Posted by mudbug on Sunday, July 11, 2010
This morning, after my regular daily practice, I did my regular Sunday extended practice. Putting on CD's and jamming in whatever key pops up. Then I broke out my "Petrie's Complete Irish Music" book. My reading practice and weird key practice is deffinitely paying off. I am finding some lovely old melodies there. As I was playing one in particular, "The Maids of Mourne Shore", it seemed very familiar to me. Come to find out, this is the tune that Yeats based his song "Sally Gardens" on. Not an exact copy but close enough, I guess, so some call the tune by either name. I seem to be getting deeper and deeper into the Scottish and Irish family of tunes, without pinpointing a single regional style of either, other than having an affinity for the slow waltzes and aires.
I met my first FHO member yesterday evening as Carlb stopped off for a visit for a few hours, while vacationing in Maine, from Pennsylvania. We had a nice visit and chat, and played some music. Carl plays OT fiddle and banjo ( very well, I might add, if you're not familiar with his playing) and loves the fast tunes. All the fiddle tunes that we had in common, I found out that I was either supposed to do in an open tuning or in a different key. So, while Carl played OT tunes, I backed him on guitar, and when I played slow Celtic tunes, Carl played pennywhistle ( which he ALSO plays extremely well). I don't think you could find two more divergent fiddlers, but we made it work, and played some music. Sometimes, searching for common ground turns out some interesting results. I hope we get to jam again, sometime.
5 comments on “Weird Keys - Continued”
harwilli55 Says:
Sunday, July 11, 2010 @10:18:48 AM
That is way cool that Carl would stop in like that Steve !! What a great way to spend a Sunday morning. As for the Irish/Scottish/Celtic stuff, there were no such as keys when the bagpipes started playing those tunes....lol....they played what they heard....so lots of modal stuff happening which really makes it a must to be able to play any scale on the neck, and for the guitarist....ya just gotta guess at the chords and hope that you are falling somewhere in the vicinity of the next chord.
Harlan
Humbled by this instrument Says:
Sunday, July 18, 2010 @2:03:45 PM
I've met a few FHOers, all very skilled in several instruments, and I've enjoyed many a jam with them. As far as wierd keys, it's good to practice them, for invariably some miscreant will want to play some song in Fb or B#, so why not practice them.
jamieholmes Says:
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 @5:53:06 AM
I would love to have a FHO jam if you come to Denmark ;D
I am learning "Niel Gows lament for the death of his 2nd wife" a very nice Scottish tune I'll send you the notes if you want also
I just learned "midnight on the water" witch is a slow waltz just gimme a shout I you want that aswell.
So some nice rolls and ornamentation in both.
All the best.
J.
mudbug Says:
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 @5:09:50 PM
Thankyou, Jamie, for the nice thought. I wish I COULD come to Denmark and jam. That would be fun. Actually, I already play both of those, but I play "Midnight" in standard tuning, and I guess some do it in open. The "Lament for the 2nd Wife" is truly beautiful. I play it every morning as part of my practice, and I'm ALMOST to where I'm starting to get smooth on the "B" part. I bet we have a lot of the same tunes in common.
jamieholmes Says:
Monday, July 26, 2010 @1:14:49 PM
I bet we do.. Is there any waltz or simular tunes to these you could recommend me perhabs?. If so please send me a pm I only have a few
Irish tunes but if you are interested I'll send you some let me know.
I was thinking of somthing funny. Did we not become member almost at the same time? I think we did and look at your posts!!
you are on fire.
All the best
Jamie.
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