I am originally a Philadelphian (Pennsylvania) from the north end of "K&A", just two blocks east of Frankfurt Ave (nasty neighborhood these days) but now live in the Downingtown area and go in to WC for pastime.
I started my musical life with a guitar I found in the attic (really I did! LOL) and since have been off and on for about ten years now. Mostly I played old Appalachian ballads of Scottish and English origin, but Irish songs have grown on me as time goes by. I don't have as much to show for it but I can usually back up with chords well -that being all that I was able of at folk festivals where you are introduced to a deluge of music you only get to hear once or twice a year. I'm quite quick with them, though, because of that and thought I should be a rhythm guitarist, but the bands I was in never seemed to stay together long enought to have a repertoire.
I don't recommend looking to me for melodic advice, therefore, as most of the tunes in my 'tunebook' I only know in song form (that is, vocals and backing chords.)
I have since grown very much more fond of the melodic end of instrumentation and I play a little mandolin (fun to play, but not my style tone-wise), though I've got a banjo on order and I'm excited to get more into music with a dance feel to it. I really love the plunky sound of a jig on a tenor banjo.
I don't drive so I really can't get to many of the Philadelphia sessions (trains stop running early out this way) but if there is anyone who might want to start a beginner level session in Downingtown, West Chester, etc, PLEASE by all means drop me a line.
Tunes in PJMcGorvin's tunebook: 9
| Discussions | Re: String preference for OM? | February 8th 2008 |
| Tunes | Oh and.... | February 8th 2008 |
| Tunes | Perhaps.... | February 8th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: String preference for OM? | January 6th 2008 |
| Tunes | January 6th 2008 |
| Name | Type | Key |
|---|---|---|
| The Rakes Of Kildare | jig | Adorian |
| The Rocky Road To Dublin | slip jig | Adorian |
| Follow Me Up To Carlow | reel | Adorian |
| The Rattlin' Bog | polka | Dmajor |
| Spancil Hill | waltz | Edorian |
| Plains Of Kildare | jig | Edorian |
| Star Of The County Down | reel | Eminor |
| The Valley Of Knockanure | waltz | Eminor |
| Be Thou My Vision | waltz | Gmajor |