Matt offers his first bouzouki tutorial. This one is about right hand technique. In this way he shares my opinion about accompanying tunes on the bouzouki. It sounds better if the bouzouki is played different from a guitar.
And don't forget to tune in to the Heaton's slow session on youtube every Saturday, and maybe donate some money to them if you have something spare: PayPal button -- https://tinyurl.com/wqofe4b
At the last Slow Session Matt and Shannon played the warmup jig first in G and then in A. It's a nice idea to change the key during a tune. Works very well for the Haunted House.
So far I avoided playing in A. I always used the capo on 2nd fret and played G-shapes. So I found it very interesting how Matt manages playing in A.
Here's the video: Jig starts at 2:45, Jig in A starts at 4:54.
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.
In the last bars of the tune (2nd round through) Matt uses a nice chord progression:
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:
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.
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:
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.
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.
Btw: If you like my blog please click on "Follow" on the right, so you will get notified whenever there is a new post.
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
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.
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:
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.
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:
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.
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:
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
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.
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.
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)
This post is in German, but I think it is easy to understand. Some exercises to warm up your fingers. It is always a good idea to warm up fingers before playing. But oftentimes I forget to do it because I just want to play ;-)
For some weeks now Matt Heaton offers workshops how to accompany Irish Music on Guitar. This week he offers the first Rhythm Workshop. He concentrates on Jigs. No chords this time, so this workshop is useful for Bouzouki players too.
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.
A lovely song here sung by Tim Browne, a singer and bouzouki player from Kanturk, Ireland. He just sent me his CD he made called Where Treasures Lay by his Duo called Cosamar. What a lovely CD. I really enjoy listening to it. So I searched for his other CDs at my home and found this song, which can be found on youtube too.
As [D]I roved [D/F#]out one [G]morning fair,
being [D]early [G]as I [D]strayed - Hammering-On over "early" D-String 0-4
It [D]being all on the month of [G/B]June,
the [D]binds sang in the [G]shade - Hammering-On over "birds" D-String 0-4
The [D]sun shone down right merri[G5]ly
and the [D]waters did gently [G]glide
Where [D]primroses and [G]daisies grow
down [D]by Black[A]water[D]side
I scarce had gone but half one mile when then by chance I spied
Two lovers talking as they walked down by Blackwaterside
And as he embraced her in his arms these words unto her did say
When I'm in America, I will be true, to my bonny Irish maid
When you are in America, those Yankee girls you'll find
And you'll have sweethearts of your own more pleasing to your mind
But do not forget the promises and vows you made unto me
Oh stay at home love and do not roam from your bonny Irish maid
When I'm in America those Yankee girls I'll see
But they'll have to be very pretty love to remind me of thee
There's not one bird in yon green bush or a flower in yonder glade
Which does remind me love of you, my bonny Irish Maid
It's many's the foolish youth she said has gone to a distant shore
Leaving behind his own true love perhaps to see no more
It's in crossing of the Atlantic foam their graves are sometimes made
Oh stay at home love and do not roam from your bonny Irish maid
And so these two young lovers, so fondly did embrace
Like honey drops all on the dew the tears ran down her face
Saying there'll not be a day while you're away but I'll visit still these green glades
Until you will return here once more to your bonny Irish maid
[D]: x000
[D/F#]: x400
[G]: 0520 or 0500?
[G/B]: 4550 or 4500
[G5]: x550
Oh, my brain, where did I find this idea on the web? Can't remember. The idea is to exercise the scale of G and D. These are 3, or exactly 2 exercises for G and D.
You have to do the exercise once forward and then backwards. I only wrote the forward part of it.
What an exercise. My goal for the coming weeks. Everyday for a few minutes. The Video is made for guitar, but it can be exercised on bouzouki as well. Seems my ring finger needs a lot of practice.
Tim O'Brien speaks about Mandolin Warmup Exercises. What works on mandolin must work on bouzouki also. So have a look at it and decide for yourselves.
By the way, some years ago Tim produced a DVD where he explains some of his techniques on Mandolin and Bouzouki. If you don't know it already have a look at it. You can order it from his website:
Nye Farley (Folk Friend) has published a new instruction video for guitarists. As he explains some strumming patterns it is interesting for bouzouki players also. In this video he focuses on Hornpipes. He shows a straight and a swung pattern.
If you don't know him already check him out on youtube. There are some interesting videos to be found on his channel.
What a wonderful song by Andy Irvine. From his album "Rainy Sundays, Windy Dreams" released in the 70s.
Here's a version from the Celebrating of the 40th anniversary of the Paul Brady/Andy Irvine album. Andy Irvine, Paul Brady, Donal Lunny, Kevin Burke, Vicar Street Dublin. 21 May 2017
Julie is one of my favorite female singers in trad music. With her husband Eamon by her side she even gets better. I once found this recording of a song which I can't find on CD (if I am wrong please let me know) on youtube and managed to download it at that time. Lucky me, because it isn't available there any more.
For this entry I uploaded it again, but made it not searchable, because I'm not sure if I am violating any laws or rules by posting it again.
Here it is. Listen to the intro, it is so easy but so lovely:
Now that I had the time I tried to manage to tab the intro and the first two verses of this recording. Here is my Tabledit file:
I posted this more than 10 years ago and still like it. Too good to be forgotten. So here it is again.
A site for guitarists, but you can use the advanced guitar room for bouzouki, too. Custom tunings are possible. Look for scales, notes etc on the fretboard.
Some years ago I mentioned this app. I found it again and think it is really worth to try it.
Fretmaster can help to lern the notes on the fretboard. It's Easy to use and it's free.
To use it for bouzouki select mandolin and then click on the tune fork icon and alter the tuning to GDAD.
Then click on the play button. You will hear a note and see where it is on the fretboard. Now you have to tip on the correct note name on bottom of the page.
