The Iri¢éh DADGAD Guitar Book by Sarah McQuaid The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book Playing and Backing Traditional Irish Music on Open-Tuned Guitar by Sarah McQuaidThe Irish DADGAD Guitar Book Playing and Backing Traditional nich Music Sarah eaPublished by Ossian Publications Vel Bemers Street, London WIT SLI, UK. Exclusive Distributors: Music Sales Limited Distribution Centre, Newmarket Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 1P53 5¥B, UK. ‘Music Sales Corporation 257 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010, United States of America Music Sales Pty Limited 20 Resolution Drive, Caringbah, NSW 2229, Australia, ‘This book © Copyright 1995 Novello & Company Limited, part of The Music Sales Group Unauthorised reproduction of any part ofthis publication by any means including photocopying is an infringement of copyright ‘wanumusicsales.com ‘Witten and tlustrated by Sarah McQuaid ‘Music origination by Sarah McQuaid Continuity, layout and typesetting by Grace O'Halloran, Cover design by John Loesberg Cover drawing by Sarah McQuaidTABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Music Basics The Structure of Irish Music The Modes and Key Signatures The Guitar Your Guitar Chord Structure Chord Diagrams Backing Irish Music Discography Tablature and Tunes Page 10 12 19 27 31 45 48 54INTRODUCTION I have felt for some time that there was a need for a book that would (1 deal comprehensively with the guitar, its history and construction, and all aspects of its play- ing and maintenance; (Il) provide a basic outline of the theory and structure of music in general and traditional Irish music in particular; (IN) discuss principles of accompany- ing Irish music; (IV) offer a defence of the DADGAD tuning, along with a complete set of chord diagrams for that tuning; (V) give music and tablature for guitar arrangements of a couple of dozen traditional Irish tunes. I hope that I have done an adequate job of meeting that need. I also hope that this book will be of use not only to people wishing to learn about the DADGAD tuning, but also to anyone with an interest in Irish music and/or the guitar. Standard guitar tuning consists of the notes EADGBE, running from the lowest string to the highest. In the DADGAD tuning, the 1st (highest) and 6th (lowest) strings are tuned down one full step, from E to D, and the 2nd string is tuned down one full step from B to A, producing the notes DADGAD — hence the name. This tuning was invented by English guitarist Davy Graham, and lends itself particularly well to all the keys commonly used in Irish music: D major/minor/Mixolydian/Dorian, E minor/Dorian, @ major/minor/Mixolydian/Dorian, A major/minor/Mixolydian/Dorian, B minor. The few tunes in Fand C are a little bit trickier to play backing chords to, but not difficult for melody. ‘The principal advantage of DADGAD is the added richness of sound, due to two factors: the lowered bass string and the sympathetic-string effect. If a string is tuned to a given note, say, A, and that note is sounded, either by the same instrument or by another instrument, the string will vibrate in ‘sympathy’. A few instruments, such as the sitar and the viola d’amore, make use of this phenomenon by having two rows of strin; top row on which the melody is played, and a bottom row of ‘sympathetic strings’. A guitar shop is a great place to hear how sympathetic strings work. Stand facing a wall of guitars and loudly hum an A or D for as long as you can. Gradually, all the guitars will start to hum along with you in a somewhat eerie fashion. When you are playing an Irish tune on a DADGAD-tuned guitar, the strings you are not playing are far more likely to match the notes played, and consequently start sounding in sympathy, than would the strings of a guitar tuned EADGBE. DADGAD-tuned guitars sound particularly nice when played along with bouzoukis tuned GDAD or ADAD; the open strings of both instruments resonate together, creating a lovely full sound, Strict traditionalists hold that Irish music is essentially melodic and that any backing goes against the nature of the music. I have to agree that for a ‘true’ traditional sound, you can’t beat a solo instrument; one of my favourite moments in any concert is when: the guitarist stands back, quits playing and lets a fiddle or flute player take off on a set of tunes by him or herself. Ido however have a bone to pick with those who find piano accompaniment acceptable but remain suspicious of the guitar. In my opinion, a DADGAD-tuned guitar, with its modal sound and its ability to emulate the drone of the uilleann pipes and the sympathetic vibration of the fiddle strings, is far more suitable as an accompanying instrument than a piano thunking away on straight major and minor chords. (Which is not to say that a piano can’t provide wonderful backup when in the right hands, such as those of several Cape Breton players; there are also a number of artists, including Patsy Broderick, Micheal © Stilleabhain and Donna Long, who do a beautiful job of playing melody on piano).In addition to its suitability for backing the music, I feel that the guitar has much to offer as a melody instrument. To date there have been only a very few traditional recordings made that feature solo guitar; perhaps that will change in time. I hope so. This book is dedicated to Reggie, and also to the memory of Fluffy, Blackie, Markie, Harry, Eugene and Raga. Special thanks are due to Noel McQuaid, John Loesberg, Grace O'Halloran, Neville Bengali, Jane Allen, Derek Guthrie and Elizabeth Murray. Gpeb— MQon Sarah McQuaid Dublin October 1995Music BAsics Musical notes are referred to by seven letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Music is written on a set of horizontal lines called a staff. A staff has five lines and four spaces; each of which has a note assigned to it. There are two clefs in music, treble and bass. In Irish music the clef used is always the treble clef, indicated by the sign at the beginning of the staff that looks a letter G crossed with a figure 8. On the treble clef, the bottom line represents the note E, the space above it the note F; the second line from the bottom is G, the second space A, the third line B, the third space C, the fourth line D, the fourth space E, and the top line F. Sometimes we want to depict notes that are too high or low to be contained in the staff. In that case, we draw in short lines above or below the staff, as necessary. To indicate what notes we want to play, we draw signs, called notes, on the staff. The value, or duration, of the note is indicated by its appearance; its pitch is indicated by where on the staff it is placed. In Irish music, the note value used most often is the eighth note, or quaver. Two eighth notes are equivalent to one quarter note, or crotchet. ‘Two quarter notes are equivalent to one half note, or minim. Two haif notes are equivalent to one whole note, or semibreve. An eighth note can be divided into two sixteenth notes, or semiquavers. A sixteenth note can then be divided further into two thirtysecond notes, and a thirty- second note into two sixtyfourth notes, which have the wonderful name hemidemi semiquavers, These units however do not come into Irish music. We can increase the value of any note by half by placing a dot after it. Thus, a dotted half note has the value of three quarter notes. A dotted quarter note has the value of three eighth notes. When we want to indicate a space in which no sound is played, we put a rest onto the staff. A full rest has the value of a whole note, a half rest the value of a half note, a quar- ter rest the value of a quarter note, an eighth rest the value of an eighth note, and so on. A group of three eighth notes with a number 3 contained within a curving line above them Is called a triplet, and has the time value of two eighth notes (or one quarter note). The best way to get a feel for what a triplet sounds like is to get someone to play one for you. Sometimes a very small eighth note appears next to a normal-sized note, connected to it by a curving line. This is called a grace note, and has no time value of its own. It is played very quickly before the normal note, and the time it takes to sound is integratedeither into the space Just before the normal note, or into the time value of the normal note itself. Grace notes are used along with triplets as a means of depicting the orna- mentation used in Irish music. The staff is divided by vertical lines into bars, also called measures, Each bar within a piece of music contains an equal number of beats. Immediately after the clef sign and key signature on the staff, we put two figures, one above the other, which are called the time signature and which indicate the number of beats to a bar. The top figure indicates how many beats, the bottom figure the value of each beat. Thus, 2/4 means that there are two quarter notes (or four eighth notes) to a bar; 4/4 signifies that there are four quarter notes (or eight eighth notes) to a bar; 6/8 indicates that there are six eighth notes to a bar, 9/8 that there are nine eighth notes to a bar. In the tunes at the back of this book, I have not given time signatures, as the time signature of each tune is self- evident. If a group of bars are to be repeated, we put a repeat sign at the end of the group. A double bar line indicates the end of a piece of music. ‘The sharp sign means that the pitch of the note is raised by one half step. The flat sign means that the pitch of the note is lowered by one half step. ‘The note between A and B could be called A sharp, or it could be called B flat. There is only one half step between B and C, so B sharp would be the same note as C. There is also only one half step between E and F. Between all the other notes there Is a full step. The distance between two notes is called an interval, The interval between C and Eis a third, because C-D-E = 1-2-5. The interval between C and F is a fourth, the interval between C and @ is a fifth, the interval between C and the A above it is a sixth, the interval between C and the B above it is a seventh. and the interval between C and high Cs an octave (the word derives from the Latin word for eight), The interval between a note and the note one half step above it (for example, between A and A sharp) is called a semitone. When we are playing in certain keys, certain notes will always be either sharp or flat. In order to indicate that this is the case, we put a key signature on the staff after the clef sign, showing which notes are to be sharpened or flattened. This will be explained more fully in the section on ‘The Modes and Key Signatures’. Anote that is neither sharpened nor flattened is called natural. Sometimes, when play- ing, for example, in the Key of G major, where F is always sharp, we want to play the note F without sharpening it. In that case, we put a natural sign next to the F note on the staff, in order to show that the note is not to be sharpened that particular time. Similarly, if the key signature indicates that C is always natural, but we want to play a C sharp, we put a sharp sign next to that C note. Sharp, natural and flat signs placed this way are called accidentals. An accidental placed next to a note also affects any repeti- tions of that note within the same bar, unless it is cancelled out by another accidental.iieC DEF GARB CDEF GAB G el a = = = 2 ——— Whole Half Quarter Eighth Sixteenth Dotted Note Note "Note ‘Notes Notes Quarter Whole Half Quarter Righth Sixteenth Rest Rest Rest fest Rest caN Triplets Grace Notes ‘Time Bar Repeat Double Signature Sign Bar Line C Natural A Sharp AFlat (Accidental) (Accidental) (Accidental) ignature 9THE STRUCTURE OF IkisH Music Irish music is a complex musical form having a unique structure. Pieces of instrumen- tal music are referred to as tunes, and are divided into various types by rhythm. The ‘two most common types of tune are jigs and reels. Jigs are in 6/8 time; that is, each bar in a jig has a total time value of six eighth notes. ‘The stress falls on the first and fourth beats in each bar more or less equally. To get an idea of what a jig should sound like, say ‘energy, energy, energy, energy’. Strictly speaking, what I've just described is not just any jig but a double Jig. Since the vast majority of jigs fall into this category, most people just call them ‘jigs’ and leave it at that. There are however two other types of jig that should be mentioned. These are the slip Jig and the single jig or slide. Slip jigs are in 9/8 time, with each bar consisting of nine eighth notes divided into three groups of three, and the stress falling on the first, fourth and seventh beats in each bar. Single jigs or slides are in 12/8 time, with each bar consisting of twelve eighth notes divided