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Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Greetings,

Has anyone had an opportunity to put the "Hornpipe: Home by the Fire" to dots? Donogh Hennessy plays a quite lovely version on the Masters of the Irish Guitar cd. It is the only place I've ever herard the tune (perhaps he wrote it?). I believe he plays it in Bb on the cd (but perhaps he is using a capo). He has also put another track or two behind the melody, perhaps on 'zouk and/or guitar, which makes it a bit tougher for my feeble mind to distinguish the melody - hence the request.

Cheers!

# Posted on February 4th 2008 by daddae

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Give it another listen or two, you'll get it. I learned it that way pretty quickly, and my ear is only so-so, by the standards of some of this bunch! ;>}

# Posted on February 4th 2008 by mickray

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Thanks for the encouragement. You're probably right. The hard part for me is always getting started. Once I get a sort of skeletal version of a tune down, I can pick up nuances and variations relatively quickly, but it takes me hours to get that first version down. So I'm looking for a short cut to the first version - what are friends for?!

# Posted on February 4th 2008 by daddae

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Well, one thing about it--just between ourselves--like a lot of hornpipes, it has some arpeggios in it. If you know what those are, look for them. But don't tell anybody I said that, it's a sore point with some folks. ;>}

# Posted on February 4th 2008 by mickray

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

If memory serves, Donogh did indeed write it.

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by seisflutes

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Have you already tried some slow downing device? It certainly helped me to nail down some of the more complicated tunes.

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by Henk Bos

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

henk please tell me more about a slowing down device and where can you find them Des

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by DES RYNNE

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Hi Des,

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/15850/

is but one thread of many on this subject. The best known device is called 'the Amazing Slow Downer', but as you can read in this thread Windows Media Player does the job for free!

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by Henk Bos

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

Everyone thanks for the advice.
I do have the Amaz. slow downer, but I rarely use it, preferring to use dots and human beings. Perhaps I should put it to better use. If I'd have paid better attention to this board, I'd have known I had the ability all along in Windows Media Player and saved the $40! -- and my boss thinks I'm just wasting my time on the internet :>)

Best

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by daddae

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

And Audacity is free (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)

although Home by the Fire is at a pretty easy-going tempo to begin with.

With Audacity, you can select a phrase and play it in an endless loop until you get it, or go insane, whichever comes first.

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by mickray

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire


Thanks again, mickray! I see from your bio you're in the Seattle/Tacoma area. We spent some time out your way last summer and had a great time - beautiful part of ther country. We plan to go back soon and take our instruments looking for a session or two. Perhaps we'll run into you and we'll play that hornpipe...

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by daddae

Re: Hornpipe: Home by the Fire

That would be great, daddae. I have trotted it out at local sessions a couple of times, am trying to make it a common session tune. Good to know somebody else is taking up the cause. ;>}

# Posted on February 5th 2008 by mickray

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