Lesson 69. Old Blackthorn

This tune is one of those lovely 16-bar reels in the key of D Major, of which there are many in Irish music. Structurally it is a very simple tune, containing only three chords.

You may experience some difficulty in the first bar when going from the first D triplet then having to immediately cross over the third string to hit the F# on the fourth string. If you do have trouble with this phrase then Tony suggests you practice the phrase in isolation.

The same applies to the triplet in the second bar of the second part of the tune, where you have a triplet containing three different notes.

The one thing that is simple in this tune is that you don’t have to move from open position.

Chords are D, A and G.

Gerry GaffneyLesson 69. Old Blackthorn