.
Banjo Hangout Logo
Banjo Hangout Logo

Premier Sponsors

873
Banjo Lovers Online


Irish and Celtic Fingerstyle Banjo

Join This Group

Pioneering 5-string styles to play traditional tunes from Ireland, Celtic lands, ex-Celtic lands, and the Celtic diaspora.

82 Members, Created 5/11/2012 -

Administrators: Tom Hanway (owner) , peter somerville


< Back to Home

Celtic tabs: Donnybrook Fair & Gallagher's Frolics

From Old Hickory on 3/3/2013 1:37:18 PM

I posted these to the Hangout tab archive back in 2011.

They both tend more to the melodic style rather than the Celtic three finger style as Tom describes it. But I think the melodies work.

In Donnybrook Fair, over time, I've started fingering it a bit differently. Whenever there are two "E" notes in a row, instead playing 2nd fret at 5 twice in a row (as in measure 3) I tend to play 1st string at 2 followed by 2nd at 5 (as in measure 12).

http://www.banjohangout.org/tab/browse.asp?m=detail&v=15348

Gallagher's Frolics is the first fiddle tune I worked out because I needed to play it for my band and there was no tab arrangement available. 

http://www.banjohangout.org/w/tab/browse/m/bykeyword/v/Gallagher%26%2339s+Frolics

4 Comments

Tom Hanway says:
3/16/2013 11:05:44 AM

That's cool, I'll check these out soon. Show in Athlone tonight, gotta cook dinner and get on the road. Thanks for sharing. Best ~ Tom

Tom Hanway says:
3/20/2013 11:31:50 AM

Well, let's focus for a minute on 'Donnybrook Fair'; okay, if "melodic style" means playing each successive note on a different string in - like Keith or Thompson usually do in "melodic" style - this deviates from that tendency by having a lot of notes played on a single string, and not just in one place. It's not pure melodic style, not bluegrass banjo either, being in Irish 6/8 time. Now, it's surely informed by melodic style, as well as older styles. It's a fine Celtic tab, very tasty! Thanks for posting.

Tom Hanway says:
3/20/2013 11:46:30 AM

Okay, 'Gallagher's Frolics' feels more in the melodic style, with some exceptions in the A part, and I see fretting-hand work to get some of the notes. That's a nice touch, because it means you're probably feeling the tune with both hands, personalizing it. Nice arrangement. This is still a Celtic tab, even if it's informed by "melodic style"; in other words, Celtic banjo can be partially or wholly "melodic style," as well as partially or entirely "single-string," or an amalgam of these techniques, also using fretting-hand techniques, all of which you do! Lovely stuff! ;)

Old Hickory says:
3/20/2013 12:14:29 PM

Thanks so much for your comments and compliments, Tom.

Yes, I'm not feeling constrained by melodic convention or prohibited from using Scruggs technique. I am, however, trying to avoid very long passages of single-string, mainly because it's something I've rarely done and so I'm not very good at it. What I'm after is something that comes out sounding like me.

I'm doing my best to capture the tunes in a way that compliments what our fiddle/dulcimer and whistle players are doing. (Fiddle and dulcimer are one in the same musician, so there's never both in any one tune or song). I credit the fiddle player for getting me to feel the Celtic rhythms.

Here's how I work these out. I find an ABC notation file that sounds closest to the version our fiddle player plays. I print out the melody line in standard notation then write the note-for-note melody as tab with absolutely no regard for fingering. Then, I try to play what I've written, and that's when I start to look for realistic, logical or comfortable ways to execute it -- applying my banjoistic technique, keeping notes where they are, shifting notes if necessary to simplify fingering. The result is what you see.

Besides single-string in general, another weakness I have is variations. These tabs represent the single version I've worked out for each tune. It's not much of an issue of I'm not playing more than one solo in a tune. But variation in melodic style or Celtic style is just one more thing I need to work on. I've been playing for over 40 years (sometimes it doesn't show) and there's always plenty more to learn.


Post a Comment

You must be logged in and a member of this group to post a comment.

Linked Content

Tablature: Eighth of January
Linked by Tom Hanway 4 years ago: Enjoy!

Forum Post: (untitled)
Linked by AllanJ 5 years ago

Click for Details

Maid Behind the Bar (reel)
Linked by Tom Hanway 7 years ago

Tablature: Clumsy Lover, The
Linked by Tom Hanway 8 years ago: Parts A, B, C (1st JPEG) and parts D, E and F (2nd JPEG).

Click for Details

Banish Misfortune, 5-string banjo
Linked by AllanJ 8 years ago: Bit of a work-in-progress - I've come up with a rather different setting to the one in Tom Hanway's book - so once I get comfortable with the tune I'll borrow some ideas from there.

Blog Entry: Traditional Irish and Celtic Tunes in the Public Domain
Linked by Tom Hanway 8 years ago: Irish and Celtic Tunes for 5-String Banjo Materials by Tom Hanway

Tablature: All Through the Night (Ar Hyd y Nos) 4th Variation
Linked by Tom Hanway 9 years ago: In memory of Bill Keith, here is a lovely Welsh air in Celtic fingerstyle that can be played as a Christmas tune.

Blog Entry: What is the 'Celtic' in Folk Music Culture?
Linked by Tom Hanway 9 years ago: Today, use of either English or French symbolises social and material success while use of a living Celtic language symbolises powerlessness, backwardness or clannishness.

Tablature: Mason's Apron, The
Linked by Tom Hanway 9 years ago: This Celtic fingerstyle version (G) is based on Micho Russell's (Co. Clare) tin whistle version in F. It has a unique lilt to it and can be played with other tunes.

Blog Entry: (untitled)
Linked by Tom Hanway 9 years ago: Revised and re-posted.

Page: 1  2  3  4  Last

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Privacy Consent
Copyright 2025 Banjo Hangout. All Rights Reserved.





0.09375