into four groups of three, and the stress falling on the first, fourth, seventh and tenth beats in each bar; what you often see are four pairs of notes, each pair consisting of a quarter note followed by an eighth note. Reels are in 4/4 time; that is, each bar has a total time value of four quarter notes. Generally speaking, each bar actually consists of eight eighth notes (which of course have the same total time value as four quarter notes!), divided into two groups of four. The stress falls on the first and fifth beats in each bar. The first, third, fifth and seventh beats in each bar have a fractionally longer time value than the second, fourth, sixth and eighth; this is what gives a reel its ‘swing’. To approximate the rhythm of a reel, you might say ‘generator, generator, generator, generator’. (if you don’t like saying ‘energy’ and ‘generator’, there are plenty of other three- and four-syllable words that would do as well. My good friend Steafan Hannigan in his Bodhran Book advocates using ‘watermelon’ for reels and ‘pineapple apricot’ for jigs, but after several unpleasant experiences playing guitar in restaurants while gazing out at a sea of masticating faces, I tend to feel that music and food should be kept apart. I might as well have been playing for a herd of cows, although the money probably wouldn’t have been as good — but I digress). Hompipes, like reels, are in 4/4 time, but proceed at a more stately pace, with the first and fifth beats in each bar being even more strongly accented than in reels, and a slightly less powerful stress also falling on the third and seventh beats. You might try thinking of a hornpipe as ‘two for breakfast, two for breakfast’. Yes, I know, I just said I didn’t want to bring food into It. I'm allowed to be illogical. It’s my prerogative as a musician, A polka is a very lively tune in 2/4 time. The beats can be arranged in a variety of different patterns; one common one is HAO AA which the food-minded among you might like to think of as “Take a sack of new potatoes, boil them in a great big pot, Sprinkle with a little parsley, serve them up and eat them hot!’ 10Here are some other typical polka patterns: J |(AaoAy a Amo mon 4 nANAL ajnon AWNnA|InNAl on Pg) ol) ie oe 2 ‘The vast majority of jigs, reels, hornpipes and polkas have two parts, each part consisting of eight bars and each part being repeated, so that the entire tune contains 52 bars. Slides and some slip jigs contain only four bars per part. Often there is a variation in the repetition of one part (usually the B part), so that the tune when written out appears to consist of one eight-bar part that is repeated and one sixteen-bar part that is not repeated, There are also quite a few tunes that have more than two parts — for example, ‘Lord Gordon’s’ (a reel with five parts) and ‘The Pinch of Snuff (a reel with nine parts). The remaining types of tune include waltzes, mazurkas, marches, set dances and airs. A waltz Is in 3/4 ‘oom-pah-pah’ time; a mazurka is like a waltz, but with the three beats of the fourth bar being strongly accented and the eighth bar consisting of one strongly accented beat and two rests. A march can be in 5/4 or 4/4 time and is characterised by a more deliberate pace. Set dances are tunes that match a particular dance; for the most part, they have the rhythm of jigs or hornpipes, but they often have an unusual number of bars per part. Airs can be either slow airs, which do not generally lend them- selves to guitar accompaniment but sound lovely with the guitar playing melody, or other tunes, such as those composed by O’Carolan, which don’t fall into the usual dance categories. uTue Moves AND KEY SIGNATURES Irish music is modal music. That is to say, its melodic structure does not always fit into the standard major and minor scales familiar to students of classical music. We can describe it most easily by referring to the modes, a tone-system developed In the early middle ages and based on the tone-system used by the ancient Greeks. The ‘Church modes’ bear the names of the ancient Greek modes, but the meanings are different. What you may already know as a major scale is also called a scale in the Ionian mode. Here is a scale in C major: = c D 1 2 E Fr a A B c 3 4 5 6 7 8 ful full” half full, =full_ = full_— half step step step step step_—step_—step Between the Ist and 2nd, 2nd and 5rd, 4th and 5th, 5th and 6th, and 6th and 7th notes of the scale there is a full step, but between the 5rd and 4th and the 7th and 8th notes there is only a half step. That is to say, C sharp (which we could also call D flat) lies between C and D, D sharp between D and E, and so on, but there is no note between E and F or between B and C. A full step is two frets on a guitar; a half step is one fret. Now, suppose we start a new scale on the 6th note (A) of the C major scale. What we then have is a scale in A minor, also known as a scale in the Aeolian mode starting on A: A B c D B F a A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Now there is a half step between the 2nd and Srd and the 5th and 6th notes of the scale. We call A minor the ‘relative minor’ of C major. If we start a new scale on the 2nd note (D) of the C major scale, we get a scale in the Dorian mode starting on D: D E F a A B c D 4 7 1 2 3 5 6 8 Now the half steps are between the 2nd and 3rd and the 6th and 7th notes of the scale. ‘The Dorian mode sounds like the Aeolian mode (minor) in the first half of the scale, but like the Ionian mode (major) in the second half of the scale. Beginning plano and guitar 12players tend to think that Dorian tunes are minor when they hear them, but chord progressions appropriate for a minor tune won't fit a Dorian tune. If we start a new scale on the 5th note (G) of the C major scale, we get a scale in the ‘Mixolydian mode starting on G: a A B C D E ro Gi 1 2 8 ££ 5 € accel Now the half steps are between the 5rd and 4th and the 6th and 7th notes of the scale. The Mixolydian mode is usually mistaken for the Ionian mode (major), but again, chord progressions for major tunes played behind a Mixolydian tune won't sound right. As a matter of interest, I might add that there are two other modes, which are used in jazz but not in Irish music. These are the Phrygian mode and the Lydian mode. We get a scale in the Phrygian mode by starting on the 3rd note (E) of the C major scale, so that there are half steps between the 1st and 2nd and the Sth and 6th notes of the scale. We get a scale in the Lydian mode by starting on the 4th note (F) of the C major scale, so that there are half steps between the 4th and Sth and the 7th and 8th notes of the scale. Here is a scale in D major (Ionian): In order for there to be a full step between the 2nd and 3rd notes of the scale and a half step between the 3rd and 4th notes, the F has to be sharp; and in order for there to be a full step between the 6th and 7th notes and a half step between the 7th and 8th notes the C has to be sharp also. As explained in the section on ‘Music Basics’, we indicate that F and C are sharp by means of the key signature, Here is a scale in D minor (Aeolian): Now the F is natural, because we want a half step between the 2nd and 5rd notes of the scale and a full step between the 3rd and 4th notes. The B is flat and the C natural, because we want a half step between the 5th and 6th notes of the scale and a full step between the 6th and 7th notes. Here is a scale in D Dorian: BNow we don’t need to insert any sharps or flats; the half steps and full steps are right where we want them, because D Dorian is relative to C major (Ionian). Here is a scale in D Mixolydian: SSS In order for there to be a full step between the 2nd and 3rd notes of the scale and a half step between the 3rd and 4th notes, the F has to be sharp, just as in D major (Ionian). However, unlike in D major, we now want a half step between the 6th and 7th notes of the scale and a full step between the 7th and 8th notes, so the C is natural. ———— Here is a chart showing all the key signatures you're likely to run into, with their corre- sponding keys: C major Aminor D Dorian G Mixolydian (lonian) (Aeolian) D major 5B minor E Dorian A Mixolydian (onian) (Aeolian) E major minor FDorian _B Mixolydian (onian) (Aeolian) F major Dminor GDorian —C Mixolydian (onian) (Aeolian) Q major Eminor ADorlan —_—D Mixolydian (onian) (Aeolian) Amajor Fminor — BDorian —_E Mixolydian (onian) (Aeolian) B major Gminor = C Dorian —_—F Mixolydian (onian) (Aeolian) 4THE GUITAR Musical instruments having the essential form of a guitar — that is, having a long neck, a hollow body, and strings passing over a soundhole — have been in existence since ancient times. Instruments with a more or less guitar-shaped body appeared around the 14th century, and by the 17th century there was a 5-string instrument tuned ADGBE. The 6th string was added toward the start of the 19th century. At that time there were two instruments known by the name ‘guitar’. The ‘English guitar’, also called a cittern, had a teardrop-shaped body and bore a striking resemblance to what we now call an Irish bouzouki, The ‘Spanish guitar’ had a figure-eight-shaped body and devel- oped into the modern guitar, while the English guitar fell into disfavour. Early guitars were made to take strings made of animal gut, but steel strings began to be used in the beginning of the 20th century, and the design of the guitar had to be modified in order to compensate for the increased tension. Steel strings produce a more ringing tone that carries for a longer time than that produced by gut or nylon strings. Following is a description of the flat top acoustic guitar (as distinct from the archtop guitar, which has quite a different appearance and construction and is used chiefly by Jazz musicians): The back of the guitar may be made of a number of different woods, with rosewood, mahogany and maple being most common, and may be made of two or, less often, three pieces joined inside the guitar either by small pieces of wood or by a single strip. There may be a decorative wood marquetry backstripe at the join. The back is usually braced inside by struts running across the join. The guitar's sides, called the ribs, are made of the same kind of wood as the back; the wood is soaked and then bent over a heated pipe to give it its form, The two ribs are joined at the guitar’s back end by an end block inside the guitar. A strap peg, also called an endpin, may be fitted into the end block. The top of the guitar is usually made of spruce or cedar, and is also braced for stability. The tone of the guitar depends a great deal on the bracing style used: different makers use different patterns, the most common being the ‘X-bracing’ style developed in the 1880s by the Martin guitar company (other bracing patterns include fan bracing and straight bracing). Sometimes the sides of the braces are carved out, or ‘scalloped’, to lighten them. The more lightly braced an instrument is, the greater its volume will be; an important part of the art of guitar making is the balancing of volume versus stability. Most guitars have a pickguard attached to the top below the soundhole, to prevent the finish from being marred by the plectrum. A few vintage gultars were made with gen- uine tortoiseshell pickguards, but most pickguards are made of black, white or tor- toiseshell-grained plastic. The pickguard may also be decorated with engravings or inlays. The soundhole is a round hole in the top of the guitar, and may have decorative wood, pearl, abalone or plastic inlay around it. ‘The top and/or back may have binding around the edges, which may be made of ivory (only on earlier guitars), plastic (white, black or tortoiseshell-grained) or wood, some- times in a herringbone inlay pattern. 