spire.mp3

Lesson 34 - Sunny Banks

A 16-bar reel consisting of two four-bar sections, each repeated once.

Sat, 26 April 2008

File size is 1.3MB.

Duration is 5 minutes 41 seconds.

Direct download: Sunny_Banks.mp3

Lesson 33 - Star of Munster

Originally in A minor, this tune is sometimes played in G minor - for example by both Martin Hayes and Kathleen Collins have recorded in G minor.

Martin pointed out to Tony that many A minor tunes are played in G minor in his native East Clare.

Tony's version here however is in the original A minor.

Sun, 20 April 2008

File size is 1.8MB.

Duration is 7 minutes 52 seconds.

Direct download: Star_of_Munster.mp3

Lesson 32 - Padraig O'Keefe's

This tune is a slide.

The time signature is 12/8, which means basically 12 quavers per bar, but more correctly 4 groups of either quavers or crotchet/quaver combinations.

A traditional Irish musician would count 4 beats per bar, each count being for 3 quavers or the equivalent: so *1* 2 3, *2* 2 3, *3* 2 3, *4* 2 3. Slides are often played very fast and are used for set dancers, and are widely played around Kerry and Cork.

Tony reminds us not to try to play too fast.

Sun, 13 April 2008

File size is 1.82MB.

Duration is 7 minutes 57 seconds.

Direct
download: Padraig_OKeefes.mp3

Lesson 31 - Old Joe's Jig

Normally played in D, Tony’s arrangement is in C, with a capo on the second fret.

The highest note is an A (5th fret, 1st string), and so the whole tune can be played from the open position. When fingering the high A note, remember to stretch the 4th finger to reach the
note, and try to avoid moving the left hand.

Mon, 7 April 2008

File size is 2.86MB.

Duration is 12 minutes 29 seconds.

Direct download: Old_Joes_Jig.mp3

Lesson 30 - Miss McCloud's

Probably originally a Scottish tune, this is a very widely played reel.

The last two bars of both sections are identical.

Tony reminds us not to try to play too fast.

Sat, 29 March 2008

File size is 1.61MB.

Duration is 7 minutes 02 seconds.

Direct download: Miss_McClouds.mp3

Lesson 29 - Maid at the Well

A favourite of Tony's, he plays this jig in F, although it's normally played in G.

The key of F is not very common on guitar - and this is our first tune in F. Practicing the F scale is the best way to get used to it.

The accompaniment includes a B flat bar chord, but the others can be played in open position, so it shouldn't present too much of a problem.

Sun, 23 March 2008

File size is 2.04MB.

Duration is 8 minutes 55 seconds.

Direct
download: The_Maid_at_the_Well.mp3

Lesson 28 - Lord Inchiquin

Another tune by the highly influential Turlough O'Carolan.

Planxty Irwin (which we had in Lesson 14, in Book 1) was another O'Carolan tune.

This is in 3/4 time, with emphasis on the first beat of each bar: *one* two three, *one* two three, *one* two three.

In this episode, we've also included a version with Tony playing the bouzouki and mandolin.

Sat, 15 March 2008

File size is 3.92MB.

Duration is 17 minutes 07 seconds.

Direct download: Lord_Inchiquin.mp3

Lesson 27 - The Kesh Jig

A nice simple jig.

The tune is mostly played in the open position, so you don’t have to move your hand until the last two bars.

For the last two bars, you use the first finger for G – the third fret on the first string, the third finger for A (the 5th fret) and the fourth finger for B (7th fret).

If you also use the first finger for D after the open B on the third last bar, the open B gives you the opportunity to move your left hand back to the open position.

Sun, 9 March 2008

File size is 2.13MB.

Duration is 9 minutes 18 seconds.

Direct download: The_Kesh_Jig.mp3

Lesson 26 - Green Fields of America

In episode 9, we had this reel in the 'normal' tuning.

