peter somerville - Posted - 06/06/2012:  15:16:24

back to that new book of Tom's!

i'm slowly working through it. Great tunes. I'm being a bit lazy with some and playing more open strings than in the book, eg 'The Earl's Chair'. I assume you've chosen closed positions Tom for note control? there's plenty of what would've been regarded as strange fingering until recently, eg Toss the Feathers( in D major), where the middle finger plays the 3rd string which means a forward roll is played, which in my hands flows better than t i t i.

yes so many tunes, so little time.

Great work Tom.

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/06/2012:  20:17:20

Thanks Peter, change them as you will.  I tried to distil melody and easy technique, fundamentals, and certain kinds of "ringiness" - for lack of a better term.  How notes bleed into other notes and create resonance or unwanted resonance, e.g, partials or unwanted overtones, is something that can be played with.  

Sometimes I like "harsh" overtone/s in a particular spot; other times I don't want it so much, but maybe the next time around, depending on how brash I want to be.  

Maybe it's like bluegrass singing, where voices sometimes push up against and scrape each other, and produce an eerie sound.  Is that wrong?  It's just a thang, and I like it, when I do.

It's good to use both open and closed positions as pipers do, either more legato, or less legato staccato noises.

Tony Trischka pointed out to me long ago that Alison Brown deserves credit for hitting inside strings (even the third string) with her middle finger, getting the notes she wants, in a fluid style, and playing softly and evenly.  

That was before I learned about other players who do nearly the same thing, and then some.  I'm tired, so I'll sleep on the rest.

Best ~ Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 06/06/2012 20:32:54

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/07/2012:  09:23:54

quote:

---

Originally posted by peter somerville

 

back to that new book of Tom's!

I'm slowly working through it. Great tunes. I'm being a bit lazy with some and playing more open strings than in the book, eg 'The Earl's Chair'. I assume you've chosen closed positions Tom for note control? there's plenty of what would've been regarded as strange fingering until recently, eg Toss the Feathers (in D major), where the middle finger plays the 3rd string which means a forward roll is played, which in my hands flows better than t i t i.

yes so many tunes, so little time.

Great work Tom.

---

Peter, thank you! And thanks for working through the tunes.  That means a lot to me, coming from you. I enjoy going through your settings as well, and you’ve got some great tunes happening.  There are so many ways to cook the same meal. 

Don't forget the CD if a tune is unfamiliar or if the fingerings at first appear bizarre. Everything I recorded on the CD matches the notes and back-up chords in the book.  

I explain this in great detail in the book, in different ways, but the long and short of it is that I'm going for certain sounds and blending of sounds, while avoiding others.  It's in the ears, not the technique, which only comes later for me.  Mine is not a bluegrass approach, though it’s informed by bluegrass 3-finger picking, old-time fingerings (but not tunings), jazz and classical ideas, etc.

'The Earl's Chair' is a tune I have transcribed many different ways over the years.  I used to use a more legato approach, letting the banjo ring, looking for open strings that sounded good to me, really letting notes bleed into each other, hearing the tune (re-harmonized) with a jazzy Major 7th tonic chord instead of the B minor, and using fretting-hand and picking-hand fingerings that allowed G tonality (harmony) to ring out.   I can still play it that way with a single tune-backer (a guitarist) playing a GMaj7 chord, but I hear a clash of G tonality and B Aeolian tonality if I try it that way at sessions, where the B minor chord is generally heard (but not always). 

So, in my mind's eye (and ears), I was hearing a re-harmonization of the tune.  And I still like to hear it that way, but I don't necessarily play it that way anymore.  My ears have become more traditional-oriented from playing tunes out at sessions in Ireland, hearing how each tune has a more-or-less agreed upon tonal center or tonal centers (“complex tonality”). 

I hear things differently now, and while I still hear jazz harmony (I grew up with Big Band jazz), I also hear how session players stay close to the bone and leave out a lot of possible harmony sounds, or how they tend to play drones and harmonize tunes differently on different instruments.   It's not uniform between instruments, so chords and harmony are secondary to the melody, which can be re-harmonized endlessly.  Sometimes I close the sonic windows or open them up, especially if it's a solo piece, and then it's more about artistic license.

In Best-Loved Jigs and Reels I sought a less legato approach for that particular tune (and others), working within the Bm chord (tonality), using closed positions, blocking notes instead of having lots of ringing open strings that might create unwanted resonance and inharmonicity for a tune in B Aeolian (not G Major).  Now B Aeolian and G Major use the same notes but have different tonal centers, each with its own tonality and modality.

So, I try different things and really listen to how the banjo rings – which partials or harmonics or overtones are produced, before I commit to fingering choices (involving both hands).  Sometimes I pass over easy and obvious fingerings because I don't want the banjo to ring that way (especially when open strings and unwanted partials are involved).  These are very conscious aural (artistic?) decisions. (I can also make Celtic tunes sound more like Scruggsy bluegrass tunes if I want to, and sometimes I do just that, for the craic, and to confuse people.)

In review, it's how I want the instrument to sound on a particular Celtic tune that tells me where to play the notes, then I look to hone the technique and make it as easy and/or fun as possible, involving an interplay of fretting and picking-hand choices, which I explain further in the book.  I'm always making very specific choices, finding compromises that involve consonance and dissonance (and inharmonicity), in the same way that just tuning stringed instruments using blocked notes next to open strings always involves a compromises. 

I have learned to use my ears and not to start with a rigid approach to technique.  I'm happy with that because I hear the banjo differently playing Celtic tunes than I do playing jazz or bluegrass tunes.  This happened gradually and naturally at first, and then when I became conscious of it, I began to work at it, to question why I tended to certain fingering choices over others.  It took a lot of listening (and not always playing at sessions).  I like to start with a clean slate when approaching any tune.  Experience is the best teacher, and tunes come a lot easier to my fingers now than they used to, and it’s because my ears have evolved, and the technique has followed suit.