15‘The bridge is typically made of rosewood or ebony, and sits on the top above the soundhole. It is anchored inside the guitar by a maple or rosewood bridgeplate. The saddle is a thin piece of plastic containing notches through which the strings pass; it sits in a slot on the bridge (on some vintage guitars, the saddle was made of ivory). The slot in the bridge is ‘compensated’ (placed on the diagonal) in order to give each string the bridge-to-nut length that it needs in order to sound in tune. The ends of the strings go into holes on the bridge and are held there by bridge pins, The neck may be made of mahogany, maple or walnut, and usually contains a slot through which a thin metal truss rod passes (on vintage guitars the truss rod was some- times made of ebony). The truss rod stabilizes the neck. Guitars with adjustable truss rods appeared relatively recently. On these guitars, If the neck shows signs of bowing, the truss rod can be adjusted either from inside the body of the guitar or through a slot in the peghead. The rosewood or ebony fingerboard is glued onto the neck, covering the truss rod slot. The frets are pieces of wire hammered into slots in the fingerboard, The fingerboard may be decorated either with simple position dots, or with more elab- orate inlays in pearl, abalone or plastic. At the base of the fingerboard is the nut, which has notches cut into it through which the strings pass. The part of the neck that curves round to meet the ribs is called the heel. At the end of the neck is the peghead, also called the headstock, which may also contain decorative inlays. As mentioned above, the peghead may contain a slot through which the truss rod can be adjusted and which is normally covered by a removable truss rod cover. Fitted into holes in the peghead are tuning machines, also called tuners or machine heads, to which the strings are attached, ‘The most widely known and highly respected maker of flat top acoustic guitars is the C.F Martin company, and Martin guitars continue to be the first choice of many players. My own guitar is a 1965 Martin D-28, and I love it dearly; more about that later. Martin hhad its beginnings in 1833, when a German immigrant guitar maker called Christian Frederick Martin opened a shop in New York. In 1839 the business moved to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where the Martin company is still based, now headed by C.F. Martin IV, great-great-great-grandson of the founder. Early Martin guitars were built to take gut strings and had small bodies, classified 0, 1, 2,2 1/2, 5, 3 1/2, 4 and 5, with 0 being the largest guitar, 5 the smallest. As the com- pany began to produce larger guitars, they continued the system, with 00 being the next size larger than 0 and 000 the next size after that. The D or ‘dreadnought’ was invented in 1916 and was until very recently the largest body size made by Martin (the dreadnought was the largest class of battleships at the time). The company began to make steel string quitars in the 1920s, and by the late 1930s the designs of the various. models had reached essentially the form they have now. Martin guitars bear model numbers consisting of a size code (the aforementioned D, 000, 00, etc.) followed by a style number indicating the type of wood used, binding, inlay and so forth. The M body size, introduced in 1980, is wider than a dreadnought but not as deep; the J, introduced in 1985, has an M-sized body with the depth of a dreadnought. The quality of Martin instruments declined somewhat during the period 1970-1976, when they were making more instruments than ever before, but subsequently improved. A close follower to Martin as a maker of flat tops Is the Gibson company, widely renowned for its archtop and electric guitars. While Martin remained the leader in flat top design, Gibson developed some features that were copied by Martin, including the 16adjustable truss rod. Some players prefer the more bass-heavy sound of Gibson instruments to that of Martins. (I particularly remember a Gibson J-200 that I played at a party five years ago. I don’t remember where the party took place or whose instrument it was, but the guitar was amazing). Orville H. Gibson, the son of a British immigrant, began making guitars toward the end of the 19th century. The Gibson com- pany was established in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1902, with Orville Gibson consulting and providing instruction for the workers. The company started out as makers of arch- top guitars, but in 1926 issued the first Gibson flat tops (an earlier flat top model, introduced in 1918, was an inferior quality instrument and did not bear the Gibson name). Gibson began to make dreadnoughts in 1954. The company was acquired in 1944 by the Chicago Musical Instrument. Company, but continued to be based in Kalamazoo. From the late 1940s through the 50s, Gibson made excellent-quality instruments; earlier Gibson flat tops were not as finely made. Quality declined in the 1960s and was very poor in the 1970s, during which time the company was going through a series of ownership changes. In 1989 the company moved its entire flat top Production to Bozeman, Montana, where it had built a new factory, and since then has dramatically improved quality and reissued a number of classic models. Epiphone flat tops were made by Gibson from 1959, shortly after Gibson bought the Epiphone company, until 1970, after which Epiphones were made In Japan and later Korea. Gibson also had various in-house budget brands, including Kalamazoo and Oriole, and made guitars for other distributors under a number of names, such as Recording King, Cromwell, Fascinator, Capital, Kel Kroyden and Martelle. Gibson also made flat top bodies for the National guitar company from 1947 to 1961. Like Gibson, the Guild company were principally makers of archtops to begin with. They turned out decent-quality flat tops from the 50s through the 70s, and are especially renowned for their 12-string instruments. I have a Guild F-512 12-string made in the late 70s, of which I'm very fond. It’s a huge, boomy instrument, so heavily constructed that my shoulders ache after playing it standing up. All those characteris- tics can be nice in a 12-string, but are not so desirable in a 6-string. A list of reputable makers of new guitars can be found in the section on ‘Your Guitar’. Recommended Reading: For more detailed information on vintage guitars, read Gruhn’‘s Guide to Vintage Guitars, by George Gruhn and Walter Carter, published in 1991 by GPI Books/Miller Freeman, Inc, 7YouR GuITAR Buying and Maintaining Your Guitar Please, if you're at all serious about this, get yourself a decent instrument. But you can’t afford to buy a good guitar, you say. Oh yes, you can. Do you own a car? Have you ever gone on holiday? Do you own a television? A hi-fi system? A leather jack- et? Do you buy new clothes? Do you smoke cigarettes? Have you ever bought a meal at a restaurant? Do you go to the cinema? Do you go to your local pub and buy a few drinks from time to time? If you can honestly answer no to all of the above, fair play to you and you have my deepest sympathy. But no matter how badly off you are, you can Surely come up with a few extra quid a week somehow, even if it means going busking, washing cars, whatever it takes. Put five or ten pounds a week, or more if you can manage it, into a savings account paying a reasonable interest rate, don’t touch it, and ‘sooner or later you will have enough money to buy a good instrument. If people try to tell you that you should be spending your hard-earned savings on some- thing ‘more important’ than a guitar, ignore them. A high-quality guitar is an investment that you will never regret. My Martin’s value has appreciated to four times what I origi ally paid for it eight years ago, not that I'd ever consider selling it. If it came to a choice between the people and animals I love and my guitar, I'd have to have a bit of a think. Ihave nightmares on a regular basis in which it’s either damaged or stolen, and from which I wake up in a panic, ‘Some guitarists swear by vintage instruments, such as Martins and Gibsons; others [prefer to go to a maker and get a new handmade instrument (a few reputable makers jare George Lowden in Northern Ireland, Andrew Manson and Tom Mates in England, Bill Collings in Austin, Texas, Randy Wood in Savannah, Georgia, and John Zeidler in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). There are also a number of large workshops making high- quality new instruments; these include the Lowden company in Northern Ireland; ‘Taylor Guitars and Santa Cruz Guitars in California; Larrivee, Godin, Norman (made by Godin) and Seagull (also made by Godin) in Canada, Lakewood in Germany and of course Martin and Sigma (Martin’s budget line). I don’t as a rule recommend Japanese or Korean-made instruments, as they tend to have an inferior sound and usually have laminated rather than solid tops. Yamaha does make a few instruments that are quite good; my first steel-string guitar was a solid-top Yamaha FG-375S, and I still use it from time to time for playing in pubs where I’m afraid the Martin will get jostled or have beer spilled on it. Takamine guitars usually have solid tops and have acquired a wide reputation thanks to their excellent factory-installed pickups and preamps and their use by a number of well-known musicians. In my opin- fon, however, they're overpriced and overrated. Put a good pickup, such as the Martin Thinline (made by Fishman) or the L.R. Baggs, into a high-quality guitar, run it through a good preamp, and you'll have an amplified sound just as good as the Takamine’s and an acoustic sound that’s far better. Norman, Godin and Seagull instruments can all be ordered with factory-installed Baggs pickups, and some Martins and Sigmas come with Thinlines installed, but any competent repair person can install a pickup for you in a guitar that doesn’t have one already. 19Note that the best amplified sound comes from a really superb quality microphone, preferably placed a good distance from the guitar; the second-best option is to use a good pickup in conjunction with one or two good microphones. If two microphones are used, you might try aiming one at the area between the soundhole and the neck, the other at the lower section of the widest part of the guitar body, just behind the pick- guard. If the sound engineer wants to put them somewhere else, give that idea a try too. Microphone placement is a skilled art that depends a great deal on the acoustics of the venue, the type of microphone used and the individual instrument. Another possi- bility is to mount a tiny microphone on a miniature gooseneck inside the instrument, Unfortunately, these microphones are extremely expensive at present. The final option fs to use a pickup alone, but the sound of a pickup can never reproduce with complete fidelity the acoustic sound of the instrument. Should your guitar need repair or adjustment, don’t ever attempt to do it yourself. Bring it to a qualified guitar maker/repairer. If you want to use a strap, have a guitar maker/repairer put a peg into the heelcap, where it will interfere the least with the integrity of the instrument, and attach the other end of the strap to the endpin. If you're getting a pickup installed, have the jack put in the spot where the endpin goes in (so that the jack effectively replaces the endpin); nothing causes me greater pain than seeing guitars with jacks protruding out of the ribs or top. Likewise, don’t mangle the ribs or top of a vintage instrument by putting in an onboard preamp, which will inter- fere with the sound and lower the value of the guitar. Use a preamp that attaches to your belt or sits on the ground. Get a decent hard case for your guitar, and keep the guitar in its case; don’t leave it leaning against a wall. Keep the instrument away from sources of direct heat, out of the sun and out of dry environments. Excessive dryness is not generally a problem in Ireland, but if you live in the States and have central heating, you will probably need a humidifier. I have personally witnessed the self-destruction of a bouzouki as a result of its being kept in a warm dry room. Not a pretty sight. When you bring a guitar from a cold environment into a warm one, or vice versa, leave the instrament in its case for a while so that it is insulated and has time to adjust gradually to the change in temperature. If you're taking your guitar on an airplane, or if you won't be playing it for some time, loosen all the strings until they flop around with no tension whatsoever. Pack the guitar securely in its case with wadded-up newspapers or extra socks and T-shirts, so that, when you pick up the (closed and locked!) case and shake it, you don’t feel any move- ment. Insist on taking the guitar onto the plane; do not let it go into the luggage compartment. Some planes have overhead bins large enough to accommodate a guitar, and those that don’t have closets at the front and back. Anything that goes into the luggage compartment runs the risk of emerging at the other end in pieces, no matter how well it is packed. You might want to polish and clean your guitar from time to time using a guitar polish (not furniture polish!). Or then again, you might not. Tuning Your Guitar I find that it’s best to tune using a tuning fork, a useful device invented in 1711 that produces a pure pitch when set to vibrating. There are also pitch pipes, but they never 20sound quite right. Take an A tuning fork, grasp it by the stem just above the knob at the end, whang one tine of the forked part against your knee or a table, and hold the knob against the body of your guitar. You will hear a hum. Now, very lightly, without using any pressure, just touch the 5th (A) string (the second-heaviest one) exactly over the fret wire of