Chord accompaniment for Irish/folk music?

Kar · Post by **Kar** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:08 pm

Hey all--

I've been playing fiddle far more than whistles these days, but also got sidetracked into the ukulele, and just picked up a nice tenor the other day. I thought, hey, wouldn't it be fun to accompany people on the uke?

Here's my question: how do I do that?

I love Irish music, but most of the repetoire was so hopelessly beyond me as a beginning whistler that I never learned it. As a fiddler, I'm mostly a violinist (meaning I'm getting classically trained) and I'm sure I'll forray into folk and even Irish at some point, but I'm still new enough to need to stick with basic technique for now and not try and learn a lot of fiddling styles.

So, I don't know a lot of Irish tunes, but I'd love to be able to sit in on a session with my uke (or even guitar, which I also sometimes play). How does one know what chords to play? I've *sort of* familiar with the concepts of I-IV-V, but never been able to quite get that solidly into my thick skull, nor I have ever tried in a REAL life, with other musicians.

It seems like, if most of the time Irish music is in D or G, I should be able to play good-sounding chords by listening, right? But HOW?

Is there a good book that anyone can recommend on learning how to do this--preferrably without a TON of theory?

Or can someone post some helpful info?

Or is there a nice Bay area person who wants to meet me in person and help me?

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:37 pm

PM your request to anniemcu.

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:46 pm

I just ordered a Mel Bay book on this topic. Haven't seen it yet, but it was recommended. I can't tell you how much theory is involved. It's entitled Celtic Backup, and is for all instruments. Check to see if your local music store can order it.

Ukulele, though not traditional, could be a great backup instrument. There's lots of discussion out there about how to do the chords. But the essential is that there are no set chords for any given tune in Irish music. There is more of a suggested feeling which chords can lend. The chords don't need to be "full" chords including the third, even.

Find some music you love and do some listening. If you're a violinist you might appreciate Martin Hayes (one of my favorites).

Try some searching on the Irish Traditional Music forum too.

Have fun!
Jennie

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:17 pm

I started playing the autoharp this year, accompanying myself singing. I think of it as a "moron's (or lazy person's) guitar." I think it's probably similar with the uke...just play chords (there are tons of song/tune books with chords) and strum (or fingerpick) and you can accompany quite well.

ChrisA · Post by **ChrisA** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:25 pm

My feeling about chordal accompaniment in a session is that you really need to know
the individual tunes to accompany them. Whether that's by being an expert at picking
things up by ear, or by looking at the dots, or whatever; but the irish tunes just don't
follow any stable chord progression that I'm aware of ... though there are likely some
general rules ... and the difference between a major and a minor chord is going to make
the accompainiment jarring. (Not that I've had that in my ear until someone who understood
the problem hissed a loud 'A -minor-' at the fellow... err... )

OTOH, there are only so many chords that fit into the Irish scale, so, maybe picking up
by ear isn't so hard as picking up melody by ear. Though I'd recommend picking out the
root note of each chord for the first few times through any new tune... (it seems like
it'd be good learning techinque anyway, but I say it because) the one note,
if off, is like to be less jarring than a whole chord off.

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:26 pm

Uke + Irish music may or may not work. I have this suspicion that it will either sound wonderful or awful, not not in between.

StewySmoot · Post by **StewySmoot** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:29 pm

JessieK wrote:I started playing the autoharp this year, accompanying myself singing. I think of it as a "moron's (or lazy person's) guitar." I think it's probably similar with the uke...just play chords (there are tons of song/tune books with chords) and strum (or fingerpick) and you can accompany quite well.

I'll tell Brian Bowers you said "hey" next time I see him.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:49 pm

Oh, oh, the song about the pigs. What is it? It is sad isn't it?

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:29 pm

Cynth wrote:Oh, oh, the song about the pigs. What is it? It is sad isn't it?

Jennie

Kar · Post by **Kar** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 5:35 pm

Thanks for the help everyone. Maybe I'll check out the Mel Bay and try picking out some stuff at home from CD's.

Whitmores, I also wonder if uke will go well with Irish music (or whatever tradition). But one of the great things about it is it's pretty quiet--inoffensive musically, so to speak. The unique tuning (My Dog Has Fleas) does make it stand out a little so who knows if it will blend?

So far, it's gone well with everything I've tried it with. Then again, I'm always smashing together weird instruments and weird styles and seeing what works. One of the great things about music is the FUN of experimentation.

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:06 pm

Cynth wrote:Oh, oh, the song about the pigs. What is it? It is sad isn't it?

"Here's a little song 'bout four wet pigs,
Here's a little song 'bout four wet pigs,
two of them little and two of them big,
dancin' all night at the Pig Town Jig."

That one?

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:25 pm

BrassBlower wrote:PM your request to anniemcu.

I do have just such a book.

I am about to go into the second printing.

"The NEMOFOTMAD Chord Book" copyright S.A. McUmber-House 2004/2005
Nearly 175 tunes in the Celtic and Old-time traditions, presented in an easy to use display book that allows several players to see the chord changes at the same time. Bound in alphabetical order and set in a 4.25"X5.5" easy to read formatt, the chord changes for each tune are clearly shown. The Key for each is marked, as well as the type of tune it is (Reel, Hornpipe, Waltz, etc.). Also includes a Key/Chord Transposition Chart, Standard Tunings for familiar instruments, information on the rythmic and construction differences of many types of tunes, alphabetical listing in catagories (including Beginner's Tunes and Favorite Medleys), with blank pages for additional tunes.

I am only going to print a limited number of these this time, as we are in the process of finding out if someone else (like Mel Bay) is interested in producing them. They run $19.95 plus S/H.

PM me know if you want one. It will be a couple of weeks before I can get back to them.

edited to add: NEMOFOTMAD stands for NorthEast MO Friends Of Traditional Music And Dance
edited a second time to specify PM for anything further on this with me.

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:30 pm

BrassBlower wrote:PM your request to anniemcu.

Thanks for the mention!

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 1:06 am

I just noticed for the first time that the BHP is animated. Very cool!!!

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 2:14 am

Darwin wrote:I just noticed for the first time that the BHP is animated. Very cool!!!