I feel blessed to have developed my ears and, as a result, my techniques and general method for transcriptions, and these sometimes look weird to me when I review them on paper, because they're not obviously "melodic" or "single-string" settings – certainly not “Scruggs-style” – or using pre-fabricated materials.  Every tune (recipe or transcription) is made individually by hand, made from scratch, and often with optional parts and fingerings that are substitutable, depending on the desired flavor and end result.  

I know you are going through a very similar process Peter, and it's great to know that one isn't working in a vacuum.  

Best ~ Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 06/07/2012 09:40:41

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/07/2012:  12:01:57

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom Hanway

In Best-Loved Jigs and Reels I sought a less legato approach for that particular tune (and others), working within the Bm chord (tonality), using closed positions, blocking notes instead of having lots of ringing open strings that might create unwanted resonance and inharmonicity for a tune in B Aeolian (not G Major or Lydian).  Now B Aeolian and G Lydian use the same notes but have different tonal centers, each with its own tonality and modality.  B Aeolian is only one note off G Major, but having a C# instead of a C.

---

I fixed the above paragraph (edits in red):  I typed too quickly, not thinking, because it's not G Major, but rather D Major that has the same notes as B Aeolian, the latter being the sixth mode (based on the sixth degree) of the D Major scale. 

It's G Lydian (not G Major) mode that has the same notes as B Aeolian and D Major, being the fourth mode of the D Major scale:

D Major:  

1 2 3  4 5 6 7
D E F# G A B C# 

B Aeolian:

B C# D E F# G A

G Lydian:

G A B C# D E F# 

*************************************************

G Major has the same notes as E Aeolian (natural minor) mode.

G Major:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
G A B C D E F#

E Aeolian:

E F# G A B C D

************************************************************

Haha, now is that more confusing?   I sometimes give 'The Earl's Chair' a G flavor (tonality), based on the Lydian mode, which is another kind of major mode, but having a raised fourth degree (C#).

In Best-Loved Jigs and Reels, it's in B Aeolian, using a Bm chord, (not a GMaj7).  

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 06/07/2012 12:14:54

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/07/2012:  14:33:21

quote:

---

Originally posted by peter somerville

 

... back to that new book of Tom's!

I'm slowly working through it. Great tunes. I'm being a bit lazy with some and playing more open strings than in the book, eg 'The Earl's Chair'. I assume you've chosen closed positions Tom for note control? there's plenty of what would've been regarded as strange fingering until recently, eg Toss the Feathers (in D major), where the middle finger plays the 3rd string which means a forward roll is played, which in my hands flows better than t i t i.

Yes so many tunes, so little time.

Great work Tom.

---

I posted this earlier but it's fixed here, so please ignore the previous one, full of silly mistakes. Sorry folks.   

Peter, thank you!  And thanks for working through the tunes.  That means a lot to me, coming from you. I enjoy going through your settings as well, and you’ve got some great tunes happening.  There are so many ways to cook the same meal.

Don't forget the CD if a tune is unfamiliar or if the fingerings at first appear bizarre. Everything I recorded on the CD matches the notes and back-up chords in the book.  

I explain this in great detail in the book, in different ways, but the long and short of it is that I'm going for certain sounds and blending of sounds, while avoiding others.  It's in the ears, not the technique, which only comes later for me.  Mine is not a bluegrass approach, though it’s informed by bluegrass 3-finger picking, old-time fingerings (but not tunings), jazz and classical ideas, etc.

'The Earl's Chair' is a tune I have transcribed many different ways over the years.  I used to use a more legato approach, letting the banjo ring, looking for open strings that sounded good to me, really letting notes bleed into each other, hearing the tune (re-harmonized) with a jazzy G Major 7th tonic chord instead of a B minor, and using fretting-hand and picking-hand fingerings that allowed G tonality (harmony) to ring out.   I can still play it that way with a single tune-backer (a guitarist) playing a GMaj7 chord, but I hear a clash of G tonality and B Aeolian tonality if I try it that way at sessions, where the B minor chord is generally heard.

So, in my mind's eye (and ears), I was hearing a re-harmonization of the tune.  And I still like to hear it that way, but I don't necessarily play it that way anymore.  My ears have become more traditional-oriented from playing tunes out at sessions in Ireland, hearing how tunes have a more-or-less agreed upon tonality or tonal centers (complex tonality). 

I hear things differently now, and while I still hear jazz harmony (I grew up with Big Band jazz), I also hear how session players stay close to the bone and leave out a lot of possible harmony sounds, or how they tend to play drones and harmonize tunes differently on different instruments.   It's not uniform between instruments, so chords and harmony are secondary to the melody, which can be re-harmonized endlessly.  Sometimes I close the sonic windows or open them up, especially if it's a solo piece, and then it's more about artistic license and personal variation.

In Best-Loved Jigs and Reels I sought a less legato approach for that particular tune (and others), working within the Bm chord (tonality), using closed positions, blocking notes instead of having lots of ringing open strings that might create unwanted resonance and inharmonicity for a tune in B Aeolian (not G Lydian).  Now, B Aeolian and G Lydian use the same notes but have different tonal centers, each with its own tonality and modality.  B Aeolian is only one note off G Major, but has a C# instead of a C.

So, I try different things and really listen to how the banjo rings – which partials or harmonics or overtones are produced, before I commit to fingering choices (involving both hands).  Sometimes I pass over easy and obvious fingerings because I don't want the banjo to ring that way (especially when open strings and unwanted partials are involved).  These are very conscious aural (artistic?) decisions. (I can also make Celtic tunes sound more like Scruggsy bluegrass tunes if I want to, and sometimes I do just that, for the craic, and to confuse people.)

