Guitar comping for Irish traditional.

[mikey_r]

I would like to be able to play guitar (also piano) accompaniment for fiddle, whistle, etc., for home recording (i.e. to accompany myself) as well as for playing with a friend. Is there a good book that addresses this? I'm not as interested in using the guitar or piano as a solo instrument as just backing up the fiddle and/or whistle(s).

Thanks,

- Mike

[dubhlinn]

Various tunings and styles abound.
Have a look around here

Hope this helps,

Slan,
D.

[Wombat]

Chris Smith has a book on accompaniment for all instruments that I find very useful. Paul de Grae has a well regarded book for guitar. Many books out there are worse than useless as tutors. I'd stick with those two.

[Cynth]

I have seen this book recommended:

CLICK

The author has a lot of instructional essays at his website. If you scroll way down this page, you might find some other helpful things. There are a lot of essays talking about the banjo, but there are some about guitar and accompaniment:
http://coyotebanjo.com/music.html

[Wombat]

That's the one I'm recommending Cynth. That and Paul's book would be all you need for guitar. (I'd rather not be too blunt about the books that are a waste of money.)

[dubhlinn]

I've just had a browse through Chris Smiths pages..looks the business allright

Slan,
D.

[Cynth]

That's the one I'm recommending Cynth. That and Paul's book would be all you need for guitar. (I'd rather not be too blunt about the books that are a waste of money.)

It takes me so long to write my posts that I hadn't seen yours when I did mine, or I wouldn't have repeated it.

[Wombat]

That's the one I'm recommending Cynth. That and Paul's book would be all you need for guitar. (I'd rather not be too blunt about the books that are a waste of money.)

It takes me so long to write my posts that I hadn't seen yours when I did mine, or I wouldn't have repeated it.

Oh come on Cynth. You gave links and all that scholarly stuff. All the stuff I tell myself I'm too busy to provide. (I'm careful never to ask what I'm doing on C&F instead of working or practising.)

[mikey_r]

I'll check out the Chris Smith site and the book. Looks like exactly what I was looking for.

[tin tin]

What about piano accompaniment? Any books for that?

[Cayden]

What about piano accompaniment? Any books for that?

Geraldine Cotter:

<img src="http://www.musicroom.com/images/catalog ... OMB103.jpg">

[Wombat]

What about piano accompaniment? Any books for that?

Chris's book just gives general principles which can be applied to any instrument. There is more or less (often less) tasteful piano accompaniment on a lot of the early Irish recordings and if you have a good ear and can play piano you will have no trouble picking up the patterns. As a general rule, less is more. Something that you hardly notice but drives and lifts the tune is what works best. I don't know of any specific books for piano.

[SteveK]

Although not a tutor, Charlie Lennon's book Musical Memories gives his own accompaniments for the tunes. The tunes are all his own too. However, his method is pretty simple. Just octaves on the root-right hand chord-octaves on the fifth-right hand chord, etc.

http://www.cranfordpub.com/books/musical_memories.htm

de Grae's book uses an odd tuning which I don't think many people use (DADEAE) but using the chords he supplies for the tunes doesn't depend on using his tuning.

[PJ]

Paul de Grae has a well regarded book for guitar.

Well worth having.