I've been listening to a wide variety of Irish and "Celtic" music since 1998. On my 40th birthday I got the bug to really learn how to play it and picked up a guitar (2006). Without lessons it has been a really slow painful process. In early 2008 I was given a mandolin from a friend and have been flat-picking basic fiddle melodies with it and having much more success. Now I try to go back and forth between the two instruments. I'll learn the melody with my mando then attempt to learn how to back it with my guitar. Oh, and I play the bodhran fairly well but I've been ignoring it for quite some time.
Things are finally starting to progress. Something has finally clicked.
I still need a teacher.
http://www.myspace.com/irishjigsandreels
All that said I live in Cloverdale, CA. around the corner from a fantastic Irish pub. The only problem is, there are no sessions there! I often hang out on the porch playing my mandolin during happy hours(from 3 to 6pm) and sometimes longer if I'm in the mood and a couple other people show up with instruments.
I'd like to encourage any locals who read this to show up for pints and a few tunes with me. Or play solo if I can't add to what you're playing. The idea is that eventually, I hope there will be enough of us, someday, to start a session in the dining hall.
It sure would be nice to get an ITM slow session, an ITM fast session and a bluegrass/old-time session, all happening on different weeks over the course of each month.
http://www.ruthmcgowansbrewpub.com
http://www.myspace.com/ruthmcgowansbrewpub
So here's a SHORT list of the few tunes I've managed to teach myself without a teacher but using CD's, ABC, YouTube videos, dots or whatever I can get my hands on to help in the learning process. And I can't say enough good things about "Band-In-A-Box". What a huge help that has been in my learning curve. If you can't get to a session or afford a teacher, it's the next best thing.
***still workin' a bit on*** (of course they all could be better!)
MANDOLIN
Old Hag You Have Killed Me
Whiskey Before Breakfast
White Petticoat
Swagger (Flogging Molly)
Kesh Jig
Do Virgins Taste Better (Irish Washerwoman)
Follow Me Up to Carlow
Blackest Crow (Old-time)
Morrison's
Tennessee Waltz (Old-time)
Spancil Hill
Angelina Baker (Old-time)
O'Keefe's Slide
Drag Her Round the Road
Calliope House
Wearing of the Green
Cooley's Reel
*** Siobhan *** (The Tossers)
*** The Butterfly ***
GUITAR
(Finding the harmonizing chords to the tunes above still eludes me. If I don't find 'em in the ABC or sheet music, I'm lost. If anyone has tips on how to harmonize melodies, I'd like to hear from you.)
Morrison's
Float (Flogging Molly)
*** Blackest Crow *** (Old-time)
*** Kesh Jig ***
Tunes in Fishmonger's tunebook: 18
| Culann's Hounds | Culann's Hounds | April 1st 2008 |
| Year Of The Dog | Culann's Hounds | April 1st 2008 |
| Sebastopol Celtic Music Festival | September 3rd 2008 |
| Young Dubliners van & gear stolen | September 1st 2008 |
| For your viewing pleasure | August 23rd 2008 |
| History of ABC | July 8th 2008 |
| How is "An Cota-Beag Ban" pronounced? | July 4th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: Stupid Filter | September 5th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: Hey, a banjo question.... | September 5th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: Sebastopol Celtic Music Festival | September 4th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: Hey, a banjo question.... | September 4th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: Fretted Fiddle | September 4th 2008 |
| Name | Type | Key |
|---|---|---|
| The Butterfly | slip jig | Eminor |
| Calliope House | jig | Dmajor |
| Cooley's | reel | Eminor |
| Drag Her Round The Road | reel | Eminor |
| Drowsy Maggie | reel | Edorian |
| Follow Me Up To Carlow | reel | Adorian |
| The Irish Washerwoman | jig | Gmajor |
| The Kesh | jig | Gmajor |
| The Lamplighter | hornpipe | Gmajor |
| Morrison's | jig | Edorian |
| O'Keefe's | slide | Adorian |
| Old Hag, You Have Killed Me | jig | Dmixolydian |
| The San Francisco | reel | Dmajor |
| Spailpin Fanach | hornpipe | Gmajor |
| Spancil Hill | waltz | Edorian |
| The Wearing Of The Green | hornpipe | Dmajor |
| Whiskey Before Breakfast | reel | Dmajor |
| The White Petticoat | jig | Eminor |