In review, it's how I want the instrument to sound on a particular Celtic tune that tells me where to play the notes, then I look to hone the technique and make it as easy and/or fun as possible, involving an interplay of fretting and picking-hand choices, which I explain further in the book.  I'm always making very specific choices, finding compromises that involve consonance and dissonance (and inharmonicity), in the same way that just tuning stringed instruments using blocked notes next to open strings always involves a compromises. 

I have learned to use my ears and not to start with a rigid approach to technique.  I'm happy with that because I hear the banjo differently playing Celtic tunes than I do playing jazz or bluegrass tunes.  This happened gradually and naturally at first, and then when I became conscious of it, I began to work at it, to question why I tended to certain fingering choices over others.  It took a lot of listening (and not always playing at sessions).  I like to start with a clean slate when approaching any tune.  Experience is the best teacher, and tunes come a lot easier to my fingers now than they used to, and it’s because my ears have evolved, and the technique has followed suit.

I feel blessed to have developed my ears and, as a result, my techniques and general method for transcriptions, and these sometimes look weird to me when I review them on paper, because they're not obviously "melodic" or "single-string" settings – certainly not “Scruggs-style” – or using pre-fabricated materials.  Every tune (recipe or transcription) is made individually by hand, made from scratch, and often with optional parts and fingerings that are substitutable, depending on the desired flavor and end result.  

I know you are going through a very similar process Peter, and it's great to know that one isn't working in a vacuum. (Sorry for the redundancy, but I had to correct the silly mistakes about modes.)

Best ~ Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 06/07/2012 14:40:03

grote - Posted - 06/07/2012:  15:12:14

peter somerville - Posted - 06/07/2012:  15:21:47

I always appreciate your detailed responses Tom and read them more than once. I assumed correctly why you chose certain fingerings, avoiding overtones and not wanting to imply a particular tonality or chords. we both know guitarists improvise a lot at sessions and we don't want to clash with them. my problem is i just don't get out to sessions much at all. somehow i have to change that. Life, laziness, kids, banjo teaching, gigs. too many excuses! the end result being my ears aren't trained enough. but i'm aware of the problems of open notes, eg that 5th string ringing when you don't want it to in keys such as D or Bm.  i often compromise notes just to get through in one piece! better to have unwanted over tones than lose the tune entirely.

ah, it's a long journey, I'll hopefully do a little more recording soon and put some tunes up. cheers, peter

grote - Posted - 06/07/2012:  15:22:23

Hey Folks and Tom,

Good stuff here. As far as ornamentation. The only way to determine where an ornament, triplets etc... is applied is by listening to fiddle, pipes., mando or whatever recordings from traditional folks. Listen to the masters. They will help you develop a feeling for when it is on the note or lags. I listen to pipes when learning tunes. Just my Opinion and congrats on the new book Tom.

CG

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/08/2012:  11:35:19

quote:

---

Originally posted by grote

 

Hey Folks and Tom,

Good stuff here. As far as ornamentation. The only way to determine where an ornament, triplets etc... is applied is by listening to fiddle, pipes., mando or whatever recordings from traditional folks. Listen to the masters. They will help you develop a feeling for when it is on the note or lags. I listen to pipes when learning tunes. Just my Opinion and congrats on the new book Tom.

 CG 

---

Hi Chris, great to hear from you, and thank you for posting and for the sound advice!  I hear you about listening to pipers.  As you know, it's also good to listen to all the trad instruments, for example, fiddle, flute and whistle players, accordion players, harpers, anybody that can play.  As the years have gone by, I have gotten closer to your approach, though I still love rattling on lots of open strings (sometimes), using the fifth string, lol, especially for hornpipes and harp tunes, but also for jigs and reels, etc.  

Ornamentation really is best learned by listening to the masters, I agree, Chris.

Okay, Carrie and other folks have been asking about techniques for ornamentation, and Peter noticed how in my book I used "closed positions" for 'The Earl's Chair' - which I don't always use - but he's spot-on:  I did use a lot of closed fretting-hand fingerings for Best-Loved Jigs and Reels, to make the tunes punchy, cut out unwanted ringiness, and for 'The Earl's Chair' closed positions work nicely for B Aeolian mode, leaving out the heavy ornamentation (first example) and jazz re-harmonization (first two examples) that one can see in the first two settings below.  

These first two settings actually have more of a G Lydian (major) tonality to them, so, they're a little outside the box, haha, but they still work in a jazzy crossover kind of way, and I remain faithful to the tune, not jazzing it up by playing outside the melodic contours.   

Please note:  None of these settings (A Part only) are from my recent Mel Bay book/CD, so I am not infringing on Mel Bay's copyrighted material.  

The last setting is closest to what appears in my recent work, but I open up the fingerings there for the last two measures, mixing a closed and open fingering approach because I like the overtones that the banjo produces during the D chord (not tabbed here).  I'm going for specific sounds and desired overtones, and the technique serves the sounds I want to hear, or partials I prefer to eliminate, haha, and they crop up from time to time, like weeds.  

Still, all these settings work (in different ways), and these, I hope, will give folks some idea about the myriad possibilities for finding arrangements that sound cool, and the different sounds and overtones one can produce when playing over different backing chords (re-harmonizations).  None of this is written in stone.  So, have fun, grab a good guitar or keyboard player, listen to how the banjo rings in each example, and enjoy!  Best ~ Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 06/08/2012 11:44:06

peter somerville - Posted - 06/09/2012:  18:36:19

i've just linked a tab of Earl's chair to the groups celtic banjo and celtic fingerstyle. i don't know how to attach it to this forum. it's yet more ways to play the same notes to add to the confusion!

