Playing melody on the bouzouki. Kevin Elam teaches how to play the Sally Gardens.
1 Jun 2024
Kevin Elam - Counterpoint Sally Gardens (G, Capo 5)
Kevin Elam posted a new video on youtube recently. He explains some ideas for counterpoint. As example he uses the Reel Sally Gardens. If you like it you might be interested in joining his patreon site.
I made a tab of some of his ideas. If you might want the whole tab as pdf just write me an email. You'll find the contact on the right side under "about me".3 Nov 2022
Kevin Elam - Bold Young Rover - Accompaniment
In this video Kevin explains how he arranged the song Bold Young Rover from his CD. It's a long and very informative video. So give it a go if you are interested in Song accompaniment.
In the next, actually the first video he gives some tips how to arrange the melody of the song.
You'll find some more videos of him on youtube. He also has a patreon page with additional content:
https://www.patreon.com/kevinelammusic
Here's my tab of the chorus made with Tabledit:
18 Sept 2022
Kevin Elam: Bodenstown Churchyard (Album Release Concert)
Kevin Elam sings a song from his debut album "If I were a small bird". Check out his album at:
https://www.kevinelammusic.com/debut-album
You might also check his patreon page where he offers tutorials for bouzouki and other topics at:
https://www.patreon.com/kevinelammusic
The melody is very similar to "The Granemore Hare" Colleen Raney's Version can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow5kNq2vPZY
And wildly around it the winter winds rave;
Small shelter I ween are the ruined walls there
When the storm sweeps down on the plains of Kildare.
Once I lay on that sod it lies over Wolfe Tone
And thought how he perished in prison alone,
His friends unavenged and his country unfreed
"Oh, bitter, " I said, "is the patriots meed.
With heroic spirit and a governing mind
A martyr for Ireland, his grave has no stone
His name sheldom named, and his virtues unknown."
I was woke from my dream by the voices and tread
Of a band who came into the home of the dead;
They carried no corpse, and they carried no stone,
And they stopped when they came to the grave of Wolfe Tone.
And an old man who knew him from cradle to grave,
And children who thought me hard-hearted, for they
On that sanctified sod were forbidden to play.
But the old man, who saw I was mourning there, said:
"We come, sir, to weep where young Wolfe Tone is laid,
And we're going to raise him a monument, too
A plain one, yet fit for the loyal and true."
And I blessed him, and blessed every one of his band:
"Sweet, sweet tis to find that such faith can remain
In the cause and the man so long vanquished and slain."
In Bodenstown churchyard there is a green grave,
And freely around it let winter winds rave
Far better they suit him the ruin and gloom
Till Ireland, a nation, can build him a tomb.
Bodenstown is in Sallins, Co. Kildare, where Wolfe Tone is buried. Wolfe Tone was one of the leaders of the 1798 uprising, often referred to as the rebellion of the 'United Irishmen' due to the fact that Catholic and Protestant Republicans fought side by side. (Notes Finbar & Eddie Furey, 'The Farewell Album')
Here's the version of the Wolftones:
8 Sept 2022
Kevin Elam - Jig Accompaniment: Why You Should Learn "Down-Up-Down"
Kevin Elam talks about accompanying Jigs and gives four reasons why you should learn DUDDUD Rhythm. He does not say that playing DUDUDU is false, but that it should be your main pattern and match it with alternates.
Kevin has a patreon page, if you find his videos interesting you might think about joining his patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/kevinelammusic
28 May 2022
Kevin Elam - The Rhythm of Reels
Kevin Elam has posted some really good instructional videos on youtube which you might want to check out. Here are two videos about accompanying reels. He uses a guitar and piano, but it is worth looking at for bouzouki players as well. If you think these videos are useful you might consider joining his patreon site at: http://www.patreon.com/kevinelammusic
Here's part 2
26 May 2022
Kevin Elam - How to play Counterpoint (Jimmy Ward's)
Kevin Elam provides some really good tutorials on youtube and patreon. Here he shows his ideas to play counterpoint to the Jig Jimmy Ward's.
You can also have a look at his patreon site: http://www.patreon.com/kevinelammusic
Using tabledit I made a tab for this which you can download here:https://www.dropbox.com/s/po73uq0pe7sgs4k/Kevin%20Elam%20-%20Jim%20Ward%27s%20Jig%20-%20Countermelody%20mit%20Melodie.pdf?dl=0

