Irish Guitar Podcast

This tune is a slide.The time signature is 12/8, which means basically 12 quavers per bar, but more correctly 4 groups of either quavers or crotchet/quaver combinations.A traditional Irish musician would count 4 beats per bar, each count being for 3 quavers or the equivalent: so *1* 2 3, *2* 2 3, *3* 2 3, *4* 2 3. Slides are often played very fast and are used for set dancers, and are widely played around Kerry and Cork.Tony reminds us not to try to play too fast.File size is 1.82MB.Duration is 7 minutes 57 seconds.

Normally played in D, Tony's arrangement is in C, with a capo on the second fret.The highest note is an A (5th fret, 1st string), and so the whole tune can be played from the open position. When fingering the high A note, remember to stretch the 4th finger to reach the note, and try to avoid moving the left hand.File size is 2.86MB.Duration is 12 minutes 29 seconds.

Probably originally a Scottish tune, this is a very widely played reel.The last two bars of both sections are identical.Tony reminds us not to try to play too fast.File size is 1.61MB.Duration is 7 minutes 02 seconds.

A favourite of Tony's, he plays this jig in F, although it's normally played in G.The key of F is not very common on guitar - and this is our first tune in F. Practicing the F scale is the best way to get used to it.The accompaniment includes a B flat bar chord, but the others can be played in open position, so it shouldn't present too much of a problem.File size is 2.04MB.Duration is 8 minutes 55 seconds.

Another tune by the highly influential Turlough O'Carolan.Planxty Irwin (which we had in Lesson 14, in Book 1) was another O'Carolan tune.This is in 3/4 time, with emphasis on the first beat of each bar: *one* two three, *one* two three, *one* two three.In this episode, we've also included a version with Tony playing the bouzouki and mandolin.File size is 3.92MB.Duration is 17 minutes 07 seconds.

A nice simple jig.The tune is mostly played in the open position, so you don't have to move your hand until the last two bars.For the last two bars, you use the first finger for G – the third fret on the first string, the third finger for A (the 5th fret) and the fourth finger for B (7th fret).If you also use the first finger for D after the open B on the third last bar, the open B gives you the opportunity to move your left hand back to the open position.File size is 2.13MB.Duration is 9 minutes 18 seconds.

In episode 9, we had this reel in the 'normal' tuning.In this episode, it's in Open D tuning. The tuning (from lowest pitched string to highest) is D A D F# A D, .As the tune is normally played in G, the capo is on the 5th fret.The chord shapes for Open D are, of course, different to those for the 'regular' tuning. However, learning them is no different from learning any other chord; and having these under your belt opens up your repertoire.In the booklet (Book 2), the chords shapes for Open D are on page 43.File size is 2MB.Duration is 8 minutes 46 seconds.

A common polka, which Tony tells us has received some rough treatment.Make it easier to learn by using shortcuts: the first bar is identical to the third and fifth bars, the last two bars of the first section are the same as the last two of the second section, and bars 9 and 10 are the same as bars 13 and 14.File size is 2.59MB.Duration is 11 minutes 21 seconds.

Often played with last week's tune - Crowley's 1.The tune is in D; the sheet music in the booklet shows it in C, with the capo on the second fret (to bring it into D).In this episode, Tony also talks about combining tunes into sets.And a reminder that the booklet accompanying these tunes is available for download from www.uxpod.com for US $9.File size is 2.87MB.Duration is 12 minutes 34 seconds.

Two tunes that are often played together are Crowley's 1 and 2.The legendary Connemara single row melodeon player Johnny Connolly plays these two on his first recording 'An t'Oileann Aerach', available on CIC Records (www.cic.ie/product.asp?idproduct=674).The tune is in D; the sheet music in the booklet shows it in C, with the capo on the second fret (to bring it into D).The highest note is the G, 3rd fret, 1st string, so you don't have to move out of the open position.The right hand is tricky if you include triplets, as you should be if you are playing Irish music - without ornamentation the tune does not sound authentic.File size is 1.49MB.Duration is 6 minutes 30 seconds.