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/10/2012:  17:53:12

Peter, I'll check it out.  

Okay, in answer to your question, you need a .jpg, so  print a copy, scan it as a photo, save it in a place where you can find it, then load to photos in your profile, and find and copy the BHO photo URL. I think it's right-clicking; cut and paste that information as a photo when you add a post, using the image link (next to the hyperlink.)  It's a tedious process for sure, and I think I do it just to see if I still can.  I just muddle through it, and I eventually get there, and then I regret it, haha.

Also, use that image to create a tab in the Hangout; it's not the best format for sure, but it gives one time to notice mistakes in the tab and start all over again.  I also do that.  

Tab is like so much spam, lol.  

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 06/10/2012 18:03:13

peter somerville - Posted - 06/10/2012:  19:46:59

thanks for the tech advice Tom, but laziness might win out! I do have a scanner so maybe i'll try it. not sure. in the meantime, feel free to check out my tab on my site, just a few alternatives for the same notes. i certainly don't disagree about playing closed positions to stop unwanted overtones but the down side for me i mightn't execute the notes well enough, so it's a trade off , unwanted ringing versus bum notes. might tackle toss the feathers in Em next. seems it was a hit with The Corrs. i like the D version and it seems easier than the Em one.

hey Chris Grotewohl, if you're reading this, i must have another go at your book. i found it too hard when i bought it but i'm reinspired by your playing.

peter somerville - Posted - 06/10/2012:  21:56:16

Ok Tom, thanks for advice again Tom, here it is, i think

Earl's Chair

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/11/2012:  21:04:50

There's a thread here for that.  Mirek has it saved and bookmarked.  I don't have the link handy.  

I don't know if I can work with this, I'm technically non-inclined myself.  PDF, not VFM?

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/11/2012:  21:09:20

quote:

---

Originally posted by peter somerville

Ok Tom, thanks for advice again Tom, here it is, i think

---

That's a juicy version.  And the melodic contours (triplets where they're supposed to be) are spot-on perfect.  

That's it, don't lose that version.  In the pocket.  Awesome.



Best ~ Tom

peter somerville - Posted - 06/11/2012:  23:49:17

sorry i'm so technically challenged Tom but it sounds like it opened for you. I think i pinched the triplets from you( and much of the arrangement) i've added a cut in the b section. i thought my way of getting some notes in the a part, 5, 4 frets on 1 and 2 strings instead of 7, 9 on 2nd and 3rd strings was kinda cool and keeps my left hand from jumping up and down the neck so much.  also 2nd fret on 2nd string instead of 6th on 3rd is a position i'm using more. eventually i'll get back to thinking less about technique and more about sound but for now, i'm enjoying some discoveries of different ways of doing things.

maybe we've done this tune enough? might tackle something new soon but off to sunny queensland for a week tomorrow- no banjo, can i survive? so wont be bothering anybody on the hangout til i'm back

Mirek Patek - Posted - 06/12/2012:  13:40:36

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom Hanway

There's a thread here for that.  Mirek has it saved and bookmarked.  I don't have the link handy.  

I don't know if I can work with this, I'm technically non-inclined myself.  PDF, not VFM?

---

banjohangout.org/archive/219247

peter somerville - Posted - 06/12/2012:  14:16:22

hi Mirek, thanks for link. i hope my brain can work it out when i get a chance to look at it in a week or so, cheers

peter

Tom Hanway - Posted - 06/12/2012:  14:19:33

Thanks Mirek, and thanks again Peter for posting that arrangement of 'The Earl's Chair'!   Mighty fine.  

Best ~ Tom

grote - Posted - 06/20/2012:  13:51:34

Hey Folks,

Tom, the version of The  Earls Chair is almost identical to the way I play it on the A part. I usually pull off on the low D string from the 5th to to 4th fret on the triplet with the pinky. Not always of course. It is a wonderful tune. Pete, good luck rehashing some of my stuff from my antique book.

Thanks, CG

Tom Hanway - Posted - 07/02/2012:  23:06:07

quote:

---

Originally posted by grote

Hey Folks,

 

Tom, the version of The  Earls Chair is almost identical to the way I play it on the A part. I usually pull off on the low D string from the 5th to to 4th fret on the triplet with the pinky. Not always of course. It is a wonderful tune. Pete, good luck rehashing some of my stuff from my antique book.

 

Thanks, CG

---

Chris, that doesn't surprise me about 'The Earl's Chair' if played steering away from a legato sound and avoiding the fifth string altogether.  It's a handy approach and works for the 5-string, conjuring up strains of tenor banjo.  I suspect your "antique book" is probably more "vintage" than antiquated, since you are dealing with Irish traditional music, and the tunes are time-tested, venerable chestnuts.  

Maybe it's all in the settings, and whether they are deliberately (fleetingly) "contemporary" or based on older versions of tunes, which are continually changing and evolving, with regional variations springing up at every turn.  These are personal artistic choices, and they are also based on instrument.  So many choices, so little time.  

Pete's Celtic & Australian Tunes for the 5-String Banjo is a unique collection with some really juicy tunes and contemporary settings.  He is not  afraid of double-stops, slipping and sliding, and these variations give some of his tunes a virtual rock 'n' roll freedom, and it's very contemporary stuff.  I'm a big fan.  

Okay, I've got one more day of rehearsing, then it's off to Sweden to play two stage shows with Dave Harper, a collection of songs, jigs, reels, hornpipes, slow airs, and even a version of 'Danny Boy' played as a samba.   I'm looking forward to the impromptu sessions and also sitting in with other artists, if that happens.  Some legendary players will be there, Mick McGoldrick, lovely singer Moya Brennan (of Clannad fame), and mighty Johnny Logan, who's won Eurovision three times as a singer and twice as a songwriter.   This should be interesting, hoping to film it.  Good weather is forecasted.  All will be revealed. 

