Irish Traditional Music by Paddy Carty on The Session

The Carty Flow

Paddy Carty was renowned as a leading flute-player in his generation. His fluid style gave rise to the phrase The Carty Flow - to which flute-players (I am told!) aspire to this very day!

Available via Shanachie.

Track 11

I know the second tune on track 11 is listed as Morrison’s…but isn’t that actually Dunmore Lasses?

Track 11

Yes Crysania - it is the Dunmore Lasses, I was quite confused by that for a while.

Paddy Carty

The liner notes from this album said he’s playing somewhat slower that would be needed fro dancing. It sound fast and busy to me!

The Dunmore Lasses is also known as Morrison’s Reel incase you are wondering. I doubt Paddy was referring to the popular jig.

Also worth a mention is that London banjo player Mick O Connor accompanies Paddy on most tracks.

When was that recorded?

Can anyone tell me?

1974

Please help me with some flute techniques…?

I’ve been using this recording to learn some tunes -- most recently the Wise Maid / Jenny’s Wedding set.

In it, Paddy Carty does some *mighty* ornaments on ‘D’ and ‘Cnat’.

Are they possible simply because of the style of flute that he played, or can such ornaments be done on a keyless ‘D’ flute?

Also, I find his recording to be a bit sharp (I have to push my headjoint in all the way to play along with it). Was this a recording style of the time?

Thank you for your advice and time…

“sharp” is usually a full half step. It is a problem with a lot of early recordings, and no, the musicians didn’t play that sharp. It is something that happens in the processing. There have been discussions on site here about it. It is unsure what the reasoning is, to get more on a disk, yes for 78s, or to just pump up the tempo? It is a pain in the arse. Best to slow it down by that half step and then you will also better hear what he’s doing with his flute. If you MP3 it you’ll be able to easily play it at half-speed and learn even more…

I don’t have my vinyl with me or I could check, the playing and the flute. I’ll just have to chase it up on CD… Thanks for reminding me… 😉

Thank you for the info, ceolachan. Yes, I would agree that the “sharpness” of the pitch appears to be in the neighborhood of a half-step.

Regarding his ornamentation on D & Cnat, I am aware that Paddy Carty played a special kind of flute - perhaps a blackwood boehm? - and perhaps that would be the reason he can get powerful cuts and rolls on those notes.

However, if such ornaments are possible on a keyless Ruddall & Rose-style flute, then I’d really like to know how, just to satisfy my curiosity, primarily.

Regarding mp3 & slowing down the recording, I am sadly technically illiterate on such things, and simply rely on my quick thumb to pause and rewind my ipod at the necessary points, and improving ear to pull out notes and ornamentations. Old-school (and getting older). 😉

Thanks always for your time!

This is one of only a few recordings where Mick O’Connor is heard - and as much as I think Paddy Carty’s playing is superb, this recording does not do justice at all to Mick’s playing. Mick’s accompaniment here is quite sparse, unlike his normally very rich and many-layered wonderful banjo playing. Someone has to say it. That said, this is still one of my favourite all-time albums.

Paddy Carty played a special kind of flute

A bit late in the day for this comment, but Paddy Carty played a Radcliffe System flute. Thus he could play more freely in keys considered fairly difficult on the 6-keyed simple system flute.