(Waltons Irish Music Books). Everything you need to know about the Irish fiddle, from playing your first notes and tunes to advanced solos and ornamentation. This book includes special chapters for beginners, "key points" highlighting essential aspects of fiddle technique, a comprehensive guide to traditional ornamentation and over 80 carefully chosen tunes. One of Ireland's most exciting fiddle players, Paul McNevin has had an equally influential career as a teacher. During his long association with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, he won the All Ireland Slogadh and Plearacha competitions and received his Comhaltas teaching diplomas in 1991. Paul has toured throughout Europe with the Donal Lunny Band, Damien Quinn and Speranza, among others and has been a regular guest with Stockton's Wing and the Riverdance dancers.
Learn to Play Irish Fiddle is a book and two CD set that introduces the absolute beginner to the great traditional fiddle music of Ireland, going right from the basics of how to hold and make the first sounds on the instrument - through specially composed, manageable tunes in the Irish style - right up to playing traditional reels, jigs and other dance tunes from the traditional repertoire (the specially composed tunes bridge the gap between the basics and the traditional music). Embellishments and techniques that make good Irish fiddle playing so infectious, such as rolls, cuts, triplets and slides are gradually introduced. the student will also become familiar with some of the more advanced ideas concerning playing Irish traditional music such as variations and dynamics - subjects which are covered in greater detail in "Irish Fiddle Playing: A Guide for the Serious Player" book/CD sets by the same author. Useful appendices and a cross-referenced glossary are also included.The accompanying CDs contain all the tunes in the book (played at a slow tempo) plus many exercises.There is NO NEED FOR ANY PRIOR MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE in order to use this book. Each aspect of playing and theory is covered in an accessible and manageable way.
In his preface, the author reminds the reader that this is not a book for the absolute beginner. Even the experienced player may not get it on first reading a given tune, but You can expect to enjoy the process of learning... [and experience] the joy of recreating a traditional tune, of making it your own. This is the teacher/ student pact in effect throughout this marvelous book, written for the literary as much as the musical connoisseur. Although no classical violin experience is needed, you will need to know how to hold the fiddle and bow, and be able to play at least simple tunes in the first position. Having the ability to read music will enable you to follow the bowing patterns and left-hand techniques which the author feels are crucial in grasping the playing style.
Padraig O'Keeffe (1887-1963), probably the greatest musician from the Sliabh Luachra area of southwest Ireland, is a major name in the world of Irish traditional music, particularly fiddle-playing. It was primarily after his death that he came to greater prominence as one of the most important figures in this music. His seminal influence is to be heard today through the rich tradition of music he passed on, directly by means of his own playing and through his manuscripts, which were written in his special notation systems, as well as indirectly through his teaching of so many of the great Sliabh Luachra players. This book is a comprehensive examination of his life and music, undertaken from a number of different perspectives: the context of the area in which he lived, played and taught; the local repertoire of tunes, having regard to the functional aspects of the music; biographical details of the various periods of his life; his role in transmitting the music tradition of his own locality; the systems of music notation that he used; his legacy of notated tunes; his own fiddle-playing in terms of its specific stylistic features as well as within the wider milieu of Irish traditional music.
An important anthology of Irish and Celtic solos for the 5-string banjo featuring a comprehensive, scholarly treatise on the history, techniques, and etiquette of playing the banjo in the Celtic tradition. Includes segments on tuning, pick preferences, and tablature reading followed by 101 jigs, slides, polkas, slip jigs, reels, hornpipes, strathspeys, O'Carolan tunes, plus a special section of North American Celtic tunes. A generous collection of photos of Irish folk musicians, street scenes, and archaeological sites further enhances this fabulous book. All of the solos included here are written in 5-string banjo tablature only with a few tunes set in unusual banjo tunings. the appendices provide a sizable glossary and a wealth of information regarding soloists and groups playing Celtic music, Irish festivals, music publications, on-line computer resources, cultural organizations, and more. If you are serious about playing Celtic music on the 5-string banjo, or if you don't play the banjo but simply want to expand your knowledge of the Celtic music tradition-you owe yourself this book. the first-ever CD collection of Irish and Celtic music for 5-string banjo provides 68 lovely melodies and demonstrates revolutionary techniques for playing highly ornamented tunes and rolling back-up. Recorded in stereo with virtuosos Gabriel Donohue (steel- and nylon-string guitar and piano) and Robbie Walsh (bodhran- frame drum played with a stick), the five-string banjo is out front and plays through each melody in real-life tempo with authentic Celtic chordal and rhythmic backing. the recording features the music of all Six Celtic Nations and includes jigs, reels, hornpipes, slides, polkas, marches, country dances, larides, andros, slipjigs, strathspeys, airs and O'Carolan tunes. 35 songs in the book are not on the CD.
Celtic Fiddling Made Easy is two books in one. Each fiddle tune has two versions: a beginner version with fiddle tablature and an intermediate version which includes ornamentation, double stops and guitar chords for accompaniment. This unique fiddle tablature will allow beginners the pleasure of Celtic tunes without being advanced players.
An exciting collection of 29 traditional tunes from Ireland, arranged for easy fiddle. All tunes are written clearly in standard notation with bow directions. an accompanying CD contains all the tunes, played at a manageable speed, with guitar accompaniment.The collection contains airs, well known songs, polkas, slip jigs, slides, double jigs, hornpipes and reels, all of which are specially arranged by the author with the beginning/intermediate fiddle player in mind. on the CD, the tunes are played 2 or 3 times, so you can really get into the feel of the tune, when playing along. the speed of the tunes is quite slow, but not so slow as to take away from the essential feel of the music.Irish music is rightly popular all over the world. the haunting beauty of the slow airs and infectious foot-tapping rhythms of jigs and reels are here to be discovered in this selection of great traditional music.
This book is for someone who can already play the silver flute to some extent. I hope to show you some of the techniques to engage with the sounds of traditional wooden flute, as well as teach you a few tunes along the way. There are lots of my own tunes included which are particularly suited to the silver flute and a few traditional tunes to help illustrate the techniques."a wealth of information for silver flute players who wish their instrument to sound more like a traditional wooden flute...deeply thought through and gives really useful practical advice. ...It really is an impressive book...both entertaining and really useful." - Living Tradition Magazine"hugely important book...Philippe is a master of those techniques...Irish Music Magazine's John Brophy's comment is quoted in the book; "I've heard nobody else who can make the Boehm flute sound like the true traditional thing, who can mould tone to the tune so nicely, the sheer musicality is exceptionally impressive."...This is an invaluable resource for Silver flute players and is a great teaching aid; it should be in every secondary school music room in the country." - Seán Laffey, IRISH MUSIC MAGAZINE"This book serves as an ideal introduction for any Boehm flute players who are interested in exploring the traditional language of Irish Music. One of the most important elements in idiomatic Irish flute playing is the execution of a wide range of ornaments, and they are clearly explaned her and backed up with examples from the repertoire. Barnes stresses the difference between classical ornamentation (which is essentially melodic) and Irish ornamentatin where the focus is on rhythm. He disusses differences in hand position and an appropriate approach to vibrato, and covers techniques such as feathering, cuts, rolls, cranns, bounces and slides. Each technique is clearly explaned in straigntforward language, and there is plenty of repertoire included to help skills develop in each area. Recommended." Carla Rees, British Flute Society Magazine
