Eamon Coughlan - Basic Chords for Folk Music

 Here's some chord theory basics from Eamon Coughlan. He explains how chords are built and gives some tips for playing chords on the bouzouki.

Bouzouki tutorials in Russian Language

 Here are some bouzouki tutorials in Russian by Роман Стансков. Maybe it helps if you turn on translation. But tbh the translation into German is really shit.

Video about Arpeggios:

Video about strokes:

Left hand:

Simple chords and their reversals

Sound production:

Counterpoint and bourdons

Some bouzouki lessons from Роман Стансков

 Just found some bouzouki lessons on youtube by Роман Стансков. First you see him play, afterwards he plays the tunes slowly and you can see the tab. Some of the tunes sound somewhat medieval.

Here you'll find all of his videos: https://www.youtube.com/@stanskov1/videos

Fernando Barroso - Accompanying in 4/4 - Tam Lin/The Glasgow Reel

In this video Fernando shows several possibilities to accompany the Reel Tam Lin. It's all about the right hand. Very interesting video! He starts with accents in different places and moves on to things like dampening and arpeggio. 

By the way, check out his album on spotify and his channel on youtube.

The Music of John Dwyer, A Celebration -

 Text from YouTube:  

Following the passing of our great friend John Dwyer this past August, this concert will celebrate the man and his music. The entire concert will feature tunes from the repertoire of John himself and will be performed by a selection of musicians who are based in the South East. Jimmy O’Brien Moran - MC. Macdara, Pax agus Cárthach Ó Faoláin (bouzouki, fiddle, accordion) Caoimhín & Seán Ó Fearghail agus Paddy Tutty (Flute, uilleann pipes, fiddle, bouzouki) Edel Fox & Neill Byrne with Lia Byrne (concertina & fiddles).

So there's lots of fantastic bouzouki playing in this video!

Ben Williamson - Greek Bouzouki with Grace Broadhead Fiddle

Some fine videos from Grace Broadhead and Ben Williamson. Check their album at bandcamp:

https://gracebroadheadandbenwilliamson.bandcamp.com/album/tipping-the-scales

 

And here he is together with Robbie Marion on guitar, fiddle and Mandola.
Kingsfield Courtiers Session #2 - "The Millstream/The Pearl Wedding (Reels) | The Jolly Beggarman"

Bouzouki Tricks - Ornamentation - Fernando Barroso

 Fernando Barroso made a new video in which he shows some ornamentation tricks. Very informative!

I Will Set My Ship In Order - Scottish Song

Dominik Haerinck sings this beautiful folk song with a lovely bouzouki accompaniment. 

 It can be found on a recording by Caipercaille called Choice Language from 2003. Ossian plays the song on their best of recording with a slightly different melody. More versions by June Tabor andGareth Davies-Jones and Calum Stewart, both with slightly different melody.

Lyrics:

Oh [C]I will set my ship in [G]order
[Em]I will sail her on the [D]sea
[C]I'll go far over yonder [G]border
To [Em]see if my love [D]minds on [G]me

[Em]And he sailed east and [D]he sailed [G]west
[Em]He sailed far, far seeking [D]land
Un[C]til he came to his true love's [G]window
[Em]And he knocked loud and [D]would be [G]in

"Oh who is that at my bedroom window?
Who knocks so loud and would be in?"
"'Tis I, 'tis I, your ain true lover
And I am drenched untae my skin

So go and go and ask your faither
And see if he'll let you marry me
If he says no, come back and tell me
And it's the last time I'll trouble thee"

"My father's in his chamber writing
Setting down his merchandise
And in his hand he holds a letter
And it speaks much in your dispraise

My mother's in her chamber sleeping
And words of love she will not hear
So you may go and court another
And whisper softly in her ear"

Then she arose, put on her clothing
It was to let her true love in
But e're she had the door unlockit
His ship was sailing on the main

"Come back, come back, my ain dear Johnny
Come back, come back and marry me"
"How can I come back and marry you, love?
Our ship is sailing on the sea"

The fish may fly, and the seas run dry
The rocks may melt doon wi' the sun
And the working man may forget his labor
Before that my love returns again

She's turned herself right roun' about
She's flung herself intae the sea
Farewell for aye, my ain dear Johnny
Ye'll ne'er hae tae come back to me

 

Lyrics from Mudcat

I WILL PUT MY SHIP IN ORDER

I will put my ship in order
And I will set her on the sea
And I will sail to yonder harbor
To see if my love minds on me

I drew my ship into the harbor
I drew her up where my true love lay
I drew her close up to the window
To listen what my true love did say

