I've been pottering for a while on the button accordion but not putting enough practice in. I've decided to knuckle down (stops them dragging on the pavement, if nothing else).
I have Mally's 100 Essential Irish Session Tunes. Can anyone who knows this book recommend tunes that work particularly well on C#/D box OR which are relatively painless for a novice?
Connaughtman's Rambles was the first tune I tried on C#/D, and painfully easy. The push/pull pattern isn't too bad and you won't have to use the air button. Not familiar with your book, but it might be in it.
I don't know the book but to me, "Irish E minor" (E dorian - with 2 #s ) is the easiest key of all.
Tackling tunes in this key will encourage you (or maybe lull you into a false sense of security, haha).
Waltzes and marches are a good idea to build up your confidence, but if you want to tackle dance tunes, jigs such as the Creel of turf & Boys of Tandarnagee (Pat Burke's, Hills of Glenorchie) are a good place to start, and then reels like Man of the house and Dunmore lasses.
Then try a few D maj. tunes. And don't forget to make use of the F#s and C#s (esp. the F#s) that you have in the outer row.
G maj is easy enough but G tunes often have awkward jumps in them and you want to develop some good fingering habits before tackling them.
People will disagree with this of course but take it from me - get into the habit of not using your r/h little finger for the first few months. This will pay big dividends!
That's interesting Jeeves. I started playing accordion just a few months ago, and I just realized that most of the tunes I've transfered over from fiddle are in E minor, and a few D major.
"The only thing I'd be disagreeing is that there is nothing Irish in the E dorian mode"
The church dorian mode is used in Irish music all the time. The dorian mode of Ancient Greece is different though. I think you might be confusing the 2, risto.
"The church dorian mode is used in Irish music all the time. "The dorian mode of Ancient Greece is different though. I think you might be confusing the 2, risto.
I'm not confusing anything. Yes, the Dorian church mode is used in Irish music but that doesn't make it the "Irish Minor".
Oh I see what you meant, sorry. Mind you, it depends on how you interpret "Irish minor". That doesn't have to mean it originated in Ireland or is unique to Ireland. It could just mean "the kind of minor is predominant in Irish music".
"The church dorian mode is used in Irish music all the time. The dorian mode of Ancient Greece is different though. I think you might be confusing the 2, risto."
Now here I was thinking all this time that dorian was dorian was dorian. What's the difference, Dow?
I haven't checked, 'cos it's not terribly useful, but I don't think any of the modes correspond between the Greek and the church version.
Another problem being that Greek 'inflections' of modes were apparently microtonal, whereas inflections in church modes were of semitones. But then, in *Irish* music, we're back to microtonal inflections ... witness the 'trick C' etc
Sheesh. I'm up too early for this intellectual stuff ...
Ooh, and the Greeks thought that music in their Dorian (our Phrygian) was uplifting, and they used to play it to their troops before they went into battle ...
Since Mally plays a D/G you might find this influences his choice of tunes Kismul .Thus while his book may be good it will have some bias in that direction.
I know a learner on the B/C I call the Em Queen as most of the tunes she plays are in this key ,I would avoid such a concentration if I were you
Here are some tunes I play on the D harmonica, which transfer nicely to playing in C on my B/C box, which means you should be able to play them fine on your C#/D box:
Reels:
Sporting Paddy (E- AB GABG etc)
Drunken Landlady
Man of the House (pretty easy)
Mulqueen's
Red Haired Boy
Jigs:
Donnybrook Fair
Tripping Up the Stairs
My Darling Asleep
These are all pretty well known, which is handy, and there's only two in Em. Have fun. Once you've learned a dozen tunes, your idea of 'easy' will expand considerably.
As for the side discussion, 'Irish minor' gets the point across just fine, as dance tunes in minor keys are for the most part in or consistent with (ie, Sporting Paddy or Mist On the Mountain, which you never need to play the third for - could be major, but it's not) the dorian mode. Would anybody who plays the music not understand what's meant by "Irish minor"?
Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
I've been pottering for a while on the button accordion but not putting enough practice in. I've decided to knuckle down (stops them dragging on the pavement, if nothing else).
I have Mally's 100 Essential Irish Session Tunes. Can anyone who knows this book recommend tunes that work particularly well on C#/D box OR which are relatively painless for a novice?
Many thanks
J
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Kismul
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Connaughtman's Rambles was the first tune I tried on C#/D, and painfully easy. The push/pull pattern isn't too bad and you won't have to use the air button. Not familiar with your book, but it might be in it.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by silver bow
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
I don't know the book but to me, "Irish E minor" (E dorian - with 2 #s ) is the easiest key of all.
Tackling tunes in this key will encourage you (or maybe lull you into a false sense of security, haha).