Festival line-up here:

Öland Celtic Irish Music Festival

Best ~ Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 07/02/2012 23:21:55

Tom Hanway - Posted - 07/12/2012:  03:38:57

Hi, folks, just back from Sweden, and I'm delighted to report that it was a resounding success for a in its second year: an Irish and Celtic festival is relocated and born in Borgholm Castle, and it was a real cracker!  I got to play on stage with my musical heroes, singer-harper Moya Brennan, harper Cormac de Barra, Daithi Rua, and the amazing Johnny Logan (jamming on a rock/country tune, 'Piece of My Heart'), and got to play a backstage session with most of the musician and dancers in attendance.  

I met lots of dedicated players from all across Europe, lovely, amazing musicians all, and gave impromptu Celtic banjo workshops when I wasn't playing onstage or backstage, selling my first copies of the new Mel Bay title in Sweden, and hawking back catalog in the venerable bluegrass festival tradition (where I was trained).  

It was a very moving and gratifying experience, my first time in Sweden, in Scandinavia for that matter.  (I came home and cut off my ponytail, now sporting a Johnny Unitas brushed-cut-nerve-ends crew cut.  I feel great, renewed, transformed, and ready for more!  Here's one of the last photos of me with long hair.   To my right in blue is Moya Brennan, her daughter next to her, the amazing Cormac de Barra on harp, and Daithi Rua picking out a bluegrass tune on guitar for the craic.  The first tune Cormac and I played together, before this, and one that he started to my amazement and delight, was 'The Humours of Ballyloughlan' - one of my favorite jigs (in the Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo).  

Okay I have been corresponding with a banjo player, a very inquisitive guy, who is interested in the recent Best-Loved Jigs and Reels collection, and I wrote him this, just this morning, and it really applies to anyone who is interested in Celtic fingerstyle banjo, so I've decided to share my reply to him, a word of encouragement:

... These tunes really are not too difficult, but they are very tuneful.  I selected these particular tunes because they are so commonly played within Irish and Celtic tradition, in the living tradition - not taken from old books and tune collections.  There are too many books like that out, trust me.  I have another Mel Bay book in the works about best-loved melodies, which will be a companion to the current tune book.  You will undoubtedly recognize a lot of airs, melodies and songs in that, but that's a while off.  This current book is designed for beginners, and I left out a lot of difficult ornamentation on purpose, to make the tunes easy to play.  My first book puts in a lot of ornamentation, and it has a cross-referenced glossary.  Suffice it to say that it's a Mel Bay "Best Seller" and libraries all over the world carry it, especially music libraries that specialize in Irish and Celtic music traditions.  Description here:   Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo.

Bill Keith's review, originally published in BNL is here.  That's a book you want, but the reason I went back and did the current Best-Loved Jigs and Reels book is to make playing this stuff easier, not that it's ever easy to get it right!  This is musicians' music, and it takes real dedication to master, but the rewards are worth it.  I can play tunes anywhere in the world now, and fit right in, and that's very gratifying to me.  It took a long, long time to get there, believe me, lol.

I just did a tour in Sweden, playing with some of the international trad players, with some big names in European, Irish and traditional music.  Moya Brennan, of Clannad fame, has sold over 25 million records, and she has Cormac de Barra in her band, an Irish harper.  She too plays amazing Gaelic harp, and we had a mighty session in the green room, the second night of the Oland Celtic Irish Festival in Borgholm, Sweden, captured here in a photo (attached)....

Hey, the fact that you're interested at all in pushing out the limits of your playing, getting into virtually uncharted territories is exactly the attitude you need to have to take your first steps in this new tradition for 5-string banjo.  And it is a blossoming tradition, in the States, Canada, across Europe, Australia, and then some.  It's a nascent tradition, and my new book also reveals a philosophy behind playing this music.  It's not just about the tunes, but about joining in community, in living tradition, and that is not determined by one's culture, merely by one's desire to participate and grow as a musician.

Hang in there, I hope you get my two books/CDs because one informs the other, and they will save you a lot of time learning this stuff.  It's challenging music to play, but the rewards are great, just the feelings of accomplishment one gains by being able to share this music with others, play it with others, anywhere in the world.  That's why I do it, for community, for love of people and sharing the living tradition.

... I'm here for you, to help you in your musical journey.

Best,

​Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 07/12/2012 03:51:50

boyratchet - Posted - 07/12/2012:  04:07:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom Hanway

Hi, folks, just back from Sweden, and I'm delighted to report that it was a resounding success for a in its second year: an Irish and Celtic festival is relocated and born in Borgholm Castle, and it was a real cracker!  I got to play on stage with my musical heroes, singer-harper Moya Brennan, harper Cormac de Barra, Daithi Rua, and the amazing Johnny Logan (jamming on a rock/country tune, 'Piece of My Heart'), and got to play a backstage session with most of the musician and dancers in attendance.  

I met lots of dedicated players from all across Europe, lovely, amazing musicians all, and gave impromptu Celtic banjo workshops when I wasn't playing onstage or backstage, selling my first copies of the new Mel Bay title in Sweden, and hawking back catalog in the venerable bluegrass festival tradition (where I was trained).  

It was a very moving and gratifying experience, my first time in Sweden, in Scandinavia for that matter.  (I came home and cut off my ponytail, now sporting a Johnny Unitas brushed-cut-nerve-ends crew cut.  I feel great, renewed, transformed, and ready for more!  Here's one of the last photos of me with long hair.   To my right in blue is Moya Brennan, her daughter next to her, the amazing Cormac de Barra on harp, and Daithi Rua picking out a bluegrass tune on guitar for the craic.  The first tune Cormac and I played together, before this, and one that he started to my amazement and delight, was 'The Humours of Ballyloughlan' - one of my favorite jigs (in the Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo).  

