Friday 11 October 2024

Declan Plummer - Course for Irish Bouzouki

Just got the information that there is a new course out there. It's 12 hours of lessons which cost 150 pounds, which sounds great to me. 



There's a sample video available here which gives a little inside what to expect. He explains very well and the pace is not too fast and not too slow. Unfortunately sound and video is a little bit out of sync which might be a problem when he plays a bit faster, so it is not easy to really see what he is playing.

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What strikes me is that if you want to buy the course the actual price is much higher because VAT is not included in the price mentioned (nearly 30 Pounds!). Also you need to have a credit card to buy, which I personally do not like, no paypal or other payment methods available!

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Here's what the homepage says:

Tutor Summary
Declan Plummer plays bouzouki, tin whistle, Irish flute, bodhrรกn, uilleann pipes, and DADGAD guitar. He has a BMus, MA, and a PhD in music and is an expert in online tuition. All handouts, audio files and video files, have been carefully designed and organised by him to give students the best possible experience in home learning! He can be contacted anytime through email: info@topscoremusicacademy.com

๐ŸŽต Learn the Irish Bouzouki with Our Comprehensive Online Course – From Beginner to Advanced! ๐ŸŽต  

Hi everyone, Welcome to the Online Irish Bouzouki Course!
My name is Declan Plummer and I’m the creator and teacher of this course, which I’ve designed to explore the unique and soulful sound of the Irish Bouzouki. Whether you're just starting out or aiming to elevate your skills, this course is the perfect guide for players of all levels! Our detailed, step-by-step lessons will take you from complete beginner to advanced level, helping you develop the skills you need to play Irish traditional music with confidence and authenticity.

What’s Included?

๐ŸŽฅ Over 12 Hours of High-Quality Video Lessons 
Currently there are over 12 Hours of High-Quality 4K Video spread across 17 lessons. Our video lessons break down every essential technique, ensuring you have a solid foundation. Each lesson is designed to be clear and easy to follow, providing you with practical demonstrations and insightful tips. You’ll learn everything from the absolute basics to advanced techniques in a structured format that’s easy to follow and fun to practice.

๐Ÿ†• Constantly Updated with New Material   
The course doesn’t stop after the initial 12 hours! We regularly add fresh material to keep your learning journey going. Whether it's new tunes, tips, or techniques, you'll always have something new to dive into.

๐ŸŽถ Dozens of Audio Examples 
There are dozens of Audio Examples, including backing tracks with me playing tunes on the tin whistle and bodhran at different speeds, which you can download to practice offline and accompany on bouzouki. Understanding rhythm and melody is crucial in Irish music, so we've included numerous audio examples to guide your ear. These examples reinforce the techniques you learn, helping you connect theory with practice, and giving you a feel for how the Bouzouki should sound in real Irish traditional music.  

๐Ÿ“„ Downloadable Handouts and Sheet Music 
Similarly there are also dozens of downloadable handouts and sheet music to help you with your practice and understanding. Each lesson is accompanied by handouts and sheet music that you can download and keep. These include chord charts, tunings, progressions, traditional tunes, understanding music theory and Irish dance types, and other valuable resources, giving you something to practice offline and use as a reference.  
 
๐Ÿ’ฌ Answers to Your Questions in Future Videos 
Got questions? We’ve got answers! Submit your queries, and we’ll address them in upcoming video lessons, making sure you’re never stuck or left wondering how to master a concept.  

Topics Covered

๐ŸŽธ How to String and Tune an Irish Bouzouki 
To start with the basics—our pre-lesson videos cover everything you need to know about setting up your Bouzouki for the perfect sound. You’ll learn how to tune, and how to string your instrument to ensure it's always pitch-perfect, and you’ll learn the technical names of the different parts of the bouzouki.

๐ŸŽต Playing Chords, Popular Progressions & Understanding Dance Types
In Part I of the course our first six lessons demonstrate how to play chords. Chords are the foundation of Irish music accompaniment. We’ll teach you the essential chords and show you how to play the most popular chord progressions for different dance types, particularly for the fast-paced jigs and reels that are so recognisable in Irish traditional music. By the end, you’ll be able to accompany traditional Irish tunes like a seasoned player.

๐ŸŽถ Playing Polyphonically with Flat-Picking Countermelodies 
In Part 2 of the course, we cover playing polyphonically with flat-picking countermelodies. This part of the course is for more intermediate and advanced players. We delve into flat-picking techniques that will allow you to play countermelodies alongside traditional tunes. This technique adds depth to your playing and gives you the ability to perform polyphonically-perfect for making your Bouzouki sound full and rich during a session.