the 5th fret (not between the 4th and Sth frets, as you do when playing normal- y), pluck the string with your right hand and pull your left-hand finger away simultaneously. If you have done this correctly (it may take a few tries before you get it right), you should hear a hum called a harmonic. If the string is in tune, the harmonic will resonate perfectly with the hum of the tuning fork; if it’s out of tune, the two hums will clash. Turn the tuning machine connected to the string up or down until it sounds in tune with the tuning fork. If you find the harmonic sound too hard to produce, you can just play the open A string, but as it will be sounding two octaves lower, minute differences in pitch will be harder to hear; it’s better to use the harmonic. ‘You can tune the rest of the strings in various different ways. My own preference is to start by plucking the 5th (A) and 4th (D) string harmonics simultaneously, using one left-hand finger to cover both strings; I listen to the way they resonate together and tune the 4th string accordingly, bringing the interval to a perfect fourth (if you don’t know What that means, you shouldn't have skipped the section on music basics. Go backl). ‘Then I listen to the 4th (D) and 6th (low D) strings together, first using the harmonics ‘and then plucking the open strings, and tune the 6th string accordingly. Next I pluck the 4th (D) and 3rd (G) strings together, again using both the harmonics and the open ‘strings; as with the A and D strings, the interval is a fourth. I tune the 2nd (high A) string to the 5th (A) string and the Ist (high D) string to the 4th (D) string in the same manner, listening for the octave, as with the 4th and 6th strings. I then play all the open strings ‘one after the other and listen to the way they sound together. If I've done my job correctly, the guitar sounds in perfect tune. The method described above produces a beautifully tuned guitar, but requires a good ‘ear and a reasonably quiet room. If you're in a noisy pub or don’t trust your ear to judge Intervals, you might want to use the cruder method described in most guitar tutor ‘Books, according to which you tune each string by holding down the string before it at the appropriate fret to produce what should be the same note. The problem with this ‘method is that it only really works well if the neck of your guitar is perfectly adjusted ‘and your strings are new. As strings age, they go out of tune. This phenomenon has been responsible for many unnecessary neck adjustments and worse. Remember, if you pluck the harmonic at the 12th fret and then play the string, holding it down at the 12th fret (I.e. between the 11th and 12th frets), the two should sound the same. If they don’t, it might mean that the neck needs a truss rod adjustment; it might mean that the bridge has been poorly designed, with the saddle at the wrong angle, in which case the bridge has to be replaced (which was the case with my Martin when I first acquired it); or it might just mean that the strings need to be changed. At any rate, here’s the noisy-pub method of tuning. Get your A string in tune, either by using a tuning fork or by getting the musician least likely in the group to have an out-of tune instrument to sound an A. (Usually this will be an accordion player, or a piano play- er if there is one. Concertinas are particularly nice to tune to, their sound tending to be purer than most accordions. Try to avoid tuning to flutes, whistles and pipes as they are almost invariably out of tune; fiddies and other stringed instruments can also be dodgy). Now hold the A string down at the Sth fret (i.e. between the 4th and 5th frets) and pluck the string, The note sounded will be D. While that note is still ringing, play the ‘open 4th (D) string, and while that note is still ringing along with the first note, turn the 214th string’s tuning machine until it sounds in tune with the D produced by the A string on the 5th fret. It’s much easier to do this if you do the plucking of the two strings and the adjustment of the machine in fairly quick succession, so that your ear can do the comparison while it’s still hearing the notes, rather than having to remember a note that’s no longer sounding. Now hold the 4th (D) string down at the 5th fret and tune the open 3rd (G) string to that string; then hold the 3rd (G) string down at the 2nd fret and tune the open 2nd (high A) string to that string: and then hold the 2nd (high A) string down at the 5th fret and tune the open 1st (high D) string to that string. To tune the 6th (low D) string, you really should grit your teeth, trust your ear and tune it to an octave below the 4th (D) string: you could tune it by holding it down at the 7th fret and comparing the A produced to the open A string, but the odds are that if you do so you'll wind up tuning the low D too low. If you don’t have a tuning fork, you could use an electronic tuner to get your A. (Consider, however, that a decent electronic tuner is at least 10 times the price of a tun- ing fork). The problem with using an electronic tuner to tune all the strings is that the human ear processes sound waves in its own peculiar way. Therefore, if you tune all the strings on a guitar to an electronic tuner, the guitar will sound slightly out of tune to your ear and that of anyone else listening, especially at the upper and lower ends; the A, D and G will sound reasonably good, but you will find yourself fiddling with the low D and the high A and E. Electronic tuners are really of use only to professional musicians who have to tune in situations where they can’t hear anything. When I'm about to go on ata festival, and I have to tune my guitar while crouching in the shadows of huge speak- ers booming out distorted sounds, I'll plug the guitar directly into the tuner (note that you have to have a pickup on your guitar for this to work), tune by watching the little LED lights, and then do a quick fine-tune when I'm on stage and can hear myself. Your Hands In guitar playing, the fingers of the left hand are used to hold down the appropriate string or strings on the fingerboard. In order for the note to sound properly, the nails of your left hand must be as short as possible, and you must exert considerable pressure on the strings, using the very tips of your fingers. If you are a beginning guitarist or are. switching from a classical (nylon string) guitar to a steel string instrument, the pressure necessary to get a clear, non-buzzing sound will cause you pain. With time and practice, hard calluses will appear on your fingertips, and the pain will go away. Have faith. You can speed up the process by using the nails of your right hand to press into your left- hand fingertips every now and then throughout the day, whenever you think of it. The thumb of your left hand should be pressed against the middle of the back of the neck, directly behind your fingers, as though you were pinching the neck between your thumb and fingertips. Make sure that your palm does not touch the strings and interfere with the sound. As you finger new chords, play each string one at a time. Every string should sound clearly, without buzzes. If there are buzzes, It could be because you are not pressing hard enough, or because the fingertip is too near the fret wire, or because an adjacent finger is touching the string. If you are going to pick with your fingers, you need to have the nails on your right hand long, but not too long; you want the fingernails to protrude just a little way above the fingertips, so that the sound is produced by a mixture of the nail and the fingertip flesh. Some people advocate hardening the nails by using nail lacquer, or even by using mysterious homemade concoctions involving glue and lime. If you're eating a proper diet, however, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem with breaking nails. 22I play using a thumbpick, a piece of moulded plastic that fits around the thumb, with a bit extending off to the side that is used to pluck the string. It has been alleged by a number of guitarists I respect that the use of a thumbpick is inadvisable. A thumbpick, they contend, gives a harsher, less warm, less nuanced sound than the sound produced by the flesh of the thumb; it also shortens string life and has deleterious effects on the muscles of the hand when used over a long period of time. All this is probably true, but I use a thumbpick anyway, and so do numerous other guitarists whom I respect just as much as the anti-thumbpick faction. You have been warned. Make your own decision. Many guitarists prefer to play with a plectrum, a flat piece of plastic available in varying shapes and thicknesses. The sound of a guitar played with a plectrum is quite different from that of a guitar played with the fingers. Some people prefer one or the other. [like the sound of both, but find that it’s easier for me to play fingerstyle. Other people find flatpicking easier. It all depends on the individual. Do not rest the little finger of your right hand on the top of the guitar, as this deadens the sound (really! play a chord with a finger pressing on the top and without, and you'll hear the difference) and interferes with the movement of your hand. Try plucking the strings (whether with fingers, thumb, thumbpick or plectrum) in different spots — directly over the soundhole, behind the soundhole (between it and the bridge), in front of the soundhole. Listen to the different sounds generated in the different places, and learn to use them all according to the effect you want to produce. You can make things easier on both of your hands by using suppling exercises. Hold your fingers vertically and press the tips one by one on a table, so that the joint nearest the tip bends backwards. Then spread your fingers wide and press the flats of your fingers and thumb against the table, with the palm of your hand remaining vertical, so that each entire finger bends backwards. Next, hold your hands upright and try spread- ing different fingers and combinations of fingers apart, then try bending different fingers and combinations of fingers down — this last exercise is surprisingly difficult. Lastly, drum all your fingertips against the table as though you were typing or playing the piano, The Capo A capo (short for the Italian capo d’astra) is a device that clamps onto the neck of the guitar just behind whatever fret you like, holding all 6 strings down and raising their pitch accordingly. Thus, if you put a capo on (i.e. Just behind) the 2nd fret and play aD string, it will sound as an E. Many people using the DADGAD tuning make the mistake of learning to play in the key of D, and then using the capo when any other key comes up: putting a capo on the 2nd fret in order to play in E minor, on the 5th fret in order to play in G, and so forth. This is needlessly limiting. If you learn your chords well, it is possible to play in any key common to Irish music without using the capo, and the music becomes much more interesting when you are using different chords for different keys; each key acquires its own particular characteristics. The other disadvantage of using a capo for playing tunes is that any time you put a capo on, the strings go slightly out of tune, especially at the high and low end; you will want to retune the low D, high A and high D strings. If you move a capo from one fret to another, the same thing happens. Therefore, if you're at 23a session, the key shifts from, say, D to Q and in order to cope with that you have to put. a capo on, you will not only have broken the flow of your playing, you will also have put your guitar out of tune. Playing away on an out-of-tune instrument and stopping to re- tune in the middle of a set are equally aggravating to the musicians around you, so the best thing is not to have to do either. The capo does however have its uses. You might actually want to have a higher-pitched instrument for certain pieces; I sometimes like to capo all the way up to the 7th or 9th fret, making the guitar sound more like a mandolin. Or you might be singing, with only your guitar as accompaniment, and find that your voice sounds best in some odd key like Gt minor. You could use the movable chords given in the section on chord struc- ture, but that would deny you the use of open strings, besides forcing you to sing and think simultaneously, which is not easy. It’s better to use a capo. Assuming that you've learned your chords properly, you have the choice of putting the capo on the ist fret, and playing in G minor, or putting it on the 4th fret and playing in E minor, or putting it on the 6th fret and playing in D minor. You can then try the song in each position and decide which tonality suits it best. Get a good capo, such as the Shubb or Kyser, Cheaper capos don’t