Okay I have been corresponding with a banjo player, a very inquisitive guy, who is interested in the recent Best-Loved Jigs and Reels collection, and I wrote him this, just this morning, and it really applies to anyone who is interested in Celtic fingerstyle banjo, so I've decided to share my reply to him, a word of encouragement:

... These tunes really are not too difficult, but they are very tuneful.  I selected these particular tunes because they are so commonly played within Irish and Celtic tradition, in the living tradition - not taken from old books and tune collections.  There are too many books like that out, trust me.  I have another Mel Bay book in the works about best-loved melodies, which will be a companion to the current tune book.  You will undoubtedly recognize a lot of airs, melodies and songs in that, but that's a while off.  This current book is designed for beginners, and I left out a lot of difficult ornamentation on purpose, to make the tunes easy to play.  My first book puts in a lot of ornamentation, and it has a cross-referenced glossary.  Suffice it to say that it's a Mel Bay "Best Seller" and libraries all over the world carry it, especially music libraries that specialize in Irish and Celtic music traditions.  Description here:   Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo.

Bill Keith's review, originally published in BNL is here.  That's a book you want, but the reason I went back and did the current Best-Loved Jigs and Reels book is to make playing this stuff easier, not that it's ever easy to get it right!  This is musicians' music, and it takes real dedication to master, but the rewards are worth it.  I can play tunes anywhere in the world now, and fit right in, and that's very gratifying to me.  It took a long, long time to get there, believe me, lol.

I just did a tour in Sweden, playing with some of the international trad players, with some big names in European, Irish and traditional music.  Moya Brennan, of Clannad fame, has sold over 25 million records, and she has Cormac de Barra in her band, an Irish harper.  She too plays amazing Gaelic harp, and we had a mighty session in the green room, the second night of the Oland Celtic Irish Festival in Borgholm, Sweden, captured here in a photo (attached)....

Hey, the fact that you're interested at all in pushing out the limits of your playing, getting into virtually uncharted territories is exactly the attitude you need to have to take your first steps in this new tradition for 5-string banjo.  And it is a blossoming tradition, in the States, Canada, across Europe, Australia, and then some.  It's a nascent tradition, and my new book also reveals a philosophy behind playing this music.  It's not just about the tunes, but about joining in community, in living tradition, and that is not determined by one's culture, merely by one's desire to participate and grow as a musician.

Hang in there, I hope you get my two books/CDs because one informs the other, and they will save you a lot of time learning this stuff.  It's challenging music to play, but the rewards are great, just the feelings of accomplishment one gains by being able to share this music with others, play it with others, anywhere in the world.  That's why I do it, for community, for love of people and sharing the living tradition.

... I'm here for you, to help you in your musical journey.

Best,

​Tom

---

Sounds like you had a blast.

I recently got your first book and am slowly working through the first chapter. It is nice to get a banjo oriented explanation. It has greatly helped me understand what exactly I am hearing while transcribing/transposing tunes. I am now trying to apply the ideas to tunes I already know from the tradition as well as those that are outside the tradition. Slow but steady...

Just out of curiosity, do you conduct formal workshops? It would be a blast to plan a vacation to Ireland and learn a little more about this music.

Tom Hanway - Posted - 07/20/2012:  19:01:40

... I'm here for you, to help you in your musical journey.

Best,

​Tom

---

Sounds like you had a blast.

I recently got your first book and am slowly working through the first chapter. It is nice to get a banjo oriented explanation. It has greatly helped me understand what exactly I am hearing while transcribing/transposing tunes. I am now trying to apply the ideas to tunes I already know from the tradition as well as those that are outside the tradition. Slow but steady...

Just out of curiosity, do you conduct formal workshops? It would be a blast to plan a vacation to Ireland and learn a little more about this music.

---

That could happen, in several countries, not just Ireland ... so will it be done.  

This is nice, a festival is born:

Öland

Here's a clip, from the green room, flying session, late:  

Öland Celtic Irish Music Festival 2012 Borgholm castle

It's late in Ireland, more to follow.  Meanwhile, I'm working up How High the Moon and Ornithology.  So many tunes, so little time....

OldTimeGal - Posted - 07/21/2012:  05:58:15

quote:

---

Originally posted by imac50

Congratulations, Tom. Looks like a great addition to the Mel Bay catalogue.

A good collection of tunes.

 

All the best

Iain

I just came across this thread, what a coincidence - Iain, your book is open on my desk at this very moment! I purchased it last fall, having a Scottish background, I thought it would be fun to learn some Celtic tunes as well. As a novice player (I play an old open back with hand-made picks), most of the content is too difficult for me at this time, but tired of my usual practice tunes, I picked out three of the simpler tunes this week that sounded fun to learn - 'Corner House Jig' (love the second half), 'The Sally Gardens' (love the first half), and 'Goodnight and Joy be with You' (what a wonderful tune!). Also a fun description of the Scottish Snap: "stealing from the first note and adding the time on to the following note". I'm playing with a new Folk/Old Time/Blue Grass jam group next week, and so will bring the tunes along and share.

So of course, now I'll have to order Tom's book... many thanks for sharing, from another banjo!

---

OldTimeGal - Posted - 07/22/2012:  06:33:33

I posted that previous reply from my cell phone, which alway does weird formatting...I'm working on learning the three songs I picked out of Iain's book, and really enjoy playing them, so I went ahead and ordered your new book, Tom, and joined the new group, can't wait to explore:-) - Old Time Gal

OldTimeGal - Posted - 07/22/2012:  07:38:39

Tom - If you visit the States, make sure to include Minnesota, which has a very large and supportive music scene. We're fortunate here to have Irish musician Paddy O'Brien, and many others.