In this episode, it's in Open D tuning. The tuning (from lowest pitched string to highest) is D A D F# A D, .

As the tune is normally played in G, the capo is on the 5th fret.

The chord shapes for Open D are, of course, different to those for the ‘regular’ tuning. However, learning them is no different from learning any other chord; and having these under your belt
opens up your repertoire.

In the booklet (Book 2), the chords shapes for Open D are on page 43.

Sat, 1 March 2008

File size is 2MB.

Duration is 8 minutes 46 seconds.

Direct
download: Green_Fields_of_America_in_Open_D.mp3

Lesson 25 - Forty Pound Float

A common polka, which Tony tells us has received some rough treatment.

Make it easier to learn by using shortcuts: the first bar is identical to the third and fifth bars, the last two bars of the first section are the same as the last two of the second section, and bars 9 and 10 are the same as bars 13 and 14.

Sun, 24 February 2008

File size is 2.59MB.

Duration is 11 minutes 21 seconds.

Direct
download: Forty_Pound_Float.mp3

Lesson 24 - Crowley's 2

Often played with last week's tune - Crowley's 1.

The tune is in D; the sheet music in the booklet (Book 2) shows it in C, with the capo on the second fret (to bring it into D).

In this episode, Tony also talks about combining tunes into sets.

Sat, 16 February 2008

File size is 2.87MB.

Duration is 12 minutes 34 seconds.

Direct download: Crowleys_2.mp3

Lesson 23 - Crowley's 1

Two tunes that are often played together are Crowley's 1 and 2.

The legendary Connemara single row melodeon player Johnny Connolly plays these two on his first recording 'An t'Oileann Aerach', available on CIC Records.

The tune is in D; the sheet music in the booklet shows it in C, with the capo on the second fret (to bring it into D).

The highest note is the G, 3rd fret, 1st string, so you don’t have to move out of the open position.

The right hand is tricky if you include triplets, as you should be if you are playing Irish music - without ornamentation the tune does not sound authentic.

Sun, 10 February 2008

File size is 1.49MB.

Duration is 6 minutes 30 seconds.

Direct download: Crowleys_1.mp3

Lesson 22 - Calliope House

This is a nice lively tune in the key of D.

Tony plays this tune with the high part first and the low part second, although it may have originally been played the other way around.

Because it's in the key of D, there are no notes on the first fret. Use your first finger for the second fret, second finger for the third, and so on.

Sat, 2 February 2008

File size is 2.18MB.

Duration is 9 minutes 32 seconds.

Direct download: Calliope_House.mp3

Lesson 21 - Britches Full of Stitches

This is a very common polka, and because of its simplicity is ideal for learners.

This tune is often used when playing for dancers but it is a lovely but simple 'stand alone' tune.

The left hand doesn't need to move at all; the notes are all in the first three sets on the four highest-pitched strings. Also, the last 3 bars of both parts are identical.

Sun, 27 January 2008

File size is 1.85MB.

Duration is 8 minutes 5 seconds.

Direct
download: Britches_Full_of_Stitches.mp3

Lesson 20 - The Banshee (McMahon's)

The Banshee is a reel that's sometimes know as McMahon's.

The first part is in G Major; it changes to E Minor in the second part.

The last two bars in the first and second parts are identical, which will help in learning.

Sat, 19 January 2008

File size is 2.96MB.

Duration is 12 minutes 56 seconds.

Direct download: The_Banshee.mp3

Lesson 19 - Andy McGann's Jig

The first of the Book 2 lessons is Andy McGann's jig.

Andy McGann was born in West Harlem and composed very many tunes.

There was an Andy McGann tribute on RTE in 2004 (tinyurl.com/2eputt)

Although this tune is normally in G, Tony's version is in C, with the capo on the 2nd fret, putting it in the key of D.

Fri, 11 January 2008

File size is 2.92MB.

Duration is 12 minutes 47 seconds.

Direct download: Andy_McGanns.mp3