Celtic Tunes

The time limitations of the class will allow us to explore no more than two tunes each day.  The goal is explore four reels, four jigs, and two hornpipes during the week.  This class is focused on introducing tunes.  You'll be able to choose which tunes you love and master those outside of class time.

A  bank of many more tunes is available for each day   You are bound to find tunes that are both new to you and fun to play. Lead sheets in standard notation and ABC format are available for download.  Audio files for each tune are available for listening and downloading. 

I urge you to explore the tunes we can’t get to in class.  They are all GREAT!

A description of the course is below.

                       

Tools and Resources

  • Tempos
One of the most significant features of Celtic music is that much of it can be played in a wide range of tempos.  A reel always works at 120 bpm.  It can  just as well blaze along at 170 bpm.  If the tune is played for dancers, a quick tempo is essential.  But, if playing in a session or with friends, a slower tempo may be best.  THE KEY POINT is to master a tune at a slow tempo.  Play no faster than you can without making mistakes.  Speed up the tempo as your "muscle memory" gains control and allows you to relax while playing.

What is the "right" tempo for a tune?  That's up to you and those with whom you are playing.  Some sessions are just hot all the time.  Others take the music more slowly.  Even in Ireland the "right" tempo can exhibit extreme variances based on geography, local practice and whether the performance is done for a contest that will be judged.  If you are of the school that faster-is-better, listen to the playing of Martin Hayes - among the best fiddlers of this generation.  He can play at light speed.  But, he often takes traditional tunes at gentle tempos.  Many times you can hear the melody of a tune better when it's played at moderate tempo.  Take to heart the traffic warning signs....Speed Kills
". . . .My playing is focused on allowing the fullest expression of the melody.

The great genius of Irish music is therefore contained within the melody itself."

– Martin Hayes
Read more about Martin Hayes and his approach to Celtic music at this link.

  • Metronome
ALWAYS practice with a metronome.  ALWAYS.  It keeps you honest!  All forms and styles of music are anchored in rhythm and what many call "the groove" or "pulse".  To create the groove or establish the pulse in music requires accurate and consistent timing.  A metronome will get you there and keep you there.  Practice slowly with a metronome holding you to account on timing.  Speed up only when you can play the music error-free and with confidence.  Increase the tempo in small amount.  Five or ten bpm is often a good step increase in tempo.  Do that sequentially until you reach the desired tempo of the music.  The goal is to internalize the melodic, harmonic and timing patterns so that your playing is relaxed, authentic and expressive.  The discipline of a metronome will set you free.

Sessions benefit from players who are disciplined about tempo.  All too often a tune begins at a reasonable or even slow tempo, but speeds up a great deal before the tune or set finishes.  It can get crazy fast. That's because the brain is anticipatory.  Once we hear a player produce a note before we expected it, out brains thing we are behind the tempo.  We speed up.  The cycle repeats and the tempo gets out of hand.  Practicing with a metronome will help to keep the music at a reliable tempo. 

No need to spend a lot of money on a metronome.  Free apps are available for a cell phone.  Low cost metronomes are easy to find.  Do not buy a metronome with lots of buttons!  What's needed is a device that can produce beats over a range of tempos from 60 bpm to 200 bpm.  For most Celtic music two beats per measure is all that's required.  Reels and hornpipes are counted in two or four beats.  Jigs are "felt" as two groupings of three notes in each measure.  So, it's not necessary to have a metronome that will generate complex rhythms found in styles like jazz or Afro-Cuban music.  Ensure that the metronome you use is sufficiently loud.  You have to hear the click above the sound of your instrument.

If you hate the relentless sound of a metronome, consider investing in an alternative.  Soundbrenner makes a vibrating metronome that straps to your wrist or arm, thigh or chest.  It ties into a cell phone for control.  Drummers love these things because they often cannot hear a standard metronome.  Soundbrenner's "Pulse" allows them to feel the pulse of the music.  The Pulse is costly.  But, I find it more effective for me than a conventional metronome.  Visit the Soundbrenner website for details.  The Pulse can be purchased in retail music stores and online.