๐Ÿ“– Playing Tunes and Reading Music ๐ŸŽผ
In Part 3 (the final part of the course), you will learn how to read Irish Traditional Music in standard notation (and bouzouki tab), and turn these basic symbols into in real living music. Learning how to play real Irish dance tunes like this will foster independent learning, allowing you explore more music you want to learn. We’ll take notated tunes and show you how to turn them into authentic-sounding Irish music, complete with ornamentation, phrasing, and feel. You'll also learn techniques to make these tunes your own. This is key to playing authentically and developing a true Irish sound.

Why Choose Our Irish Bouzouki Course?

- Learn at Your Own Pace: With lifetime access to all materials, you can practice whenever it suits you, anytime and anywhere!
- One-Time Purchase for Only £150: No subscriptions, no hidden fees—just a single payment for lifetime access. That’s less than £9 a lesson – and all of these lessons will always be recorded and waiting for you when you are ready to practice!
- Regular Updates: Keep learning with new lessons, tunes, and tips added frequently. If you have questions or need help, you will get expert personal feedback and answers from me, and it may even be a good topic to cover in a future video!

๐ŸŒ Embrace the Spirit of Irish Music! ๐ŸŒ  
Start your journey today and become part of a rich tradition. With this course, you’ll be able to play at sessions, join in with other musicians, and develop your own voice on the Bouzouki.  

๐Ÿ›’ Get Started Now – Enrol for Only £150!  
Don’t wait to explore the magic of the Irish Bouzouki. Sign up today and unlock over 12 hours of video lessons, dozens of audio examples, downloadable handouts, and more!



Sunday 22 September 2024

Robin Jones - Irish Bouzouki Lesson - ู‡ู…ّุง ู…ูŠู† ูˆุงุญู†ุง ู…ูŠู† (Who Are They and Who Are We?) Part 1

And here's a new Lesson from Robin Jones. A tune he learned while staying in Beirut. It has an interesting scale which makes a lot of fun to play around. D,D#,F#,G,A,B,C,  which is called the Phrygian Dominant Scale. This is Part 1, you can get Part 2 here


Friday 12 July 2024

Robin Jones - Lesson how to play Beeswing by Richard Thompson

 How I love Robin's lessons. Here's the latest: Beeswing by Richard Thompson. As always part 1 is free. You can buy part 2 from his website.

Here's a different approach on the bouzouki. I shot this video about 20 years ago at a workshop weekend in Bonn, Germany. Michael Lempelius on his Sobell bouzouki.

 

 This is a live version of Michael together with Sabrina Palm I recorded at Fiddlers Pub in Bonn, Germany.


 

And another version by Andy Clarke on his Sobell.


 

Saturday 6 July 2024

Robin Jones - Irish Bouzouki Lesson - MacArthur Road

And here is another Lesson from Robin Jones. A reel called MacArthur Road. This is part 1. You can buy part 2 from his website. You also can subscribe to get full content of his lessons which is a new feature. If Robin will still present one lesson per week this might be really worth it.

He offers three plans:

Folk Patron which costs £10/month
Folk Hero which costs £20/month
Folk Legend which costs £30/month

As a Folk Patron you have access to all paid lessons for free. As Folk Hero and Folk Legend you also can send monthly or fortnightly videos of your progress and receive a personalized video reply with detailed feedback.

Sunday 30 June 2024

Robin Jones - Willie Coleman's Jig - Melody Lesson

 Robin's latest lesson deals with Willie Coleman's Jig. Learn to play the melody together with ornamentations. Part 1 is free, you can purchase part 2 here.

Monday 24 June 2024

Robin Jones - Caledonia (Dougie MacLean) - Lesson

I really like these lessons Robin publishes on youtube. Here's his latest one. He shows how to play Caledonia on the bouzouki. Part 1 is really basic. If you want part 2 you have to buy it from his website, which is really worth the money. You can get it here.

Wednesday 19 June 2024

Robin Jones - The Shaskeen Jig

 Robin is extremely busy at the moment. Here's his latest video lesson in which he shows how to play the Shaskeen Jig. This is part 1, you can buy part 2 from his website.

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Thursday 13 June 2024

Robin Jones - Morrison's Jig

 Robin is very busy producing Bouzouki lessons. They are well made and so useful. I love his way of teaching. Cannont recommend it enough. Check it out and buy part 2.

 

Here's the link to his youtube channel where you'll find more fantastic lessons.

 

Here's the tab I made:


Sunday 9 June 2024

Robin Jones - Jig Picking Techniques on youtube

 Robin Jones released a new tutorial video on youtube. Part 1 is free, you can buy part 2 for just 10 pounds which it is really worth. You get lots of tips and exercises which help you to play and accompany jigs. Even if you know how to play jigs I think you can learn a lot from these videos. Here's the link where you can buy part 2.


Sunday 2 June 2024