hold down the strings properly, creating unpleasant sounds. The Strings Use good strings and change them regularly. I use John Pearse strings, made in Pennsylvania; to my ear they produce a much clearer, more ringing tone than Martin or D‘Addario strings. I've also heard good reports about Thomastik strings but haven't tried them myself, The string gauges you use will depend on your own preference. I use medium-gauge strings, but many players prefer light or extralight strings; others prefer to buy single strings in the gauges they want and make up their own ‘custom’ sets. Some guitarists swear by a product called ‘Fast Fret’; they claim that It lengthens the life of strings and makes it easier for their fingers to move quickly over the fingerboard. Itried it once, years ago, and didn’t find that it made much of a difference, but you may disagree. Go ahead and try it by all means. How often you need to change strings will depend on how frequently you play and how sweaty your fingers are. You can extend the life of strings by wiping them down with a cloth after you finish playing. When the guitar begins to sound dull and you can’t seem to get it in tune, it’s time to change the strings. Old strings are also more inclined to, break while being played (if you're breaking new strings, you're playing too hard — lay offi). Some performers change their strings for every concert; a few even put on anew set of strings during the intermission. Other people leave the same strings on for months and never notice the difference. When you’re changing the strings, you'll need a pair of needienose pliers with wire-snip- ping blades. A cheap plastic device called a string winder also comes in handy, but isn’t absolutely necessary. Loosen the first string by turning the tuning machine until there’s plenty of play in the string, then use the wire-snipping part of the pliers to cut the string just over the soundhole. Always make sure that the string is good and loose before you cut it! If you hold the string near the place where it goes under the bridge 24pin and push it down, towards the bridge pin, the pin will come out more easily. String winders have a little notch that can be used to grip the bridge pin and pull it out. When the pin is out, take the string out of the hole, then put the bridge pin back into the hole. If you succumb to temptation and lay it on the table in front of you, it will roll off and you will have to crawl around on the floor looking for it; if you put it down next to you ‘on a sofa it will vanish into the crevices between the seat cushions and never be seen again. Detach the other end of the string from the tuning machine (if the last person to put strings, on the guitar did it properly, this will be easy; if not, it won't), and throw both sections away, first twisting them Into a loop so that they don’t protrude from the waste- basket in an unsightly manner or rip the rubbish bag. With the new string in your hand, take the bridge pin back out of the hole and put the end of the string with the little ball on it into the hole. Look at the bridge pin. There is a groove running up one side of it. You want the ball of the string to run up the groove and be caught at the top of it. In order to effect this, put the pin back into the hole with the groove facing forwards, and simultaneously pull up on the string a little bit. Take the other end of the string and thread it through the hole in the tuning machine. Hold the bridge end of the string about four inches above the soundhole while pulling the tuning machine end, so that there will be a decent length of string to wrap around the tuning machine. Now comes the tricky bit. Wrap the main part of the string — the part between the bridge and the tuning machine — once around the tuning machine, bringing it overthe protruding loose end of the string, so that the string comes around from the inside of the tuning machine. Then turn the peg so that the string continues to wrap around the tuning machine, but when the protruding loose end comes round, you want the string this time to pass under it, leaving the protruding end caught between the first and second revolutions. With each full revolution, the string should spiral closer to the peg- head, At first you will need to hold the string close to the tuning machine with your right hand while turning the machine with your left hand (either on its own or aided by a string winder) in order to make sure that it winds correctly. As the tension increases, your right hand will need to move back to hold the bridge pin in place and make sure that it doesn’t pop out. If the ball of the string didn’t come all the way up into the groove of the pin when you first put it in, it may jump into position as the string builds up tension, causing the string to suddenly slacken and emit a strange twanging noise. Don’t be alarmed, it just means that you need to wind the string more. When the string is nearly at full tension, start testing it to see if it’s in tune, using one of the methods described above. Once it’s in tune, grasp it over the soundhole and gently stretch it out, away from the soundhole. Bring it back into place with your hand, don’t let it snap back. It will now be out of tune. Tune it again, stretch it again, and repeat the process until it stays in tune when you stretch it, Lastly, use the wire cutting blade to nip off the loose end of the string, Don’t leave it to flop around, where it looks terrible and causes buzzes. Some people nip the string right against the tuning machine, but I find that I can never cut it quite close enough, and if a little bit of string protrudes it can give you a very nasty cut on the finger. Therefore, nip the string just half an inch or so beyond the machine, and then use the needlenose pliers to grasp the tip of the string and bend it towards the machine head, so that the sharp end can’t stick out and hurt you. Repeat the whole process for the other five strings. When you get used to it, the entire operation can be performed in ten or fifteen 25minutes. It’s not a big deal, and yes, you must learn to do it yourself. I have no patience with people who go into music shops and say ‘I'd like to have my guitar restrung, please’. If they can’t be bothered to change their own strings, they have no business playing the guitar. Recommended Reading: If you can read French, I cannot recommend any book more highly than Pierre Bensusan‘s Livre de Guitare, self-published in 1985 in a beautifully designed and print- ed hardback edition. Besides telling you everything you ever wanted to know about playing the guitar and giving music and tablature for lots of tunes (mostly written by Bensusan, but some traditional Irish, many of them in DADGAD), the book also contains poems, lovely illustrations by various artists and photographers, and some very nice recipes (try the fourgrain bread!).CHORD STRUCTURE ‘The information given in this chapter is not strictly necessary. You could quite happily noodle away in DADGAD, playing whatever seems to fit the tune and never knowing the names of the chords you're using. I did so myself until very recently. The drawbacks of that approach are twofold. Firstly, when other guitar players at sessions say, ‘Wow! That last chord was really nifty!’ and you show them the chord and they say, ‘Great! What is that chord, anyway?’, you will find yourself saying, ‘Uh, I don’t know, it’s just the chord I always play at the end of that tune.’ That's fine if you want to cultivate the Simple Untutored Soul Who Always Had Da Music In Him/Her image. Many people do; it goes down a treat in certain quar- ters. I however associate it with (a) musicians who claim not to know the names of any of the tunes they play and (b) musicians who claim that they never practice and never had to work at the music, that it “just came naturally’. A few of the former may be telling the truth; none of the latter are. Yes, some of us have bettertrained ears than others (and I'm convinced that this has nothing to do with genetics and everything to do with whether there was music around the house when the person in question was small) — and a good ear makes it possible to pick up a tune or learn a new fingering more quick- ly. Somewhere down the line, however, there has to be work. It may not feel like work: it may feel like fun and relaxation, sitting at home in the kitchen or ina pub during a lull ina session, trying to piece together the fragments of a lovely tune you heard someone playing earlier on. But it’s work all the same, and no one, no matter how gifted, is exempt. — Sorry, sermon over. The point I was trying to make was that it’s not a bad thing to be able to give a straightforward answer to the questions people ask you when ‘you're out playing, mMhe second drawback of the not-knowingthe-names-of-the-chords approach is that it limits you to the chords you come upon by chance. You will tend to find a way to back up a tune that sounds good, and stick to it, using a few standard variations (Bm instead ofD here and there, that sort of thing); every now and then, you may put your fingers in the wrong place by accident and discover to your astonishment that it actually sounds good. If on the other hand you have the smattering of music theory that I'm about to give you, you will be able to think through a tune in your head and say to yourself some- thing along the lines of ‘Say, I wonder what it would sound like if I threw in a suspend- ed seventh just before the change ...’ It may sound temible, but you'll never know until you try, and it’s unlikely that you'll try if you don’t know what a suspended seventh is. So, here goes. Let’s look at the C major and minor scales, this time going all the way up through two scales: 125 4 567 Major € DE F QA B Mn GC DPE G we > oo coo BBS son 208 Ba gor 00m ‘The first note of the scale is called the root. If we take the root, 3rd note, and 5th note of the C major scale, we get a C major chord: major / C (also abbreviated CM): 155 CEG 21If we take the root, 3rd and 5th notes of the C major scale, and flatten the 5rd note so that it becomes the 3rd note of the C minor scale, we get a C minor chord: minor / Cm: 135 cpa If we add the 6th note of the scale to a C major chord, we get a C major sixth chord: C major sixth / C6 (also abbreviated CM6): 1356 CEGA If we add the 6th note of the scale to aC minor chord, we get a C minor sixth chord: C minor sixth / Cm6: 1356 CBQA If we add the 9th note of the scale to aC major sixth chord, we get a C major sixth add ninth, also known as a C six-nine: C major sixth add ninth / C6(add 9) {also abbreviated CM6(add 9) C§, CB): 13569 CEGAD If we add the 7th note of the scale to a C major chord, we get a C major seventh chord: C major seventh / CM7 (also abbreviated Cmaj7)}: 1357 CEGB If we add the 7th note of the scale to a C minor chord, and flatten the 7th note so that it becomes the 7th note in the C minor scale, we get a C minor seventh chord: C minor seventh /Cm7: 195% cpap If we add the 7th note of the C minor scale to a C major chord, we get a C seventh chord, also known as a C dominant seventh: C seventh / C7: 1355? cEGB If we add the 7th note of the C major scale to a C minor chord, we get a C minor with major seventh: minor with major seventh / Cm(M7): 1357 cBaB If we add the 9th note of the scale to a C major seventh chord, we get a C major ninth chord: C major ninth / CM9 {also abbreviated Cmaj9, CM7(add 9)): 13579 CEGBD If we add the 9th note of the scale to a C minor seventh chord, we get a C minor ninth chord: C minor ninth / Cmg {also abbreviated Cm7(add 9): 13579 CBGBD If we add the 9th note of the scale to a C seventh chord, we get a C ninth chord, alsc known as a C dominant ninth: C ninth / C9 (also abbreviated C7(add 9)}: 13579 CEGBDIf we flatten the 9th note on a C ninth chord, we get a C flatted ninth chord, also known as aC dominant flatted ninth or a C seventh minor ninth: C flatted ninth / C7(add*9): 15579 cEapD If we add the 11th note of the scale to a C minor seventh chord, we get a C minor eleventh chord: C minor eleventh / Cm11 {also abbreviated Cm7(add 11): 1d5711 cBaBr If we add the 13th note of the scale to a C major seventh chord, we get a C major thirteenth chord: C major thirteenth / CM13 {also abbreviated CM7(add 13): 135713 CEGBA If we add the 13th note of the scale to a C minor seventh chord, we get a C minor thirteenth chord: C minor thirteenth / Cm13 (also abbreviated Cm7(add 15)): 1d5713 CBGBA If we add the 13th note of the scale to a C seventh chord, we get a C thirteenth chord, also known as a C dominant thirteenth: C thirteenth / C13, {also abbreviated C7(add 13)): 135715 CEGBA When we take a major or perfect interval and increase it by a half step, we say that the interval is augmented, When we take a minor or perfect interval and decrease it by a half step, we say that the interval is diminished. An augmented triad consists of the root, plus a major 5rd and a Sth raised by a half step (sharpened). A diminished triad consists of the root, plus a minor 3rd (flattened) and a 5th lowered by a half step (also flattened). We also call augmented any chord based on an augmented triad; we also call diminished any chord based on a diminished triad. A diminished seventh chord is often called simply ‘diminished’. Thus: C augmented / Caug (also abbreviated C+, Ct5)): 13. 