Resources and Tools
Sources of Celtic Tunes
These resource links take you to vast inventories of Celtic melodies that can be used to make your own sets
The Session This free website has an astonishing number of Celtic tunes listed in both standard and ABC notation. The site has midi versions of the tunes. It’s possible to search the site by title of the tune, style, and key or mode. Anyone creating sets of Celtic tunes will find The Session invaluable. Join the site to create and keep a personal tune book and even a book of sets you create.
https://thesession.org/
If you use the site frequently consider making a donation or supporting the operation on an ongoing basis. For those of us who visit this site almost daily, a subscription is available.
Henrik Norbeck’s ABC Tunes
Tunes are listed in both ABC format and standard notation. More than 2,600 Irish tunes and 400 Swedish Tunes, plus tunes from Brittany, and other places.
http://www.norbeck.nu/abc/index.asp
John Chambers' Collection of O'Neill's three books
Music of Ireland ("1850"), Dance Music of Ireland ("1001"), Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody
http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/book/ONeills/
These resource links take you to vast inventories of Celtic melodies that can be used to make your own sets
The Session This free website has an astonishing number of Celtic tunes listed in both standard and ABC notation. The site has midi versions of the tunes. It’s possible to search the site by title of the tune, style, and key or mode. Anyone creating sets of Celtic tunes will find The Session invaluable. Join the site to create and keep a personal tune book and even a book of sets you create.
https://thesession.org/
If you use the site frequently consider making a donation or supporting the operation on an ongoing basis. For those of us who visit this site almost daily, a subscription is available.
Henrik Norbeck’s ABC Tunes
Tunes are listed in both ABC format and standard notation. More than 2,600 Irish tunes and 400 Swedish Tunes, plus tunes from Brittany, and other places.
http://www.norbeck.nu/abc/index.asp
John Chambers' Collection of O'Neill's three books
Music of Ireland ("1850"), Dance Music of Ireland ("1001"), Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody
http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/book/ONeills/
ABC Notation
This easy-to-use notation system was created in the 1990s. It’s very popular among musicians who play Celtic tunes. Whether or not you can read standard music notation, there is great value in knowing how to use ABC Notation. By one estimate there are more than half a million tunes available in ABC Notation, for free, online. Visit this URL to learn more about ABC Notation.
https://www.billtroxler.com/abc-notation1.html
ABC Reader/Transcriber. This freeware will play ABC notation files through speakers or head phones. It will also transcribe ABC notation into standard notation.
https://www.nilsliberg.se/ksp/easyabc/
Other ABC Reader/Transcribers are available at these links
http://www.norbeck.nu/abcmus/index.html
http://abc.stalikez.info/abcex.php/
This easy-to-use notation system was created in the 1990s. It’s very popular among musicians who play Celtic tunes. Whether or not you can read standard music notation, there is great value in knowing how to use ABC Notation. By one estimate there are more than half a million tunes available in ABC Notation, for free, online. Visit this URL to learn more about ABC Notation.
https://www.billtroxler.com/abc-notation1.html
ABC Reader/Transcriber. This freeware will play ABC notation files through speakers or head phones. It will also transcribe ABC notation into standard notation.
https://www.nilsliberg.se/ksp/easyabc/
Other ABC Reader/Transcribers are available at these links
http://www.norbeck.nu/abcmus/index.html
http://abc.stalikez.info/abcex.php/
Music Theory
An excellent, readable text on music theory is Edly’s Music Theory for Practical People. Available at many music stores, on Ed Roseman’s website https://edly.com/theory-book/ and through Amazon.
Music Theory from the Ground Up is an eighteen part YouTube series presented by Ben Levin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3yqUeiMn_g&list=PLJTWoPGfHxQH5zdZN6UlMPwZerVApkqmk
The series is free, thorough and fun.
An excellent, readable text on music theory is Edly’s Music Theory for Practical People. Available at many music stores, on Ed Roseman’s website https://edly.com/theory-book/ and through Amazon.
Music Theory from the Ground Up is an eighteen part YouTube series presented by Ben Levin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3yqUeiMn_g&list=PLJTWoPGfHxQH5zdZN6UlMPwZerVApkqmk
The series is free, thorough and fun.
Get and USE A Metronome
Your smartphone may have an app for this. You don’t need a fancy metronome with lots of buttons and options. Mostly the beats-per-minute (bpm) will range between 90 bpm – 110 bpm for jigs and 120 bpm – 160 bpm for reels. Get a metronome that can sound out two beats, or three beats, or four beats. Get a metronome you can hear. A drum machine will certainly work. A basic metronome is inexpensive and it’s really all you need.
A review of 41 metronomes is available at this link:
https://www.cmuse.org/best-metronome/
A free, online metronome is available at this link:
https://jamnerd.com/metronome
My go-to metronome is a TAMA Rhythm Watch RW 30. Simple. Small. Loud. Easy to use. It costs about $35.
Your smartphone may have an app for this. You don’t need a fancy metronome with lots of buttons and options. Mostly the beats-per-minute (bpm) will range between 90 bpm – 110 bpm for jigs and 120 bpm – 160 bpm for reels. Get a metronome that can sound out two beats, or three beats, or four beats. Get a metronome you can hear. A drum machine will certainly work. A basic metronome is inexpensive and it’s really all you need.
A review of 41 metronomes is available at this link:
https://www.cmuse.org/best-metronome/
A free, online metronome is available at this link:
https://jamnerd.com/metronome
My go-to metronome is a TAMA Rhythm Watch RW 30. Simple. Small. Loud. Easy to use. It costs about $35.