Reels
The links below provide three formats of the reels we may explore in class.
Recordings of the tunes were made at a tempo of 120 beats per minute in a time signature of 2|4.
Each tune will begin with FOUR measures of clicks in this order STRONG BEAT - weak beat. The tune will begin on the FIFTH strong beat or on the pick to that beat. To time your start, count four strong beats and begin playing on the next strong beat. OR count three strong beats and play the pick up note(s) to the song.
All recordings were done on the Irish Tenor Banjo. The click track drops out after the four introductory, count-in measures.
The tunes were played without any ornamentation and without any swing. I played them as close to the metronome as possible. The intent was to convey the melody. All of the tunes need some swing and ornamentation to bring them alive. This page also has performances of three individual tunes grouped as sets. You can also visit the SETS link to download the lead sheets in standard notation and hear how the tunes are played in performance.
If you download the mp3 you can use one of the many free players to adjust the tempo of the music to fit your needs without changing the pitch of the music.
- lead sheet in standard notation
- mp3 audio file for listening and an mp3 for download (in the rightmost column)
- lead sheet in ABC notation
Recordings of the tunes were made at a tempo of 120 beats per minute in a time signature of 2|4.
Each tune will begin with FOUR measures of clicks in this order STRONG BEAT - weak beat. The tune will begin on the FIFTH strong beat or on the pick to that beat. To time your start, count four strong beats and begin playing on the next strong beat. OR count three strong beats and play the pick up note(s) to the song.
All recordings were done on the Irish Tenor Banjo. The click track drops out after the four introductory, count-in measures.
The tunes were played without any ornamentation and without any swing. I played them as close to the metronome as possible. The intent was to convey the melody. All of the tunes need some swing and ornamentation to bring them alive. This page also has performances of three individual tunes grouped as sets. You can also visit the SETS link to download the lead sheets in standard notation and hear how the tunes are played in performance.
If you download the mp3 you can use one of the many free players to adjust the tempo of the music to fit your needs without changing the pitch of the music.
Sets of Three Tunes
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Individual Tunes
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| farewell_to_london.pdf |
Recording of Farewell to London coming soon. In the meanwhile, listen to Bobby McCaul playing the tune in a set with Donald Blue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOsWFe_Tyk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOsWFe_Tyk
The composer wrote this tune as a three-part reel. Ultimately he performed it as a two-part reel.
This transcription is the two-part version. You'll find a three-part version of the tune on The Session.
https://thesession.org/
This transcription is the two-part version. You'll find a three-part version of the tune on The Session.
https://thesession.org/
It's easy to confuse the title of this tune with another tune called Darby's Farewell to London. That tune is also great. But it IS a different tune!