5t CEG {note that on this chord, any note can serve as the root; thus, Caug (C E Gi), Eaug (E Gi C) and Giaug (Gi C E) are all the same) C minor seventh diminished fifth (also known as C half-diminished seventh) / Cm7-5 {also abbreviated C1/2dim7, Cm7¢5)): 135% cBGB C diminished seventh (also known as C diminished)/ Caim7 {also abbreviated Caim): 1356 CBGA 29(what happens here is that the 7+ of Cm7, when flattened/diminished, becomes 6 (7) (note that on this chord, any note can serve as the root: thus, Cdim7 (C EP G A), Eodim7 (BG AC), Cedim7 (GP AC B), and Abdim? (A C BF GH) are all the same) C seventh diminished fifth (also known as C dominant seventh with flatted fifth) / C7-5 {also abbreviated C7(¢5)): 1357 cEGR (note that the notes in this chord are the same as those in 7-5 (G+ BCE) C seventh augmented fifth (also known as C augmented seventh) / C7+5 {also abbreviated C7+, C7(65)): 13547 cCEGB C seventh augmented ninth /C7+9 13579 CEGBD C ninth augmented fifth / C9+5 135529 CEGBD C ninth diminished fifth / C9-5 135579 CEGBD If we replace the 3rd in any chord with the 4th, we get a suspended fourth chord, some times just called suspended. Thus: C suspended fourth / Csus4: 145 cra C seventh suspended / C7sus4: 1457 Crap C ninth suspended / C9sus4 14579 CFGBD C thirteenth suspended / C13sus4 145715 CFGBA We can make any chord into a modal chord (a musically inaccurate but useful tern indicating that a chord is suited to being played behind tunes in the Dorian o Mixolydian modes, as well as the Ionian and Aeolian, because it sounds neither majo nor minor) by eliminating the third. A more correct word for this sort of chord would be a dlad chord. Thus: modal 15 ca C modal sixth / Cmodalé 156 CGA C modal sixth add ninth / Cmodal6(add 9) 1569 cQaD C modal seventh / Cmodal7 157 cap C modal seventh diminished fifth /Cmodai7-5 15} 7+ cop 30CnoRD DIAGRAMS This section includes various items you will find useful when building chords: 1) A chart of the major and minor scales for each key. 2) Amap of the DADGAD fingerboard, showing the note at each fret position. 3) Chord diagrams. In the chord diagrams, the six vertical lines represent the six strings of the guitar, as they would look if you held the guitar by the neck with the headstock pointing up and the body pointing down. The horizontal lines represent the frets. The numbers on the left side of each chord diagram refer to the numbers of the frets; if the numbers are 1 2 5 4 5, the top horizontal line would be the nut, the line just below it the Ist fret, and so on. Ifa black dot appears between two fret lines, the string is held down in that place. If no black dot appears, the string is played open, unless an x appears above the top horizontal line, in which case that string is not sounded. I have not indicated which fingers are to be used, as there are often two or more possible fingerings and different people will find different fingerings easiest. Just experiment with each chord until you find a fingering that's right for you. ‘The chord diagrams fall into three categories: a) Chord diagrams for every permutation of D I can imagine at present (which is not to say that there aren't lots more). b) Diagrams for every permutation I can imagine using movable chords. To use these diagrams, refer to the map of the DADGAD fingerboard in order to find the root of the chord you want. For example, let’s say you want a B seventh augmented fifth. There are two diagrams for a seventh augmented fifth chord. The first has the root on the 5th string. Looking at the fingerboard map, you find B at the 13th fret of the 5th string; then build the rest of the chord around that position, using the chord diagram: D on the 4th string at the 12th fret, Fon the Srd string at the 11th fret, Ab on the 2nd string at the 11th fret. Or, alternatively, you could use the second diagram, find the Bb on the 4th string at the 8th fret, and build the chord around that position, using the diagram as before. ©) Diagrams for a selection of chords that I personally find useful. In this section I have given many of the chords two names. The first is the chord’s conventional name; the second more accurately reflects the function of the chord in Irish music. For example, if you're playing in the key of D, you might use the same chord shape in a run up the fingerboard: 1 3 s 2 . ‘ 2 - s 7 ‘ 6 ’ sa 1 Jo Technically speaking, this progression consists of the chords D, G(add 9), A(add 11). What we're really doing, however, is playing the chord D, followed 31by the chord G (GB D) combined with a D modal drone (D A). The G chord already contains the D, but the addition of the A makes it into a G(add 9). ‘Therefore, we could also call the chord ‘G/D’, After the G/D, we play the chord A (A CHE) combined with a D modal drone (D A). The A chord already contains the A, but the addition of the D makes it into an A(add 11). Therefore, we could also call this chord ‘A/D’. If we're playing in G minor, we might do this run: Here, we're playing a progression consisting of the chords G modal, F modal6(add 9), M7. The second chord, however, is really an F modal chord (F ©) combined with a G modal chord (G D); the G and D added to the F modal make it into an F modal6(add9). When we combine & modal (BB) with a G modal chord (G D), the G and D added to the > modal make it into an This sort of progression, in which a modal drone is played with other chords within the tune, is particularly appropriate for Irish music, as the persisting drone mimics the drones of the uilleann pipes, which also continue through- ‘out a tune in a given key. More suggestions about chord progressions are given in the section on “Backing Irish Music’, which follows the chord diagrams.THE SCALES 9 10 11 12 15 8 << oo fe fs an aa vo oe << oo a te he 2s OE ma aa Aad on Re =o te me D a D major Gminor of << go Ee aw aa du an << oo Be DE DE D major Dminor Vd aa 2S ot ca aa aa vd aa ze of Bg Bp jor minor Bm B Be mm << bo EE an Ba do << So E E E major E minor aa ou fe te 2a aa oo aa << F major F minor Ba oo mam z< 6s EE Ba Ba 55 am an aa eo cr) << oo Bie 2a aa vo B B aa aa major minor ea aa Aad on RE 26 or aa Ea ae aa du om << Bo Ee ana aa of aa aa vo aa of fe he Ba aa B major B minor bo Ee ag Ba oo an nod oA moa A E E Boa Dp Boa oD B major B minor 33THE DADGAD FINGERBOARD 2 A od +a n< oA 1 Dt De Af De GH AF a - + wo © 6 - a a =a a | a ne ototatets Tt op 8 «ft e D Amodal/Q G/D_ Amodal/a (7th fe) (Sth fr.) (4th) (2nd) (2nd fr) @nafr) (nd fr) D Amodal7 Bm/D r¥m Emprym q/D Em AmodalyQ_C/D (oth fr) (ath fr) (2ndy¢ath) (Sth) (tn fr) (lotny This is a sort of modified boom-chuck approach, in which the boom-chuck rhythm is used, but the chords are straightforward runs up and down the neck, using major, minor and modal chords combined with modal (diad) drones, as explained in the introduction to the ‘Chord Diagrams’ section. Note that for an obvious major chord, you can nearly always substitute a minor chord built on the 6th note of the major scale; and for an obvious minor chord, you can nearly always substitute a major chord built on the 6th note of the minor scale. Thus, in the second version of the tune, we sometimes threw in a B minor chord where D major would have been the obvious chord to use, and a C major chord where an E minor chord would have been the obvious one. Another little trick to remember is that a suspended seventh chord built on the Sth note of the major scale of whatever key you’re in resolves nicely to a major or modal Chord built on the root. Thus, A7sus4 resolves nicely to D, D7sus4 to G, and E7sus4 to A. The suspended seventh might be preceded either by a minor (or modal) chord built on the 2nd note of the scale, or by a major (or modal) chord built on the 4th note of the scale. In either case, you might want to combine these chords with the modal root chord. Thus: Em/D to A7sus4 to D or Dmodal Q/D or Gmodal/D to A7sus4 to D or Dmodal Am to D7sus4 to G or Gmodal Amodal/G to D7sus4 to G or Gmodal C/G to D7sus4 to G or Gmodal D or Dmodal to E7sus4 to A or Amodal Bm to E7sus4 to A or AmodalThat's really all that 1 can tell you about general principles of backing tunes. The best thing is just to learn the fingerings for all the chords, and then hum a tune slowly to yourself while trying out different chords against it. You will find that you rarely back a tune the same way every time. That is as it should be. When a tune is being played two or three times through in a session, it’s very boring to hear the same old chords come round again and again. Try to vary both the chords and the rhythm of your backing, and the music will be more interesting for everybody — you, the melody players, and anyone who’s listening, Plus, if there are backing musicians trying to follow you, itll keep them on their toes. And remember, as I've said before, sit out a tune from time to time, and never, never, never try to back a tune you don’t know!DISCOGRAPHY Following is a reasonably complete but by no means exhaustive list of recordings by guitarists who play Irish music. Some of them use standard tuning; others use a variety of open tunings including DADGAD. Each has developed a highly individual style, and all are well worth listening to. The list, by the way, is arranged alphabetically, so don’t read anything into the order. RANDAL BAYS: Martin Hayes (Green Linnet) GLCD1127 Martin Hayes / Under the Moon (Green Linnet) GLCD 1155 PIERRE BENSUSAN: Pierre Bensusan / Prés De Paris (Rounder) Pierre Bensusan / Pierre Bensusan 2 (Rounder) Pierre Bensusan / Musiques (Rounder) ROUNDER 5038 Pierre Bensusan / Solilai (Rounder) RRCD5068 Pierre Bensusan / Spices (Rounder) Pierre Bensusan / Around The Day in 80 Worlds (Dadgad) Pierre Bensusan / Wuwel (Rounder) ‘GREG BOLAND: Davy Spillane / Atlantic Bridge (Tara) TACD3019 Davy Spillane / A Place Among The Stones (Columbia) 4769304 PAUL BRADY: Paul Brady / Welcome Here Kind Stranger (Mulligan) LUNCDO24 Andy Irvine & Paul Brady (Mulligan) LUNCD008 Andy McGann & Paul Brady (Shanachie) SHCD34011 Matt Molloy, Paul Brady & Tommy Peoples (Mulligan) LUNCDO17/GLCD5018 Tommy Peoples & Paul Brady / The High Part Of The Road (Mulligan) SHCD29003 John Vesey & Paul Brady / First Month Of Spring (Shanachie) SHCD29006 DONAL CLANCY: Kevin Crawford / d’Flute Album (Kerbstone) KBS77CD MARY COOGAN: Cherish The Ladies / The Back Door (Green Linnet) GLCD1119 Cherish The Ladies / Out And About (Green Linnet) GLCD1134 Various Artists / Cherish The Ladies (Shanachie) SH79053 48STEVE COONEY: Begley & Cooney / Meitheal (Hummingbird) HBCD0004 Maire Breatnach / Angels Candles (Starc) SCD593 Maire Breatnach / Branohm (Starc) SCD394 Martin Hayes / Under the Moon (Green Linnet) GLCD 1155 Vinnie Kilduff / The Boys From The Blue Hill (Mulligan) LUNCDO50 Frankie Lane / Débr6 (Gael Linn) CEFCD159 Seosaimhin Ni Bheaglaoich / Under The Sun (Gael Linn) CEFCD170 Gerry O'Connor / Time To Time (Mulligan) LUNCDO5 1 Mairtin O'Connor / Perpetual Motion (Claddagh) CCFCD26 Mairtin O'Connor / Chatterbox (Dara) DARACDO52. Garry Shannon & Orfhlaith Ni Bhriain / Lose The Head (TD) GTDHCD135 Sharon Shannon (Solid) ROCD8 Sean Smyth / The Blue Fiddle (Mulligan) LUNCDO6O JOHN DOYLE: Eileen Ivers / Traditional Irish Music (Green Linnet) GLCD1139 Mick Moloney, Séamus Egan & Eugene O'Donnell / 5-Way Street (Green Linnet) GLCD1129 ANTHONY DRENNAN: Davy Spillane / Out Of The Air (Tara) TACD2017 Davy Spillane / Shadow Hunter (Tara) TACD5025 Davy Spillane / Pipedreams (Tara) TACD3026 Davy Spillane & Andy Irvine / East Wind (Tara) TACD5027 JIMMY FAULKNER: Christy Moore & others / The Iron Behind The Velvet (Tara) TACD2002 Mairtin O’Connor / Perpetual Motion (Claddagh) CCFCD26 Mairtin O'Connor / Chatterbox (Dara) DARACDO52 Sean Smyth / The Blue Fiddle (Mulligan) LUNCDO6O JOHN FAULKNER: John Faulkner / Kind Providence (Green Linnet) GLCD1064 John Faulkner / Nomads (Clo lar Chonnachta) CIC71 Dolores Keane & John Faulkner / Brokenhearted I'll Wander (Mulligan) LUNCDO33. Dolores Keane & John Faulkner / Sail Og Rua (Gael Linn) CEFCD101 Dolores Keane & John Faulkner / Farewell to Eirinn (Green Linnet) GLCD3003 ALEC FINN: Alec Finn / Blue Shamrock (Cross Border Media) CBMCDO11 49DISCOGRAPHY Following is a reasonably complete but by no means exhaustive list of recordings by guitarists