Have I actually told you that I particularly like the way Alan Murray plays the bouzouki? Well, a few weeks ago I asked Luke Ward if he could do a lesson on Alan Murray’s playing style. In his generous way, he actually did two lessons – one on a reel and one on a jig. You can get these on his Patreon page. Do you remember, I mentioned his patreon a lot of times now. It’s really worth becoming a member there. He’s now got nearly 30 fantastic lessons there, so there’s plenty to learn.
The jig he chose was ‘Australian Waters’, a tune I wasn’t familiar with and hadn’t heard at sessions before. But afterwards, Finn and Alan play the jig ‘The Bank of Turf’, which you often hear at sessions. The tune starts at 40:19 in the video. So I thought I’d have a go at writing down Alan’s accompaniment for this tune. I’ve written out the first and second rounds in Tabledit. (It's a fine app for MAC/PC to write Tab for stringed instruments)
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.
Eamon Coughlan posted a video how to accompany a reel in D. As example he uses the Merry Blacksmith. First you can learn the melody, he implemented a tab for the tune.
I made this video today for a friend who is a beginner on the bouzouki. It's in German, but I think easy to understand. Maybe it helps to activate the translate funcion on youtube.
It only covers the first part of the song. I start with an easy picking pattern. Later I add some hammering-on and hammering-off.
Would be great to get some response, if this video is helpful and easy to understand.
This will lead to the arrangement in Daoiri Farrell style which I made some time ago and posted here.
Another arrangement of the song by Darren Lynch can be found here.
NoCapo
[D] [G] [D] Oh, me [D]name it is Sam [G]Hall, chimney [D]sweep, chimney [A]sweep Oh, me [D]name it is Sam [G]Hall, chimney [D]sweep
Oh, me [G]name it is Sam [Em]Hall, and I've [D]robbed both great and [A]small And me [Bm]neck will pay for [G]all, when I [D]die, when I [A]die And me [Bm]neck will pay for [G]all, [A]when I [D]die
I have [D]twenty [F#m]pounds in [Bm]store, [D]that's not [G]all, that's not [A]all I have [D]twenty [F#m]pounds in [Bm]store, [A]that's not [G]all
I have [Em]twenty pounds in [G]store, and I'd [D/A]rob for [G/B]twenty [A/C#]more For the [D]rich must [F#m]help the [Bm]poor, [D]so must [G]I, so must [A]I For the [D]rich must [F#m]help the [Bm]poor, [A]so must [G]I
Oh, they [D]took me to Coot[G]hill, in a [D]cart, in a [A]cart Oh, they [D]took me to Coot[G]hill, in a [D]cart
Oh, they [G]took me to Coothill, where I [D]stopped to make my [A]will For the [D]best of friends must [G]part, so must [D]I, so must [A]I For the [D]best of friends must [G]part, so must [D]I
Up the [D]ladder I did [G]grope, that's no [D]joke, that's no [A]joke Up the [D]ladder I did [G]grope, that's no [D]joke
Up the [G]ladder I did grope, and the [D]hangman he pulled his [A]rope But [D]ne'ar a word I [G]spoke, tumbling [D]down, tumbling [A]down But [D]ne'ar a word I [G]spoke, tumbling [D]down
Oh, me [D]name it is Sam [G]Hall, chimney [D]sweep, chimney [A]sweep Oh, me [D]name it is Sam [G]Hall, chimney [D]sweep
Oh, me [G]name it is Sam Hall, and I've [D]robbed both great and [A]small And me [D]neck will pay for [G]all, when I [D]die, when I [A]die And me [D]neck will pay for [G]all, when I [D]die
Daoiri released this video one year ago. I just found it again and found out that I had forgotten to post it here. So here it is, Daoiri's thoughts of how to back up this beautiful tune.
Some time ago I posted the melody of the tune as tab which you can find here.
Inspired by Vince Jerrison's Video of "A bunch of Thyme" which I posted yesterday I tried to find another song in 4/4 on which to try some of these ideas. The first song I found was "Sam Hall". So this is what I came out with. Maybe I'll post a video at some time, have to practice first ;-)
Karl Nesbitt gives a little introduction to accompany a jig in Bm/D. This is a nice presentation for beginners. Karl also provides some introductional videos for Bodhran, Whistle and Flute on youtube.
