fast ,but easy tunes

TinwhistleJulian · Post by **TinwhistleJulian** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:31 pm

Hello Dudes and Girls

Which fast tunes do you like to play that are also not too difficult to play?

I personally like the swallow´s tail (jig an reel)
Maggie in the woods
and i try actually to play the fermoy lassies again

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:52 pm

I find most double jigs relatively easy to get the notes to...but be warned...the rhythm is as important, if not more so, and you really don't want to be speeding these tunes up if you don't have the rhythm down cold.

Some of the "easy" ones our slow session likes are Lilting Banshee, The Geese in the Bog and Out on the Ocean.

Redwolf

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:02 am

Some of the simpler polkas are easy to play fast. Britches Without Stitches, for example, or Rattling Bog or Egans. They are all fun tunes and not too difficult to learn.
Mike

Craig Stuntz · Post by **Craig Stuntz** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:06 am

John Ryan's polka is fairly easy to learn and sounds nice when played really fast.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:07 am

For the sake of reference, I'm wondering what tempo(s) (MM) are being considered "fast" for purposes of this discussion?

Loren

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:05 am

Glenn Allen is one reel we play (especially when I drive up the road and play in Glennallen) that's very similar in A and B parts, just an octave different. That one always seems to want to run away!

Jennie

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:43 pm

Anything for John Joe--reel, is easy.

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:58 pm

Loren wrote:For the sake of reference, I'm wondering what tempo(s) (MM) are being considered "fast" for purposes of this discussion?

Loren

I think it's probably more a matter of referring to dance tunes versus airs etc, rather than actual BPM. A lot of us started with the slow tunes, like Danny Boy, and Cockels and Mussels, and Amazing Grace before we moved up to the dance tunes.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 7:02 pm

Morpeth Rant, Roxburgh Castle are good played swift. Yeah, they're not Irish, but I'm too respectful of ITM to play hell-for-leather. When I went to some of the sessions in Dublin a couple of weeks ago (cheers, flanum!) I was super-impressed that most good musicians played tunes at a much slower pace than you get with some of the Lunasa-flash-Harrys you get on CD these days!

Key_of_D · Post by **Key_of_D** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:22 am

I'll probably get the ax for this (or these) but. Egan's Polka! Can be played fast, slow or medium. The Kesh Jig. And Drops of Brandy for sure! I'd have to say diddo on the Britches Full of Stitches comment. That is a fun one to play, and can be played fast or slow or however you like, and is easy!

Fishie · Post by **Fishie** » Mon May 01, 2006 8:22 am

I enjoy cranking out Lark in the Morning at high speed. Four parts to it, but surprisingly easy to learn.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Thu May 04, 2006 11:00 am

'Off to California' is a good easy one. Also 'Road to Lisdoonvarna', 'Blackthorn Stick', 'Boys of Bluehill', etc....

I enjoy playing 'Americanized' fiddle tunes like 'Jefferson and Liberty', 'Year of Jubilo', 'The Girl I Left Behind', 'Gary Owen', 'Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine', 'Wild Hog in the Woods', 'Rockingham Cindy', 'Quince Dillon's High 'D'', 'Over the Waterfall', and others. They sort of straddle the Celtic/Appalachian divide.