Tom Hanway - Posted - 07/24/2012:  21:05:22

quote:

---

Originally posted by OldTimeGal



Tom - If you visit the States, make sure to include Minnesota, which has a very large and supportive music scene. We're fortunate here to have Irish musician Paddy O'Brien, and many others.

---

Laurie:  Ah, that's nice.  And I appreciate the heartfelt invitation.  Awesome, now which Paddy O'Brien is that? (Old Irish joke.)  

I'll be in PA at the AFBA Wind Gap Festival, doing a Bill Monroe Tribute workshop, also teaching Irish and Scottish fiddle tunes for banjo, working it, teaching the proverbial "ancient tones" that Monroe used to speak of, jamming and hopefully putting myself to some kind of use.  

The AFBA festival is in a beautiful location, closer to home (NY), AFBA 24th Annual Bluegrass Festival, and Lonesome River Band and Dale Ann Bradley will be headlining.  

It's a great line-up, plus the Grillbillies will be there cooking up a storm and picking all night.  I can't wait to be home.  

It will be a big honor to host a Bill Monroe Tribute Workshop.  I need to dust off a few duets and limber up my vocal chords.  Monroe's Hornpipe is on my list of tunes to play.  Jerusalem Ridge is another, Wheel Hoss and then some.

I still like having one foot in the bluegrass camp and another in the ancient tones camp.   Friendly camps, not all that far apart, really.  

Best ~ Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 07/24/2012 21:23:37

OldTimeGal - Posted - 07/25/2012:  05:09:19

That sounds fabulous, wish I could go. Here in Minnesota we have both ancient tones in the Paddy O'Brien who was just named Ireland's Traditional Composer of the Year: paddyobrien.net/, as well as The Minnesota Fiddle Tunes Project: minnesotafiddle.blogspot.com/?m=1 and Celtic Junction: thecelticjunction.com/mission/, and a very active Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association: minnesotabluegrass.org/
Shoot, I think there's a banjo player on every block here in Minnesota...

(For the ongoing BHO book off-topic thread folks, if anyone needs a top notch mystery read set in Ireland, try the Nora Gavin/Cormac Maguire series by Paddy's wife Erin Hart: erinhart.com/. A vocalist as well, she has a book-based tour of Ireland coming up this fall in September of places inspired by her novels.)

Have a wonderful day,

Old Time Gal

OldTimeGal - Posted - 07/25/2012:  06:58:14

Had to run to a meeting and my cell phone wouldn't let me do links on that previous post, sorry!


Tom - I've been practicing tunes from Iain's book this past week, and really enjoy them. Your new book is enroute to my mailbox, so looking forward to seeing where my banjo takes 'em :-)


Sure enough, a banjo player on every block here in the Twin Cities - stopped in a local coffee shop for a cuppa to go, and there on the counter was a CD - 'Harmony Grits' by a local Old Time String Band 'The Gritpickers', so got some fun tunes to go with my coffee...


Sláinte,

Laurie

Edited by - OldTimeGal on 07/25/2012 07:14:35

OldTimeGal - Posted - 07/30/2012:  13:52:52

Tom - Your new book arrived in the post today, your wife's painting is very nice on the cover, and the photos mixed in with the tunes are a nice added touch:-)  Just two quick questions from a newbie:

Q1: Do Jigs and Reels have lyrics?  I always feel lyrics provide a bit of the history/character to a tune.

Q2: What is the difference between a Jig and a Reel? (If already answered elsewhere, just point me in the right direction).

Can't wait to explore, think I'll start first by just listening to the CD.

Cheers,

Laurie

AllanJ - Posted - 07/31/2012:  12:10:16

Hi Laurie

 there are lots of people on this forum better qualified than me to answer your questions but until one of them comes along..





Q1: in traditional music sessions songs have words and tunes don't. Some tunes started off as songs but the words are seldom sung (Merrily Kissed the Quaker for example).  



Q2: Jigs, reels, hornpipes etc are tunes for specific styles of dance as the tune provides the rhythm for the dance steps.

If the rhythm is 1 2 3, 1 2 3 or similar it's likely to be a jig.  If it's 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4 likely to be a reel.  1  and2  and3  and4  is likely to be a hornpipe.  There are some other more exotic dance rhythms like 3/2 hornpipes.



 Wikipedia probably explains this better..



If you're interested in the history of the music Tom's previous contains interesting background information (as well as lots of great tunes).

Allan

OldTimeGal - Posted - 07/31/2012:  20:23:02

Interesting - thanks for the info, Allan, was just curious. Sounds like I should go do some dancing:-)

norseman - Posted - 09/10/2012:  06:51:26

Tom,

I just ordered your first book "Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo" from Amazon. I'm just getting ready to move back to the 5-string after several years playing in an Irish session on the tenor banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and flute. Would it be better to use your new book to start with? I haven't played the 5-string for quite a while, but I have over 10 years experience playing it before the other instruments. I also know almost all of the tunes in your new book from playing in the session.

Thanks
Bob

peter somerville - Posted - 09/11/2012:  17:10:25

hi Bob,
tom must be walking his dog. i've got both of his books. i don't think you need to start on his first book but they're both great so buy them both! there's more explanation and discussion in the first one and he has more ornamentation. if you know must of the tunes in the 2nd book then you'll probably learn his arrangements pretty easily as the tunes are already in your head. i really like how he finds the notes on the 5 string, it's thinking outside the box i guess, comparing it to more traditional aproaches, ie scruggs, melodic and single string.
i'm sure tom will have something more intelligent to say in a while.

norseman - Posted - 09/27/2012:  16:41:16

Thanks Peter. I now have the 1st book and I'll get that together with a 5 string again on Monday and we'll see how it goes. I've been on hiatus from the 5 string for over 10 years now so it will a while to get back up to speed. I know almost 2/3 of the tunes in the 1st book too, so I'll use it for now. Is there any duplication of tunes between the 2 books?

peter somerville - Posted - 09/27/2012:  17:35:16

-no, no duplication. hey tom's got another book coming out in a while. no wonder he's been quiet on the hangout, keeping himself busy.

norseman - Posted - 10/18/2012:  09:27:52

I'm looking at ordering this and have a question. Does the ebook version also contain the recordings of the tunes? I will most likely get the print version of the book anyway, but I just wanted all the information before I decide.

Thanks

Bob

peter somerville - Posted - 10/18/2012:  13:49:16

no idea Bob, i suggest you message Tom

haydukepdx - Posted - 10/18/2012:  13:55:47

Yes, it does have the recording files. if I remember right when I bought the book it gave me a login an code for downloading the recordings from Mel-Bay.  I have both the ebook and recordings on my iPad.  Very nice to read and listen while I wait for my son's Kempo lessons to end.

norseman - Posted - 10/19/2012:  09:33:08

Thanks for the info Jon. I now have it on my iPad which sits very nicely on my music stand :-)

Tom Hanway - Posted - 11/05/2012:  12:21:55

quote:

---

Originally posted by OldTimeGal

Tom - Your new book arrived in the post today, your wife's painting is very nice on the cover, and the photos mixed in with the tunes are a nice added touch:-)  Just two quick questions from a newbie:

Q1: Do Jigs and Reels have lyrics?  I always feel lyrics provide a bit of the history/character to a tune.

Q2: What is the difference between a Jig and a Reel? (If already answered elsewhere, just point me in the right direction).

Can't wait to explore, think I'll start first by just listening to the CD.

Cheers,

Laurie

---

Laurie, Bob, Peter, oops, so sorry, and to all posters, my apologies for being away for so long.  I've been up to my eyeballs with side projects, and now I'm under fierce deadline pressure for the next Mel Bay release, so I'm working on tunes every day, not rushing them, streamlining them, and that means I have to focus on one setting at a time, going over each tune repeatedly to make it user-friendly for beginners.  I just don't have a lot of time for BHO at the moment.  



Bob, this next book/CD/eBook will be the easiest of all three, the first book being the most advanced (Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo).  The last title, the current release and subject of this thread, is beginner-intermediate, and, yes, all the tunes in the book/eBook are on the CD and downloadable recording.

The next project is due for a March 2013 release, entitled Easy Irish and Celtic Melodies for 5-String Banjo: Best-Loved Airs and Session Tunes.  It is beginner friendly, with simple airs and melodies that are popular around the world.  These are tunes that people know, often without realizing that they know them.

Okay, in answer to Laurie's questions:

Q1: Do Jigs and Reels have lyrics?  I always feel lyrics provide a bit of the history/character to a tune.

No, these are instrumental dance tunes, which generally have no lyrics.  The next book, Easy Irish and Celtic Melodies for 5-String Banjo: Best-Loved Airs and Session Tunes, is focused on old airs (which later became songs) and will have some lyrics, but not for all the old melodies, and I agree with you wholeheartedly.  Lyrics are a bonus, when they happen.  They tend not to happen for jigs and reels, though they sometimes do.  

Q2: What is the difference between a Jig and a Reel? (If already answered elsewhere, just point me in the right direction).

A jig in 6/8, a slip jig is in 9/8, and the common reel (double reel) is in common time (4/4).  I have all these terms cross-referenced in Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo, along with other tune forms and terms, e.g., breakdown, dotted eighth, double jig, hornpipe, march, polka, shuffle, single reel, strathspey, swing, tune.  It's just too much to get into all these definitions here.

Okay.  I'll come back soon.  

Best ~ Tom

peter somerville - Posted - 11/13/2012:  18:45:45

here's an mp3 to go with tab on my site. it's a good starter for those wanting to learn jigs on the 5 string. feel free to purchase my book of 62 tunes.

welcome back to the hangout Tom!

ten penny bit

Tom Hanway - Posted - 11/28/2012:  02:02:57

Peter's tunes are lovely and the settings work great.  And he plays them beautifully.  Thank you Peter!  

Best ~ Tom

peter somerville - Posted - 11/28/2012:  03:36:30

hey Tom I've just been working on 'toss the feathers', the one in D, I like your version but it's fairly different from the version i here on youtube, mainly by the corrs. i'm wondering is your version the most common one round sessions in Ireland? i haven't got anybody to play it with here except a friend who learnt the Corrs version. just wondering.

Cornflake - Posted - 11/29/2012:  11:23:10

Tom--I have used your Complete Book for many years. I play in a contra dance band that uses many Celtic tunes, most of which I've worked out on my own. I am interested in the new book but I haven't run across a list of the tunes in your new book. Could you provide at least a partial list of the tunes so I can see how many I know already--and to show me specific tunes that I should be working on for the band. Thanks

peghead59 - Posted - 12/07/2012:  09:24:03

Just ordered your book Tom. Can't wait to get it. I'm hoping it will give me some inspiration.

Tom Hanway - Posted - 12/15/2012:  11:43:20

Thanks for asking.  Cornflake, no.  I cannot do that for contractual reasons.  Sorry. 

Best ~ Tom

Edited by - Tom Hanway on 12/15/2012 11:44:16

Mirek Patek - Posted - 12/16/2012:  05:23:24

Cornflake, you can find the list of tunes in the Mel Bay page

melbay.com/Products/21597BCD/e...anjo.aspx

Click on Contents.