who play Irish music. Some of them use standard tuning; others use a variety of open tunings including DADGAD. Each has developed a highly individual style, and all are well worth listening to. The list, by the way, is arranged alphabetically, so don’t read anything into the order. RANDAL BAYS: Martin Hayes (Green Linnet) GLCD1127 Martin Hayes / Under the Moon (Green Linnet) GLCD 1155 PIERRE BENSUSAN: Pierre Bensusan / Prés De Paris (Rounder) Pierre Bensusan / Pierre Bensusan 2 (Rounder) Pierre Bensusan / Musiques (Rounder) ROUNDER 3038 Pierre Bensusan / Solilai (Rounder) RRCD3068 Pierre Bensusan / Spices (Rounder) Pierre Bensusan / Around The Day in 80 Worlds (Dadgad) Pierre Bensusan / Wuwei (Rounder) GREG BOLAND: Davy Spillane / Atlantic Bridge (Tara) TACD3019 Davy Spillane / A Place Among The Stones (Columbia) 4769304 PAUL BRADY: Paul Brady / Welcome Here Kind Stranger (Mulligan) LUNCD024 Andy Irvine & Paul Brady (Mulligan) LUNCDOO8 Andy McGann & Paul Brady (Shanachie) SHCD34011 Matt Molloy, Paul Brady & Tommy Peoples (Mulligan) LUNCDO17/GLCD3018 Tommy Peoples & Paul Brady / The High Part Of The Road (Mulligan) SHCD29005 John Vesey & Paul Brady / First Month Of Spring (Shanachie) SHCD29006 DONAL CLANCY: Kevin Crawford / d’Flute Album (Kerbstone) KBS77CD MARY COOGAN: Cherish The Ladies / The Back Door (Green Linnet) GLCD1119 Cherish The Ladies / Out And About (Green Linnet) GLCD1134 Various Artists / Cherish The Ladies (Shanachie) SH79055, 48‘STEVE COONEY: Begley & Cooney / Meitheal (Hummingbird) HBCD0004 Maire Breatnach / Angels Candies (Starc) SCD593 Maire Breatnach / Branohm (Starc) SCD394 Martin Hayes / Under the Moon (Green Linnet) GLCD 1155 Vinnie Kilduff / The Boys From The Blue Hill (Mulligan) LUNCDO50 Frankie Lane / D6br6 (Gael Linn) CEFCD159 ‘Seosaimhin Ni Bheaglaoich / Under The Sun (Gael Linn) CEFCD170 Gerry O'Connor / Time To Time (Mulligan) LUNCDO51 Mairtin O’Connor / Perpetual Motion (Claddagh) CCFCD26 Mairtin O’Connor / Chatterbox (Dara) DARACDO52 Garry Shannon & Orfhiaith Ni Bhriain / Lose The Head (GTD) GTDHCD135 ‘Sharon Shannon (Solid) ROCD8 Sean Smyth / The Blue Fiddle (Mulligan) LUNCDO60 JOHN DOYLE: Eileen Ivers / Traditional Irish Music (Green Linnet) GLCD1139 Mick Moloney, Séamus Egan & Eugene O'Donnell / 3-Way Street (Green Linnet) QLCD1129 ANTHONY DRENNAN: Davy Spillane / Out Of The Air (Tara) TACD2017 Davy Spillane / Shadow Hunter (Tara) TACD5023 :Davy Spillane / Pipedreams (Tara) TACD3026 Davy Spillane & Andy Irvine / East Wind (Tara) TACD3027 JIMMY FAULKNER: Christy Moore & others / The Iron Behind The Velvet (Tara) TACD2002 Mairtin O’Connor / Perpetual Motion (Claddagh) CCFCD26 Mairtin O'Connor / Chatterbox (Dara) DARACDO52 ‘Sean Smyth / The Blue Fiddle (Mulligan) LUNCDO60 JOHN FAULKNER: John Faulkner / Kind Providence (Green Linnet) GLCD1064 John Faulkner / Nomads (Clo lar Chonnachta) CIC71 Dolores Keane & John Faulkner / Brokenhearted I'll Wander (Mulligan) LUNCD033 Dolores Keane & John Faulkner / Sail Og Rua (Gael Linn) CEFCD101 Dolores Keane & John Faulkner / Farewell to Eirinn (Green Linnet) GLCD3003 ALEC FINN: Alec Finn / Blue Shamrock (Cross Border Media) CBMCDO11 49De Danann / Anthem (Dara) DARACDO15 De Danann / Song For Ireland (Shanachie) SHCD1130 De Danann / The Star Spangled Molly (Third Floor Music) TSCBLB5006 De Danann / The Best Of De Danann (Shanachie) SHCD79047 Sean Ryan / Minstrel’s Fancy (Gael Linn) CEFCD169 GED FOLEY: ‘The House Band / Groundwork (Green Linnet) GLCD1152 ‘The House Band / Word Of Mouth (Green Linnet) GLCD3045, The House Band / Stonetown (Green Linnet) GLCD 3060 DICK GAUGHAN: Dick Gaughan / Coppers And Brass (Ossian) OSS41 PAUL GRANT: Mairtin O'Connor / Perpetual Motion (Claddagh) CCFCD26 WILLIE JOHNSON: Cathal McConnell / On Lough Emne’s Shore (Ossian) OSS69 Also on many recordings by Shetland artists. Other exponents of the Shetland guitar style can be heard on recordings by bands such as The Easy Club and Rock Salt & Nails. MARK KELLY: Altan (Green Linnet) GLCD1078 Altan / Horse With A Heart (Green Linnet) GLCD1095. Altan / The Red Crow (Green Linnet) GLCD1109 Altan / Island Angel (Green Linnet) GLCD1137 Méire Breatnach / Angels Candies (Starc) SCD595 PAT KILBRIDE: Pat Kilbride / Rock & More Roses (Temple / Flying Fish) COMD2100 Pat Kilbride / Undocumented Dancing (Green Linnet) QLCD1120 Pat Kilbride / Loose Cannon (Green Linnet) GLCD1148 Kips Bay Céili Band / Digging In (Green Linnet) GLCD1130 DONAL LUNNY: Planxty (Shanachie) SHCD79009 50Planxty / The Well Below The Valley (Shanachie) SHCD79010 Planxty / Cold Blow And The Rainy Night (Shanachie) SHCD79011 Planxty / The Collection (Shanachie) SHCD79012 Planxty / After The Break (Tara) TACD5001 Planxty / The Woman I Loved So Well (Tara) TACD3005 Planxty / Words And Music (Shanachie) SHCD79035, Paddy Glackin / in Full Spate (Gael Linn) CEFCD153 DECLAN MASTERSON: Tropical Trad (Starc) SCD1093 End Of The Harvest (Gael Linn) CEFCD148. ARTY MCGLYNN: Arty McGlynn / McQlynn‘s Fancy (Emerald) BERCDO11 Arty McGlynn & Nollaig Casey / Lead The Knave (Round Tower) MCGCD1 Nollaig Casey & Arty McGlynn / Causeway (Tara) TACD 3035 Frankie Gavin, Arty McGlynn, Aidan Coffey / Irlande (Ocora - Radio France) 560021 Patrick Street (Green Linnet) GLCD1071 Patrick Street No. 2 (Green Linnet) GLCD1088 Patrick Street / Irish Times 3 (Special Delivery) SPDCD1033 Patrick Street / All In Good Time (Special Delivery) SPDCD1049 Four Men & A Dog / Barking Mad (Cross Border Media) CBMCD001 Four Men & A Dog / Shifting Gravel (Cross Border Media) CBMCDO05 Cathal Hayden & Arty McGlynn / Handed Down (Sharpe Music) RBC116 De Danann / 1/2 Set In Harlem (Bee's Knees) BKCD002 Paddy Keenan / Poirt An Phiobaire (Gael Linn) CEFCD099 Donal Lunny (Gael Linn) CEFCD133 Séamus McGuire & John Lee / The Missing Reel (Gael Linn) CEFCD146 Matt Molloy / Stony Steps (Claddagh) CCFCD18 Matt Molloy & Sean Keane / Contentment Is Wealth (Green Linnet) GLCD1058 Matt Molloy, Sean Keane, Liam O'Flynn / The Fire Aflame (Claddagh) CCRCD30 Music At Matt Molloy’s (Real World) CDRW26 Conal 6 Grada / The Top Of Coom (Claddagh) CCF27CD Liam ‘Flynn / Out To An Other Side (Tara) TACD3031 Paul McGrattan / The Frost Is All Over (Claddagh) CC58CD Sedan Ryan / Take The Air (Gael Linn) CEFCD142 ZAN MCLEOD: Touchstone / The New Land (Green Linnet) GLCD1040 Touchstone / Jealousy (Green Linnet) GLCD1050 DICK MURAI: Rare Air / Mad Piaid (Flying Fish) FF333, Rare Air / Hard To Beat (Green Linnet) GLCD1073, Rare Air / Primeval (Green Linnet) GLCD1104 Rare Air / Space Piper (Green Linnet) GLCD1115 51CHRIS NEWMAN: Maire Ni Chathasaigh & Chris Newman / Out Of Court (Old Bridge Music) OBMCDO3, Maire Ni Chathasaigh & Chris Newman / The Carolan Album (Old Bridge Music) OBMCDOS Maire Ni Chathasaigh & Chris Newman / Living Wood Brendan Power / New Irish Harmonica (Punch) PMCD002 GERRY O’BEIRNE: Patrick Street / Irish Times 3 (Special Delivery) SPDCD1033 Kevin Burke / If The Cap Fits (Mulligan) CLUNO21 Kevin Burke / Up Close (Green Linnet) GLCD1052 Sharon Shannon (Solid) ROCD8 Sharon Shannon / Out The Gap (Solid) ROCD14 Various Artists / Cherish The Ladies (Shanachle) SH79053 GARRY 6 BRIAIN: Buttons & Bows (Green Linnet) GLCD1051 Buttons & Bows / The First Month Of Summer (Green Linnet) GLCD1079 Buttons & Bows / Grace Notes (Gael Linn) CEFCD151 Skylark (Claddagh) CC46CD Skylark / All Of It (Claddagh) CC49 (cassette) Green Linnet GLCD3046 (CD) Skylark / Light And Shade (Claddagh) CCF57CD Gerry O'Connor & Bithne Ni Uallachain / LA Lugh (Claddagh) CCF29CD Mairtin O’Connor / Perpetual Motion (Claddagh) CCF26CD Mairtin O'Connor / Chatterbox (Dara) DARACDO52 MICHEAL © DOMHNAILL: Kevin Burke & Micheal © Domhnaill / Promenade (Mulligan) LUNCDO28. Kevin Burke & Micheal © Domhnaill / Portland (Green Linnet) GLCD1041 Kevin Burke / If The Cap Fits (Mulligan) CLUNO21 ‘The Bothy Band / 1975 (Mulligan) LUNCD002 (Europe)/QLCD301 1 (U.S.) The Bothy Band / Afterhours (Mulligan) LUNCD030/QLCD3016 The Bothy Band / Old Hag You Have Killed Me (Mulligan) LUNCD007/GLCD5005, The Bothy Band / Out Of The Wind Into The Sun (Mulligan) LUNCD031/GLCD3013 The Bothy Band / The Best Of The Bothy Band (Mulligan) LUNCD041/GLCD3001 ‘The Bothy Band / Live In Concert (Windsong/BBC) WINCDO60 Relativity (Green Linnet) GLCD1059 Relativity / Gathering Pace (Green Linnet) GLCD1076 Tommy Hayes / An Ras (Mulligan) LUNCDOSS Gerald Trimble / First Flight (Green Linnet) GLCD1043 BRIAN © hEADHRA Anam (Anam Records) CACDOO1 52NICOLAS QUEMENAR: Arcady / After The Ball (Dara) DARACD037 Arcady / Many Happy Retums (Shanachie) SHCD 79095 MARK SIMOS: John Whelan & Eileen Ivers / Fresh Takes (Green Linnet) GLCD1075 Various Artists / Cherish The Ladies (Shanachie) SH79053, DAITH! SPROULE: Daithi Sproule / Heart Made Of Glass (Green Linnet) GLCD1123 Seamus McGuire, Manus McGuire & Daithi Sproule / Carousel (Gael-Linn) CEFCD105 Tommy Peoples & Daithi Sproule / The Iron Man (Shanachie) SHCD79044 Paddy O’Brien / Stranger At The Gate (Green Linnet) GLCD1091 Various Artists / Cherish The Ladies (Shanachie) SH79055 Most of the above titles are available from your local stockist or by mail order from the publishers.TABLATURE AND TUNES Following is a selection of tunes for which I have provided both standard notation and guitar tablature. Many of the tunes will be familiar to Irish music aficionados, others less so; a few have never appeared in print before. I have tried to present a broad spectrum of types of tune in a variety of keys; there are six jigs, five reels, three horn- Pipes, three polkas, two airs, a slip jig, a slide, a mazurka, a waltz and a set dance. In the tablature, the six horizontal lines represent the six strings of the guitar. The bottom line is the 6th (low D) string, the top is the Ist (high D) string. The numbers on the lines refer to the frets: thus, a 2 on the fifth line from the top indicates that the 5th (A) string is to be played at the 2nd fret; a 0 on the third line from the top indicates that the Srd (G) string is to be played open. On the first tune in this section I have given both left and right hand fingerings. The fingering for the right (picking) hand is given below the tablature staff, the fingering for the left (fretting) hand above the tablature staff, with t for thumb, i for index finger, m for middle finger. r for ring finger, and 1 for little finger. On the other tunes I've left the fingering up to you, except for certain tricky bits where I thought a suggestion might be helpful — principally triplets on one string, where two different fingers pluck the string in quick succession. A person playing with a plectrum could achieve a similar effect using a quick down-up-down motion of the plectrum. A cutving line connecting two numbers indicates either a hammer-on or a pull-off. For example, if on the second line from the top a 2 is connected by a curving line to a 3, that means that you would play the 2nd (high A) string at the 2nd fret, producing the note B, and then, while the string is still sounding, bring another finger down hard onto the string at the Srd fret, so that the note C is produced without any action from your right hand. If the 5 appeared first and was connected by a curving line to a 2, that would mean that you would play the string at the 3rd fret, producing the note C, and then, with a finger on the string at the 2nd fret, pull the 3rd-fret finger off the ‘string, causing the note B to sound without any action from your right hand. In order to write out the tablature, I've had to be very specific about the ornamentation to be used. Please feel free to add and subtract triplets and grace notes as seems appropriate to you. This selection is only the tip of the iceberg; there are hundreds of tunes out there waiting for guitarists to play them. I hope that you'll use this selection as a source of inspiration, a stepping-off point from which to work out your own arrangements of tunes. Good luck!ListING OF TUNES Jias: The Monument The Cricket’s March Over the Saltbox The Coming of Spring Munster Buttermilk Charlie Hunter's Jig The Frieze Britches Reels: The Chicago Reel The Green Fields of Glentown The Sailor’s Return ‘The Tempest Beare Island HornPires: Walsh's Hornpipe Kitty's Wedding ‘The Blackbird POLKAS: Ballydesmond Polka Denis Murphy's John Ryan's OTHER: Air: A Week in January Air: Loftus Jones Slip Jig: Hardiman the Fiddler Slide: The Old Torn Petticoat Slide Mazurka: Sonny's Mazurka Waltz; Planxty Irwin Set Dance: King of the Fairies 55 56 60 62 64 65 69 70 72 75, 74 75 76 78 81 82 84 86 88 89 90 91 92THE MONUMENT earned this tune from Larry Nugent, who used to play flute in our band, Carnloch. It was written by Larry’s father, Sedn Nugent, a fiddle player in Ederney, Co. Fermanagh, well known for his teaching skill and for his work with the Pride of Erin Ceili Band. Sedn named the rune after a rock that sits on top of Largy mountain, behind the house in Lack where the ‘Nugents used to live, and from which there is a fine view of the village of Lack with lower Lough Eme in the distance. a tibet pmemn 7 7a tp ee cont, on next page .. 