"Oh who is that at my bower window?
That raps so loudly and would be in?"
"It is your true love that loves you dearly
So rise, dear love, and let him in"

Then slowly, slowly rose she up
And slowly, slowly came she down
But before she had the door unlocked
Her true love had both come and gone

"Come back, come back, my own true love
Come back, come back, come to my side
I never grieved you nor yet deceived you
And I will surely be your bride"

"The fish shall fly, the seas run dry, love
The rocks shall melt with the sun
The laboring men shall forget their labor
Before that I return again"

C: x232
G: 0025
Em: 99910
D:

Here's a discussion about the song on Mudcad.org

http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=2893 

Beginners Bouzouki Lesson by Antoine Owena

This video is made for the absolute beginner of the Irish Bouzouki, so if you just started to play you might watch this video.

Virtual Guided Session - Shannon Heaton with John Coyne

The Virtual Guided Session by Matt and Shannon Heaton will be celebrating its 3rd year next Saturday. 

Last week Shannon played the session with Bouzouki player John Coyne, because Matt was on Tour with Karan Casey. So this session was full of Bouzouki fun in ADAD!

How to play jigs on the Irish Bouzouki - Eamon Coughlan

Eamon Coughlan is a (mostly) bouzouki player from Australia. In this video Eamon explains some techniques for accompanying jigs on the bouzouki.

Here's his site on bandcamp.

The Wren - Breton An Dro

 The Breton tune beautifully played on fiddle and bouzouki.

 Another fine version by Matt and Shannon Heaton can be found here.

 

10 most often watched posts last 30 days

 So these are the 10 most often watched posts during the last 30 days for your information.

Still lots of readers are looking for chord or chord charts. So if you look here you'll find lots of chord charts or videos where chords are explained. 

https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Chord%20Charts

you might look also here:

https://irish-bouzouki.blogspot.com/search/label/Chords

More than 500.000 views!

Wow, now my blog made it to more that half a million views. That's quite a lot, considering that the Irish bouzouki is only known to a small part of the population.
Despite the joy of it, I find it a pity that so little interactivity happens. I honestly wish there was more commentary. It would also be nice if you readers gave tips for contributions.

Maybe one or the other could also enrich the blog with their own videos or tips. How about making a short video explaining a topic and uploading it to youtube? This could be tips on accompanying individual tunes, tips on accompanying polkas, slip jigs etc. or also possibilities of accompanying in different keys or modes (Dmix, Am etc.).

Think about it. I could also imagine appointing someone else as admin to create more content together. If you want to do this, just contact me.

I wish you much joy with your Bouzoukis. Have fun learning and commenting, commenting, commenting. Oh yes, and write me emails ;-)

The Parting Glass - Sandra Joyce, Donal Lunny

The debut album by Sandra Joyce has just been released. On most of the tracks she is accompanied by Donal Lunny.

You'll find the album here on bandcamp where you can listen to it and buy it as download or CD.

You'll get 10 beautiful songs, two of them unaccompanied and the other 8 beautifully arranged with bouzouki, flute, fiddle and concertina.

I was blown away by the sparse beauty of the arrangement of the well known song "The Parting Glass". I tried to get near the arrangement of Donal Lunny, I hope I got some of his ideas.

You can listen to the song here on bandcamp.

So is is the tab I made, might be rhythmically not correct, but I hope most of the chords are. If you'd like to have the tab as printable pdf please click here.

If you download please comment here!

{t:The Parting Glass}
{st:Sandra Joyce - Donal Lunny}

Of [A5]all the money [E*]that [F]e’er I [D]had  {c:E*=nur Ton E}
[G*]I’ve [C]spent it in [F*]good [C]compan[G]y
And [Am]all the [F]harm that [C]e’er I’ve [G]done
[D/A]A[C/G]las [F]it [C/G]was [D/A]to [Am]none but [F]me
And [C]all I’ve [C*]said for [C]want of [C*]wit
To [F]memo[G*]ry [G]now I [Am]can’t [G*]re[G]call
[G*]So [Am]fill to [A5]me the [C]par[G*]ting [G]glass
Good [C]night [F]and [C]joy [G*]be [Am]with [G*]you [F]all

If I had money enough to spend
And leisure time to sit a while
There is a fair maid in Limerick town
that sorely has my heart beguiled
Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips
she alone has my heart in thrall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all.


Of all the comrades that e’er I had
They are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e’er I had
They'd wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I’ll gently rise and I’ll softly call
Good night and joy be with you all