  • ABC Notation
Celtic music is rooted in an aural tradition.  Tunes pass among musicians by ear. However, 21st century life had made that tradition increasingly difficult.  Most amateur musicians are not taught ear training.  Unless there is a living and vibrant practice of learning tunes by ear, few young players master the skill of catching tunes by ear.  Most of us have to rely on paper.  One, easy, free, effective way to capture tunes is by using ABC notation.  It's easier to read than standard notation.  Plus there are hundreds of thousands of Celtic and Scandinavian tunes available, for free, online.

Please explore this page about ABC Notation.  There you will find an explanation of ABC Notation, where to find free software that can play the tunes and translate them into standard notation.  Plus there are links to various sources of tunes. 

  • Swing
The term "swing" is used to indicate that the music has a kind of lilt to it.  In the extreme, swing becomes the dotted rhythm of the hornpipe.  Some players swing more than others.  Nearly all players swing the music somewhat. 

Swing is a subtle thing.  It has to do with phrasing and which notes are played prominently and which are played in support of the main melodic line.  There is no useful rule about swing.  It's a matter of taste.  Often you will find yourself swinging a tune once you know it well.  It's a desirable outcome of the discipline of the metronome! The key point is to listen to many good players.  Emulate what you like.

If you listen to digital music (musical instrument digital interface or MIDI) you may find it stiff.  That's music without swing.  All the notes are placed perfectly in time.  This makes the music accurate.  It does not make the music artful.  [Most MIDI software has a "humanize" or "swing" button to ease the problem - but it's still a computer attempting to fix a computer's problem of lack of feeling]

So.... SWING, because as many have observed, "it don't mean a thang if it ain't got swang."

  • Attitude
Approach the tunes with a sense of exploration.  In simple words, drop your adult attitude of control.  Play like a child.  Let every note take you to a new and unexpected place.  You'll achieve better results faster.  That said, study the tunes with discipline.  Keep at it in a childlike way but with focus because discipline in study yields freedom in performance.
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How to Practice
Whisper

​Concertina master Jack Talty has a helpful approach to practice.  He calls it "whisper".  Here's how it works

Warm up
Play any tune that comes to mind.  Just get your muscles warmed up and the brain thinking about music.

Have a goal
It's great fun to just play music. However, all of us have limited time for practice.  So, set a modest goal to address during the practice session.  Don't set out to learn a tune during a single practice session.  Learn a phrase of the tune or perhaps a part of a tune.  Keep the goal modest.  

Identify problems
All of us stumble over a passage or a technique or a few awkward notes.  Identify those trouble spots and concentrate the practice session on improving your performance in those parts.

Slow Down
ALWAYS practice at a slow tempo until you have mastered a tune or a passage.  Then gradually increase the tempo to reach a performance speed.  Don't rush to play fast.  Learn a tune correctly.  If you push the tempo too soon you'll just learn mistakes.  Time taken slow will be rewarded with precise performance at fast tempos. 

Patience
Focus on the process of mastering a tune. Getting your hands and mind to internalize a tune or technique requires time and repetition.  Give yourself the time to learn.  That's where patience comes in.  Set MODEST goals for a practice session.  Go slowly toward meeting those goals.

Enjoy
Structure your practice session with a modest goal, a realistic goal.  If you feel you've made progress toward the goal, your confidence will increase and you will enjoy the work of learning a tune or technique.  Set yourself up for success.  It can be helpful to end a practice session by playing a tune you known well.  Think of it as the "cool down" part of the  practice session.  Doing this reminds you how much you love the music and enjoy playing your instrument.  

Record Yourself
It's very difficult to hear your own performance in real time.  Recording your practice performance is key to identifying and addressing problems.  Record with the metronome playing so that you can verify that your rhythm is synchronized with the beat.
Course Description
This class will explore tunes from the traditional reels and jigs heard in the regions of Western Europe that are known as the “Six Celtic Nations”: Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales.The class is designed for advanced beginning and intermediate level students who seek to build their repertoire. We’ll explore two tunes each day and on the final day use these tunes to create a few sets.The class will be taught using the traditional method of learning tunes by ear. Tunes will also be supported by lead sheets written out in standard musical notation and ABC notation. A website will be available with lead sheets, recorded samples and performance examples in downloadable audio formats. All Celtic-style, melody, instruments are welcome in this class