Matt & Shannon Heaton - Jig in G - Haunted House

 A new Slow Session from the Heatons last Sunday. The warmup Jig played on bouzouki. First in G, then in A. It's a nice idea to change the key during a tune. Works very well for the Haunted House. Here's the video: Jig starts at 2:45

Btw. if you like what they are doing or if you like my tabs please consider to donate any amount you like to the Heatons virtual tip jar:      PayPal button -- https://tinyurl.com/wqofe4b

 

This is the tab I made for the first round through the tune: Hope it is nearly correct. If you find any mistakes please let me know. I will post a tab in A later.

Well, as Matt uses some interesting chords and rhythmic variations in the third round through I made a tab for it also. So here it is:

Trials of Cato

 For all lovers of odd rhythms and modern Folk here's a relatively new band from Finland. Alex, a reader of my blog reminded me of them, many thanks for that. I once listened to their album when it came out but forgot about them. So I gave it another try. Fantastic musicians. 

Here's their website: https://www.thetrialsofcato.com

And here are some live videos. Some songs of the EP are on youtube as well.

Lord Mayo - March in Am - some ideas for Accompanyment

 Today I tried to find out different variations to accompany the march Lord Mayo. Starting point was the video by Matt & Shannon Heaton. Matt plays Gm-Chords with Capo on 2nd fret. Then I found the version of the Floating Crowbars. They play Dm-Shapes with Capo on 7th fret. So I had 2 different approaches. Then I thought, how it would sound with Am-shapes without capo and tried different chords. 

So at first here are some possibilities without capo, maybe you'll find some more:

Not every attempt sounds good to everyone, so you have to decide what suits you.

Here are some chords that might be useful in Am:

 

 

Now lets look at Gm-shapes with capo on 2nd fret. First here's the video of Matt & Shannon Heaton. Lord Mayo starts at 42:20.

Now let's look at the recording of the Floating Crowbars. They use Dm-shapes with capo on 7th fret:

 

I really like the intro and groove of this accompanyment. Here's a tab for it:

And possible chords:

The Wren - An Dro - (Em) - Arrangement by Matt & Shannon Heaton (Capo 2)

 Another lovely slow session by Matt and Shannon Heaton. This times two sets with bouzouki. One of them a beautiful An Dro called the Wren. I know it for many years as a song by Tri Yann from France. They called it Kerfank 1870 and it is on their Album "Urba". If you don't know it give it a listen. This is the album where they began to change their style to be more electric.

The melody can be found at thesession:

https://thesession.org/tunes/2828

So here's the video. The Wren starts at  41.15

I made a tab file of the first round through the tune. Here it is:

Accompanying in G - Ger The Rigger (Polka) - Matt & Shannon Heaton

 This is a slow Polka in G. Shannon and Matt are playing it nice and slow. The tune starts at 3:05.

 

 This is the tab I made for the first time round the tune. Looks more difficult that it is. First time I tried to write a tab for a Polka. 2/4 time. I hope I did it right.

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You'll find lots more tabs for tunes and songs on this blog here:
https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Tabs%20for%20GDAD

I also made a tab of the 2nd time round the tune because Matt uses several chords up the neck here:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a tab for the melody at capo 2. I made it from the second file on thesession.org with the program tabledit, but changed a few little things. https://thesession.org/tunes/1367

Accompanying in G - Jig The Haunted House - Matt & Shannon Heaton

From the Heaton's weekly virtual session from July, 25th here is a jig called The Haunted House. Matt uses several voicings for G, C and D. Tune starts at 7:42.

The Heatons on the web: 

https://mattandshannonheaton.com/

https://shannonheatonmusic.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2jJahEPFofYItznRtMNCaQ

Btw: Shannon has published some very enjoying books for Flute-players and of course they made some wonderful CDs as well. Check them out here:

https://shannonheatonmusic.com/store/

 

 

 

This is the tab I made for the first time round:

You'll find lots more tabs for tunes and songs on this blog here:
https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Tabs%20for%20GDAD

Accompanying in G: Matt & Shannon Heaton: Sean South of Garryowen (March)

A slow march played by Matt & Shannon Heaton called Sean South of Garryowen. Matt plays in G without capo. He uses several voicings for G, C and D. Tune starts at 3:18.

 

 

I tried to write down the first round through the tune. Hope, I got it right. Here's my tab:

You'll find lots more tabs for tunes and songs on this blog here:
https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Tabs%20for%20GDAD

Sean Reid's Reel - Alec Finn Accompaniment

From the classic album Mary Bergin and Alec Finn: Feadoga Stain this is a wonderful reel.

I tried to write down the accompaniment of Alec for the first round through the tune just to get to know a bit what he is doing. I'm not always sure what his right hand is doing as he sometimes breaks through the up and downs. Updated Aug 21st 2020, added chord shapes and corrected mistake in measure 6.

