The Aim of this course is to learn the basics of playing, such as irish bouzouki chords and chord structures, strumming and fingerpicking, counter melody and rhythm. Students will become familiar with the ideas behind traditional Irish music accompaniment, the role of the accompanist in duo or group playing and good session etiquette.
Click the link at the top of the page and visit our website to avail of a free 'sample lesson' from this course.
I am so old that I think "traditional Irish music accompaniment" means someone in a bar with his back to the music driving the piano.
Of course, being old, I also remember Andy Irvine and Johnny Moynihan with their first Greek bouzoukis, begging for a longer spot at an English folk festival.
Ah, those were the days.
I hope the above-mentioned individuals will get some credit in the course for their seminal influence on the whole business.
Seems to me, there's an inherent problem about teaching things like bouzouki accompaniment. For a start, if you have gone off down a different tuning track, that immediately compromises the lessons, and then there's the problem of teaching someone to do something that inherently depends on what someone else is doing.
Add in the fact that there is very little in the way of accepted practice in strummy-type music and it all gets quite difficult. I bought the Mad for Trad bouzouki tutor some years ago and found it as much help as a chocolate teapot ("you just do this..." zing/zing).
These lessons are as good as any I've seen, but Billy still suffers somewhat from the same apparent lack of direction in his clips. Not really his fault - I just think that it's really hard to teach successful accompaniment, particularly at the beginner level. I'm hoping he will do another series that covers something more than strumming.
You have to register on that site to try the free lesson, so I can't talk about the specific lesson, but I have to say in general I think Ian stock is on the money with his comments.
I'm in agreement with Ian too. It might be the merely pedantic sub-editor in me, but I'm wondering about how the phrase "traditional Irish music accompaniment" breaks down. Is it "the accompaniment of traditional Irish music"? Or the "traditional accompaniment of Irish music"?
When I played bazouki as a kid I tuned it ADAE, not knowing of the now standardised GDAD. Better for playing tunes on as well as strumming, I thought. (and good fun when Donal Lunny had a shot on it left handed and all his chord shapes fitted upside down)
Yeah, long time ago now mind. Not touched one for 20 years at least. The music was always played in the house, but I never got into it until my dad brought this album home with what looked like something from the Book of Kells on the cover and a picture of this long haired hippy bloke on the back playing his bazouki. 1973 it was.
"....the now standardised GDAD........."
Not in my neck of the woods.
I know one player of the guizouki, one of the OM, and, like me, they both plump for GDAE.
It's so logical, you can transfer straight to tenor, or OM, or mandolin. Why change ?
Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
http://www.oaim.ie
The Aim of this course is to learn the basics of playing, such as irish bouzouki chords and chord structures, strumming and fingerpicking, counter melody and rhythm. Students will become familiar with the ideas behind traditional Irish music accompaniment, the role of the accompanist in duo or group playing and good session etiquette.
Click the link at the top of the page and visit our website to avail of a free 'sample lesson' from this course.
# Posted on September 23rd 2011 by oaim.ie
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
YAAAAAAAAY!
# Posted on September 23rd 2011 by Jimmy B
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
I am so old that I think "traditional Irish music accompaniment" means someone in a bar with his back to the music driving the piano.
Of course, being old, I also remember Andy Irvine and Johnny Moynihan with their first Greek bouzoukis, begging for a longer spot at an English folk festival.
Ah, those were the days.
I hope the above-mentioned individuals will get some credit in the course for their seminal influence on the whole business.
# Posted on September 25th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
Seems to me, there's an inherent problem about teaching things like bouzouki accompaniment. For a start, if you have gone off down a different tuning track, that immediately compromises the lessons, and then there's the problem of teaching someone to do something that inherently depends on what someone else is doing.
Add in the fact that there is very little in the way of accepted practice in strummy-type music and it all gets quite difficult. I bought the Mad for Trad bouzouki tutor some years ago and found it as much help as a chocolate teapot ("you just do this..." zing/zing).
These lessons are as good as any I've seen, but Billy still suffers somewhat from the same apparent lack of direction in his clips. Not really his fault - I just think that it's really hard to teach successful accompaniment, particularly at the beginner level. I'm hoping he will do another series that covers something more than strumming.
# Posted on September 25th 2011 by ian stock
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
You have to register on that site to try the free lesson, so I can't talk about the specific lesson, but I have to say in general I think Ian stock is on the money with his comments.
# Posted on September 26th 2011 by Backer
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
I'm in agreement with Ian too. It might be the merely pedantic sub-editor in me, but I'm wondering about how the phrase "traditional Irish music accompaniment" breaks down. Is it "the accompaniment of traditional Irish music"? Or the "traditional accompaniment of Irish music"?
When I played bazouki as a kid I tuned it ADAE, not knowing of the now standardised GDAD. Better for playing tunes on as well as strumming, I thought. (and good fun when Donal Lunny had a shot on it left handed and all his chord shapes fitted upside down)
# Posted on September 26th 2011 by ...
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
llig a bouzouki player? We live and learn.
# Posted on September 26th 2011 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
Yeah, long time ago now mind. Not touched one for 20 years at least. The music was always played in the house, but I never got into it until my dad brought this album home with what looked like something from the Book of Kells on the cover and a picture of this long haired hippy bloke on the back playing his bazouki. 1973 it was.
# Posted on September 26th 2011 by ...
Re: Online Bouzouki accompaniment course
"....the now standardised GDAD........."
Not in my neck of the woods.
I know one player of the guizouki, one of the OM, and, like me, they both plump for GDAE.
It's so logical, you can transfer straight to tenor, or OM, or mandolin. Why change ?
# Posted on September 27th 2011 by Guernsey Pete