Waltzes and marches are a good idea to build up your confidence, but if you want to tackle dance tunes, jigs such as the Creel of turf & Boys of Tandarnagee (Pat Burke's, Hills of Glenorchie) are a good place to start, and then reels like Man of the house and Dunmore lasses.
Then try a few D maj. tunes. And don't forget to make use of the F#s and C#s (esp. the F#s) that you have in the outer row.
G maj is easy enough but G tunes often have awkward jumps in them and you want to develop some good fingering habits before tackling them.
People will disagree with this of course but take it from me - get into the habit of not using your r/h little finger for the first few months. This will pay big dividends!
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Jeeves Tones
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
The only thing I'd be disagreeing is that there is nothing Irish in the E dorian mode, it is one of the old church modes.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Risto
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
That's interesting Jeeves. I started playing accordion just a few months ago, and I just realized that most of the tunes I've transfered over from fiddle are in E minor, and a few D major.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by silver bow
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Btw. Isn't the B/C accordion actually a Scottisch invention by origin? If so, I wonder how it suddenly became "the Irish button accordion".
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Risto
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
"The only thing I'd be disagreeing is that there is nothing Irish in the E dorian mode"
The church dorian mode is used in Irish music all the time. The dorian mode of Ancient Greece is different though. I think you might be confusing the 2, risto.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Dow
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
I thought it was a German invention.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by silver bow
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
"The church dorian mode is used in Irish music all the time. "The dorian mode of Ancient Greece is different though. I think you might be confusing the 2, risto.
I'm not confusing anything. Yes, the Dorian church mode is used in Irish music but that doesn't make it the "Irish Minor".
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Risto
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Oh I see what you meant, sorry. Mind you, it depends on how you interpret "Irish minor". That doesn't have to mean it originated in Ireland or is unique to Ireland. It could just mean "the kind of minor is predominant in Irish music".
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Dow
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
_that_ is. Ok I'm going back to bed. I got up too early
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Dow
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
No it doesn't, but there is no reason what so ever to call the Dorian mode the Irish Minor.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Risto
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Yes, I agree, especially since there are also many tunes in the aeolian mode, especially Bmin and Emin.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Dow
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
No reason whatsoever? You pompous tosser, Risto!
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by Jeeves Tones
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
"The church dorian mode is used in Irish music all the time. The dorian mode of Ancient Greece is different though. I think you might be confusing the 2, risto."
Now here I was thinking all this time that dorian was dorian was dorian. What's the difference, Dow?
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by Bob himself
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Well, Greek Dorian = Church Phrygian
I haven't checked, 'cos it's not terribly useful, but I don't think any of the modes correspond between the Greek and the church version.
Another problem being that Greek 'inflections' of modes were apparently microtonal, whereas inflections in church modes were of semitones. But then, in *Irish* music, we're back to microtonal inflections ... witness the 'trick C' etc
Sheesh. I'm up too early for this intellectual stuff ...
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by benhall.1
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Ooh, and the Greeks thought that music in their Dorian (our Phrygian) was uplifting, and they used to play it to their troops before they went into battle ...
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by benhall.1
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
I perosnally can't contribute to the Dorian/church/Irish/Scottish/German debate. Nor do I care to. Couln't this be another thread, please?
It was tunes for the box I asked about.
J
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by Kismul
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Since Mally plays a D/G you might find this influences his choice of tunes Kismul .Thus while his book may be good it will have some bias in that direction.
I know a learner on the B/C I call the Em Queen as most of the tunes she plays are in this key ,I would avoid such a concentration if I were you
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by bazouki dave and the real tooty flutey
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Here are some tunes I play on the D harmonica, which transfer nicely to playing in C on my B/C box, which means you should be able to play them fine on your C#/D box:
Reels:
Sporting Paddy (E- AB GABG etc)
Drunken Landlady
Man of the House (pretty easy)
Mulqueen's
Red Haired Boy
Jigs:
Donnybrook Fair
Tripping Up the Stairs
My Darling Asleep
These are all pretty well known, which is handy, and there's only two in Em. Have fun. Once you've learned a dozen tunes, your idea of 'easy' will expand considerably.
As for the side discussion, 'Irish minor' gets the point across just fine, as dance tunes in minor keys are for the most part in or consistent with (ie, Sporting Paddy or Mist On the Mountain, which you never need to play the third for - could be major, but it's not) the dorian mode. Would anybody who plays the music not understand what's meant by "Irish minor"?
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Any recommended tunes for C#/D box?
Thanks for all your suggestions, chaps and chappesses. Hope you others resolve the dorian versus ... well, whatever it's versus.
Jim
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by Kismul