I've not a great experience with the Mel Bay books. I know I should really fly to the west of Ireland and pick up some decent Irish music books there, but until then - what books are you using? Sheet music ones that is. I gather that a lot of the more vernacular Irish music is sounded, or played by ear, and then improvised, with permutations, maybe local variations, or variations due to the whistle/flute players skills mix.
Sadly, I'm not a great improviser - of jazz or classical. I find improvisation on any pentatonic folk scale more intuitive, rather than classical improvisation. Despite growing up in Ireland, Irish music was reduced to Johnny Logan winning the Eurovision Song Contest, or Sinead O'Connor getting a Grade -1 haircut, and Heidi Talbot breaking out of Dublin's premier music school to go solo sublime.
So what Irish music books are out there? I really haven't found anything that makes me bite. I could bin all the Mel Bay volumes I have and never miss them or a single ditty in them. Granted, that might sound extreme, but I'm not convinced that the Mel Bay versions are very authentic: the Irish Washerwoman is not my idea of Irish music! It is more Grade 1 stereotyping for primary school children trying to make out on the recorder!
![lol :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol_144.gif)
I'd love to see your recommendations. If you aren't deriving your ITM from books - I'd love to know where you're getting yours from.
Many thanks.