56THE MONUMENT, cont,THE CRICKET'S MARCH OVER THE SALTBOX, This tune also came from Larry; he learned it from Willie Johnston, an old fiddler who lived near Larry's parents’ home place in Lack, Co. Fermanagh. Willie apparently maintained that he got this tune from the fairies; there's a story Larry used to tell, involving the standard elements of a lonely walk home late at night, strange unearthly music emanating from a field, @ trance coming over the listener, and a rude awakening in the morning with the revealed ‘une full formed in the listener's head .... A photograph of Willie, taken in the Nugents? sitting room, appears in Allen Feldman and Eamonn O'Doherty’s excellent book "The Northern Fiddler." PP 58THE COMING OF SPRING This jig was written by the great Nenagh accordion player and composer Paddy O'Brien. The town of Nenagh holds a festival celebrating Paddy and his music every August, during which the pubs fill up with musicians and the sessions continue late into the night. The tune is in E Dorian. Note that the C part is different on the repeat. cont. on next page ...THE COMING OF SPRING, cont. 61MUNSTER BUTTERMILK Pat Kilbride recorded a version of this jig on his album "Undocumented Dancing,” but he calls it "Munster Bacon." It appears under the name “Munster Buttermilk" in a long-out-of- print book called “Luke O'Malley's Collection of Irish Music," self-published by its author in 1976 in Edgewater, New Jersey. There is another jig called “Munster Buttermilk” that has three parts and is slightly similar to it in feel, but a different tune nonetheless. like to play @ harmony on this one. The key is D major. A Part Melody A Part Melody, cont. A Part Hapmony A Part Harmony, cont. cont, on next page ... 2MUNSTER BUTTERMILK, cont. 63CHARLIE HUNTER'S JIG This lively little tune was written by Bobby McLeod, from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. It was recorded by Joe Cormier on "The Dances Down Home" (Rounder). The tune is in D major.THE FRIEZE BRITCHES This piece sounds really nice when played as a duet, with the two instruments playing in unison on the A and D parts and the second instrument playing a harmony on the B, C and E parts. The tune is in D Mixolydian. A Part Melody (no harmony) a A Part Melody, cont. (no harmony) aD F B Part Melody a B Part Melody, cont. a cont. on next page ... 65THE FRIEZE BRITCHES, cont. B Part Harmopy B Part Harmopy,, cont. C Part Melody, cont. f C Part Harmony = fF cont. on next page 66THE FRIEZE BRITCHES, cont. D Part Melody (no hai fv rain trim eine Pm PR t e z D Part Melody, cont. (ng hazmony) a E Part Melody 1, E Part Melody, cont. cont, on next page ... orTHE FRIEZE BRITCHES, cont. ZE Part Melody, cont, A 1 F 7, E Part Harmony, cont. 1 2E Part Harmony, cont. 1 68THE CHICAGO REEL I started playing melody on this tune because I could never find a way to back it that sounded good to me (if one were going 10 back it, one would use the chords C, G, Am and occasionally F, but I think that such a backing would detract from the modal feel of the tune). On the B part I lke to anticipate the beat here and there, just to liven things up. I've written couple of anticipated beats in to the version given below, but there are lots of possible variations. I should also note that this tune is meant to be played in standard reel tempo: i.e, STF7 is actually played more along the tines of S714. 6THE GREEN FIELDS OF GLENTOWN This reel was written by Tommy Peoples, and it's a great finger exercise, The key is A Dorian. It appears in three books that I know of, two of which are out of print at present (Breandan Breathnach’s "Ceol Rince na hEireann, Vol. 3" and Bulmer & Sharpley's "Music From Ireland, Vol. 4") and one of which can be obtained only by writing to its author in the States ("Lore of the Fingerboard,” compiled by Randy Miller, a New Hampshire fiddler). 70THE GREEN FIELDS OF GLENTOWN, cont. ONTHE SAILOR'S RETURN This reel is in a somewhat unusual key for Irish music: G Dorian. A version of it appears in Bulmer & Sharpley’s "Music From Ireland, Vol. 1," under the name “Eileen Curran,” in A Dorian, but I believe that it is generally played in G. The B part of this particular setting differs a bit from the standard. I'm not sure where I got it. 2THE TEMPEST learned this tune a good few years ago from Rick Gagné, a banjo player over in the States. I play it as a slow reel or march, keeping straight tempo: i.e., is played as written, rather than as 3.9 4. As in the Chicago Reel, I've written in some anticipated beats. This is a D tune in the Dorian mode. I haven't writen in an ending chord here; the one 1 usually use is the D modal chord with the index finger on the Sth string at the 5th fret and the little finger on the 3rd string at the 7th fret — I just fret the chord and draw the thumbpick across all 6 strings on the final beat of the tune. > D F BBEARE ISLAND This reel is more or less in E Dorian, as far as 1 can make out, but takes some strange detours along the way. I’ve included chords for this one, by way of indicating more clearly its meanderings among the keys. Kevin Burke recorded the sune on his album "Portland." 4WALSH'S HORNPIPE This is a simple little tune that lodges in your brain and sticks there; I have been known to hum it nonstop for absurdly long stretches while driving cross country, much to the dismay of my fellow passengers. Kevin Burke follows it up with "The Old Torn Petticoat Slide” on his album "Promenade," and I can’t hear the one without thinking of the other. If you have the recording, listen to Michedl O Domhnaill’s lovely countermelody backing on this set. It’s worth emulating, © a 18KITTY'S WEDDING A straightforward hornpipe in D major. I like to play it before “The Blackbird.” 76THE BLACKBIRD Twas under the impression that I had invented the harmony for this tune, until a few months ago, when I listened to De Danann’s debut album for the first rime in years. There it was, a duet with Alec Finn and Charlie Piggott playing harmonizing bouzoukis; the tune is misidentified as "The Sunny Banks" (the real "Sunny Banks” is misidentified on the same album as "The Blackbird" — a printer's error, no doubt). It must have been at the back of ‘my mind all that time, Still, this is a slightly different version. I like the effect of playing the melody part straight and the harmony part with lots of anticipated beats, A Part Melody S A Part Melody, cont. A Part Harmony. cont. 3 cont. on next page ... B4 THE BLACKBIRD, cont. aN B Part Melody, cont. 79BALLYDESMOND POLKA Thave never been able to determine to my satisfaction what key this tune is in. It seems 10 start out in G major, and then to move into A Dorian; however, a D modal drone works nicely with a lot of it. The key signature isn't much help, either: a lone F sharp could indicate G major, A Dorian or D Mixolydian, not to mention E minor.DENIS MURPHY'S 1 like to play this polka with the Ballydesmond Polka before it and John Ryan's after it. The three tunes appear in that order on one page of Anthony Sullivan's "Session Tunes; " however, I didn't know that (honest!) until I looked in the book to see what key signature he used for the Ballydesmond. This leads to a chicken-and-egg conundrum: Do I play the tunes in that order because I heard somebody else playing them in that order who learned them out of Sully's book? Or did he write them down that way because he'd heard them played in that order at sessions? 81JOHN RYAN'S When I can't remember the name of this polka, I refer to it as "Yup Yup,” because the first line sounds to me like "Yup Yup dum diddle ee dum dee dum, Yup Yup dum diddle ee dum dee dum.” If you're playing this with a bunch of other musicians, it can be fun (albeit a tad hokey) 10 have everybody play two staccato D notes or chords (according 10 the instrument's capabilities) on the Yup Yups and one person play solo on the dum diddle ee dum dee duns, then everybody whang in together on the B part, with a different musician taking a turn on the solo bit each time the A part comes round. 82A WEEK IN JANUARY This lovely air was written by Philadelphia-born, Mayo-bred banjolflure/whistle virtuoso ‘Séamus Egan. He plays it on the tres, a more or less bouzouki-like instrument, on his album "A Week In January.” The tune was written in G, but I like the way it sounds in D on the ‘guitar. If you have the album (which I strongly recommend!) and want to play along with it, you can always cheat and put a capo on the 5th fret. I've written out both A parts and both B parts in full, t0 show some of the possible variations. cont. on next page .. 84A WEEK IN JANUARY, cont. 85LOFTUS JONES This tune, written by the harper and composer Turlough O’Carolan, is really supposed to be in A, but { learned it from Noel, who learned it from Mick Moloney’s 1983 album "Strings Attached," on which he plays a lovely mandolin version of the tune in G. I've since heard it being played in G by a good few other musicians. One nice thing about it is that it uses the full range of the guitar, whereas most tunes tend to stay up around the first four strings. cont. on next page ... 86LOFTUS JONES, cont.HARDIMAN THE FIDDLER A slip jig in D Mixolydian. I always think of the pipes when I hear this tune. 88THE OLD TORN PETTICOAT SLIDE See my comments under "Walsh's Hornpipe.” There is also a reel called "The Old Tom Petticoat" that is very similar to this tune. 89SONNY'S MAZURKA This is a very sweet, very easy and very popular little tune in D major.PLANXTY IRWIN A popular O'Carolan tune in waltz time. I play the first half of each part very simply, the second half with lots of plucked chords. A more correct name for the tune is "Colonel John Irwin,” The key is G major. aKING OF THE FAIRIES The A part of this set dance is in E minor, the B part in E Dorian — note the change in key signature. I took this sesting of the tune from the playing of the excellent Northern group Déanta on their eponymous first album. The tune was also recorded many years ago by the Irish folk-rock band Horslips. cont, on next page ... 92KING OF THE FAIRIES, cont. a De 3D‘Ossian Publications produce a large range of Irish and Scottish Music for traditional & classical Instruments as well as collections of tunes, songs, instruction books and items on the history of Irish Music, For our complete list of Books, Sheetmusic, CD's etc, send us your name and address. Ossian Publications ‘Music Sales Limited Newmarket Road Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP33 3YB Great Britain www.musicsales.comCD track list aerene 10. u 13, 14, ‘The Cricket’s March over the Saltbox ‘The Coming of Spring Munster Buttermilk Charlie Hunter’s Jig ‘The Frieze Britches Reels: ‘The Chicago Reel ‘The Green Fields of Glentown ‘The Sailor’s Return ‘The Tempest Beare Island Hompipes: Walsh’s Hompipe Kitty’s Wedding ‘The Blackbird Polkas: 15. Ballydesmond Polka 16. Denis Murphy's 17. John Ryan's Other: 18. Air: A Week in January 19. Air: Loftus Jones 20. Slip Jig: Hardiman The Fiddler 21. Slide: The Old Tom Petticoat 22, Mazurka: Sonny’s Mazurka 23. Waltz: Planxty Irwin 24, Set Dance: King of the Fairies ey heap nt Py Onc St ay Mo ax nt eat pn mcs fo oon 0 a. ‘tas pt ny Qala Rs Se Redan bed Wat Sin Din To remove your GD from the plastic leave, wt the small ip to break the perforations. Replace the ais after use for convenient storageThe Iriah DADGAD Guitar Book and CD by Sarah McQuaid Learn all about Playing and Backing traditional Irish music using the famous DADGAD open guitar tuning. This book contains sections on how to use the Tuning, the Chords, hints on the playing of Irish mueic and of course plenty of the very best trad. tunes in easy to read Tablature a9 well as Notation. A Demo CD with all the tunes from the book is enclosed. Sarat McQuaip was born in Spain. raised in Chicago, and now resides in Dublin, She took up the guitar at the age of nine and discovered the DADGAD tuning ten years later while playing with zn Irish band in France. Since 1990 she has been the guitarist and vocalist with the group CarNLoct!, which has recorded two albums and toured extensively in the States, She currently works as @ freelance writer while continuing to pesform solo anc! with the band. ‘As it offers a clear and articulate insight into the DADGAD tuning. it will be of huge interest to, and a leg-up to, the army of guitarists who would like to develop a good traditional Trish music backing style.” DecLan MAstirson “A comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of Trish rraditional music for the guitarist. 1 highly recommend it.” ALEC FINN omnes 9 visa: