Irish Bouzouki

Sunday, 16 February 2025

Daoiri Farrell - Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore Tab

Recently Daoiri gave a live concert on Facebook. One of the songs he played that evening was Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore. I tried to tab the Intro and first verse of his arrangement. Capo 1st fret.

Here's the video:

This is what the tab looks like. If you like the whole tab as pdf or .tef-file just write me an email.

{t:Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore}

{st:Daoiri Farrell}

From [D]Derry quay we sailed a[G]way [D]on

the [C]twenty-[G/B]third of [D]May

We were [G]taken on [Am]board by a [D]pleasant crew,

bound [Am]for A[G]meri[C]kay

Fresh [G]water [Am]there we did [D]take on,

five [C]thou[G]sa[D]nd [G]gal[D]lons or [C]more

In [D]case we’d run short going to New [G]York

[D]far a[C]way from the [G]shamrock [D]shore.

So fare thee well sweet Liza dear and likewise to Derry town,
And twice farewell to me comrade boys who dwell on that sainted ground
If fortune it ever should favour me or I to have money in store
I’ll come back and I’ll wed the wee lassie I left on Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore

Well we sailed three days and we were all seasick, not a man on board was free
We were all confined unto our bunks with no one to pity poor me
No father dear nor mother kind to hold up me head when t’was sore,
Which made me think more on the lassie I left on Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore

Well we safely reached the other side in three and twenty days
We were taken as passengers by a man and led round in six different ways,
We each of us drank a parting glass in case we might never meet more,
And we drank a health to Old Ireland and Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore

Sunday, 9 February 2025

Brent Matusik - Comparism Bouzouki vs. Octave Mandolin

Brent Matusik tries to compare both instruments. This is a discussion which is often heard. And what is the difference between Octave Mandolin and Short Scale Bouzouki? Well ...

Look at the video and maybe afterwards you might be a little bit more confused?
In my opinion it is all about the tuning you use. Call it whatever you want.

New Bouzouki course for beginners - Luke Ward

Luke Ward, bouzouki player from Belfast just released a beginner's course on Patreon. It consists of 12 individual lessons where he covers first chords, some easy accompanyment ideas for the different modes (D, Dmix, Dm). After that he shows basic strumming patters to accompany reels, jigs and hornpipes. He finishes with 3 videos where he shows accompaniment ideas for each of the three tune types. Whereas the reel (Mountain Road) and jig (Humours of Glendart) accompanyments are very rudimental the hornpipe (Off to California) pattern has got an easy bass line and some more chords in it.

If you are a beginner to the Irish Bouzouki you might consider taking a months membership for 16$ (without VAT). That's a fair price. It's easy to unsubscribe at any time. If you exercise every day you might be able to finish the course in around 4 weeks.

I hope Luke will consider to make a more advanced course like this in the near future.

Here's the link to the course:
https://www.patreon.com/c/IrishbouzoukiwithLukeWard

Friday, 6 December 2024

Roadie Tuner 3 - Is it worth it?

The Roadie Tuner is an automatic tuner for stringed instruments. I was curious if it would work with the bouzouki. As it was a lot cheaper on Black Friday I bought it via Amazon to give it a try.

If you want to know more about it look here.

There's an app that goes with it where you can specify your preferred tunings. For GDAD you have to build a new instrument which only takes a few minutes. You even can take a photo of your instrument if you like.

I first tested it on my guitar tuned DADGAD and it worked fine. Tuning went fast with no problems. So I really was impressed at first time.

But then I tried my Foley ... and my Fylde and another Foley and another bouzouki. What should I say, tuning with a standard digital tuner is much faster and more accurate. I tried it several times and never got a correct tuning. So I can't recommend it for Bouzouki, although I think the idea is good. But 139€ is a lot of money for a device that screws your pegs just like your fingers can.

The video I did is not very professional and I did not edit the process of tuning to show how long it takes and how strange the device sometimes works.

As a result I'll definitely send it back. Maybe I'll give Roadie 6 a second chance ;-)

Sunday, 1 December 2024

Most watched posts on my blog during the past 12 months

These are the most watched posts on my blog during the past 12 months. Interesting that most people are looking for chords or information on building a bouzouki.

Please tell me, what are you looking for, what information do you need for your playing the bouzouki. Any questions, any hints what you would like me to post here?

And do you know of any hidden treasures on the web which I haven't covered here? Please let me know and I will try to post it. If you have anything to contribute to this blog please feel free to get in contact.

Saturday, 30 November 2024

Bouzouki Tutorial - The Little Drummer, Daoiri Farrell live version

Brent Matusik just published a new tutorial video on youtube. Here he shows how to accompany the song The little drummer as played by Daoiri Farrell.

This are the lyrics I found here

Little Drummer, The

Sheet Music (and more information about this song)

One fine summer's morning, both gallant and gay,
Twenty-four ladies went out on the quay,
And a regiment of soldiers it did pass them by,
A drummer and one of them soon caught his eye.

He went to his comrade and to him did say,
"Twenty-four ladies I saw yesterday,
Oh, but one of them ladies she has me heart won,
And if she denies me I'm surely undone."

"Go to this lady and tell her your mind
Tell her she's wounded your poor heart inside.
Go and tell her she's wounded your poor heart, full sore,
And if she denies you what can she do more?"

So early next morning this young man arose,
Dressed himself up in a fine suit of clothes,
With a watch in his pocket and a cane in his hand,
Saluting the ladies he walked down the strand.

He went up to her and he said "Pardon me,
Pardon me lady for making so free,
Oh my fine honored lady, you have my heart won,
And if you deny me I'm surely undone."

"Be off little drummer, now what do you mean?
For I'm the lord's daughter of Ballycasteen.
Oh, I'm the lord's daughter that's honored, you see,
Be off little drummer, you're making too free."

He put on his hat and he bade her farewell
Saying: "I'll send my soul down to heaven or hell.
For with this long pistol that hangs by my side,
Oh, I'll put an end to my own dreary life."

"Come back little drummer, and don't take it ill,
For I do not want to be guilty of sin,
To be guilty of innocent blood for to spill.
Come back little drummer, I'm here at your will."

"We'll hire a car and to Bansheer we'll go.
There we'll be married in spite of our foes.
Oh, but what can they say when it's over and done,
But I fell in love with the roll of your drum?"

Daoiri Farrell Trio - Live concert

This is an extract of a concert of Daoiri, Mark Redmond and Robbie Walsh in Spain. It can also be found here.

00:00 Zoological Gardens 05:32 The Hag in the Blanket - The Road to Lisdoonvarna (jig) - The Boy on the Hilltop 09:27 Tippin it up to Nancy 12:21 Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore 18:08 The Dark Slender Boy 22:23 The Blue Tar Road 27:12 Rakish Paddy** 29:02 Bodhrán Solo 30:42 The Creggan White Hare

Daoirí Farrell Trio (Daoirí Farrell, vocals and Irish bouzouki. Robbie Walsh, bodhran vocals and effects pedal. Mark Redmond, vocals, whistle and bagpipes)