You'll find lots more tabs for tunes and songs on this blog here:
https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Tabs%20for%20GDAD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And here is the tab for the melody (GDAD). I made it with the program tabledit on the MAC out of a setting that appears on thesession.org in the comments: 

 

 

And here's the melody played with capo 5th fret:

 

 

Playing in E-Minor without Capo - Ships are sailing - Matt Heaton Style

Another video of the Heaton Sessions. This time from August, 8th, 2020. The tune is Ships are Sailing and it starts at 25:38. Chords are mostly Em, D and sometimes G.

Here is my chord sheet. I noted where the bass is accented because this is important for the rhythm. There are also some Hammering-Ons. Blue chord names: this is a Bass-line.

 

Below the tab is a list of used chords. Tuning GDAD. So 9,9,10,0 means for example: G string 9th fret, D string 9th fret, A string 10th fret, D string rings open.

These are the chords for the first time through. Beware, there might be some mistakes in it. If you find one, let me know, please. I think, to understand the writing you have to watch the video and compare. Otherwise it might be a little confusing. 

If you want to know more about Matt's approach to Em-Tunes you can watch his Guitar related video to tunes in Em. I included it below.

A Fig For A Kiss - Bouzouki Arrangement By Matt Heaton - E Minor

Matt and Shannon Heaton broadcast a regular slow session during the lockdown. They play mostly well known session tunes. It is always a pleasure to listen to both of them and to play along with them. The sessions are saved on youtube so one can watch thCaem everytime. So if you missed one of the sessions, they are still on youtube. This is the link to Shannon's youtube-channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/ShannonHeatonMusic/videos

On August, 1st 2020 Matt and Shannon Heaton had another Online Session. As warmup they played this lovely version of A Fig For A Kiss. Tune starts at 2:36

You'll find lots more tabs for tunes and songs on this blog here:
https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Tabs%20for%20GDAD

 

 

I tried to write down the arrangement Matt plays. Capo at 2nd fret. Here it is:

 

 

Shane McGowan - Rhythm Tutorial - Jigs and Reels

South Sligo SummerSchool gave us two tutorials with Shane McGowan. He's one fine guitar player and has worked with so many famous musicians. I saw him several time live and I think his style is very lively. As it is all about rhythm it should be of interest to bouzouki players as well.

The first Workshop deals with jigs:

The second Workshop deals with Reels:

Essential Hand Stretches For Guitarists or Any Instrumentalist

Some tipps from GuitarLessons365

Lenghten your fingers

An exercise by Brett Ridgeway that might help to lengthen your fingers. I think it's also an exercise to warm up your fingers.

The Storms Are On The Ocean

A lovely song I first heard from the group Bohola. The Carter Family made it popular, I think. I play nearly the same arrangement as Pat Broaders does on the self titled CD. Sorry for the mistakes. Also I forgot the 3rd verse and sang it as last verse.;-) Shit happens.

Some information about the song is to be found here:
http://www.lizlyle.lofgrens.org/RmOlSngs/RTOS-StormsOcean.html

You'll find lots more tabs for tunes and songs on this blog here:
https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Tabs%20for%20GDAD



Here is my chord sheet for the song (Capo 7)

{t:The Storms are on the Ocean}

Capo 7

I'm [D]going a [G]way to [D]leave you, love

I'm going a [A]way for a [D]while

But I'll re [G]turn to [D]you sometime

If I go ten [A]thousand [D]miles

{soc}

The [G]storms are on the [D]ocean

And the [Bm]heavens may [A]cease to [D]be

This [G]world may lose its [D]motion, [Bm]love

If [D]I prove [A]false to [D]thee

{eoc}

Oh [D]who will [G]dress your [D]pretty little feet

And who will [A]glove your [D]hands

And who will [G]kiss your [D]rosy cheek

When I'm in a [A]faraway [D]land

Oh [D]Poppa will [G]dress my [D]pretty little feet

And Momma will [A]glove my [D]hand [G] 

And [D]you will [G]kiss my [D]rosy cheek

When you re [A]turn a [D]gain

Oh [D]have you [G]seen those [D]mournful doves

Flying from [A]pine to [D]pine [G] 

[D]Mourning [G]for their [D]own true love

Just like I [A]mourn for [D]mine

{soc}

The [G]storms are on the [D]ocean

And the [Bm]heavens may [A]cease to [D]be

This [G]world may lose its [D]motion, [Bm]love

If [D]I prove [A]false to [Bm]thee [G] 

If [D]I prove [A]false to [D]thee [G]  [D] 

{eoc}

Josephine Marsh

Josephine March, composer, box and fiddle player. Her brother, Pat, plays bouzouki on these videos.

Geantraí 1998. 
All's Well That Ends Well (Jig 00:00) Jigermyster (Jig 01:27) a set of jigs composed by Josephine Marsh.


Tunes: Lad O'Berine's (Reel 00:00) Phyllis' Reel ( 01:54)
Josephine Marsh, (button accordion) Eithne Ní Dhonaile, (harp) John Weir, (fiddle) + Pat Marsh (bouzouki ) recorded in Ennis, Co. Clare in 1998.








Gradam Ceoil TG4 2020 - The Finale: 

Tá an Coileach ag Fógairt an Lae (Song 0:00), Paddy Fahy's (Reel 1:02), Jig For The One Row (Jig 1:39) & Lead The Knave (Reel 2:38)