Irish Trad Flat-Picking?

Chatterton · Post by **Chatterton** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:26 am

I know there's not a lot of this going on. Most people regard the guitar as an accompaniment instrument if they consider it an instrument at all, but there are a few players using it as a melodic instrument as well.

Does anyone have any sites/resources to share dedicated to this topic? Just curious, because I can't find much myself.

Tim2723 · Post by **Tim2723** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:26 am

Yeah, you're right. I just ran a search and found a number of books and such listed, but no websites devoted to it. I'm not even sure if many of the books mentioned are really Irish trad picking.

I'm also a member at banjohangout.com where a lot of guys ask about re-tuning banjos to play like guitars, so that leads me to believe there are people out there doing it.

You might look around in the Yahoo usegroups and such. There's bound to be something there.

Domhnall · Post by **Domhnall** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:40 pm

Check out a fellow by the name of Tony McManus, as far as I have seen, he is a master of this technique. He has some video's and may very well have a book as well.

Dan

seisflutes · Post by **seisflutes** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:03 pm

There's a CD called Masters of the Irish Guitar, that has Donal Clancy, Donogh Hennessy, John Doyle, Arty McGlynn, and a few others, doing lots of good flatpicking. it's not a website or instructional thing, but it's good.

TheSpoonMan · Post by **TheSpoonMan** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:01 pm

seisflutes wrote:There's a CD [....] it's not a [....] instructional thing

WHAT

seisflutes · Post by **seisflutes** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:29 pm

Well, I mean, I didn't think it was exactly what Chatterton was looking for, is all. But I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't think it it would be a good resource. Obviously CDs are an excellent way to learn. My favorite way, in fact.

TheSpoonMan · Post by **TheSpoonMan** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:00 pm

seisflutes wrote:Well, I mean, I didn't think it was exactly what Chatterton was looking for, is all. But I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't think it it would be a good resource. Obviously CDs are an excellent way to learn. My favorite way, in fact.

Oh I know, I was just teasing

But yeah, I think if oyu're gonna learn something, you should get instruction (personal or paper or whatever), but listen listen listen before and after that.

unregulated · Post by **unregulated** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:45 am

hi Chatterton
you need to look here for all your info, theres loads
The registration is the same as here - painless
Just do a search fror FLATPICKING

http://www.celticguitartalk.com/

as for myself I don't flatpick but please check out "J McColls March" on

http://www.myspace.com/geobow

to give you an idea of what can be done with a finger picking approach to this music.
yours unreg.

Chatterton · Post by **Chatterton** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:57 am

I've been checking through the Celtic Guitar Talk site, but it's not exactly what I'm looking for. It seems like everyone there is obsessed with some sort of Celtic finger-style process that blends the modalities of ITM with the techniques of traditional classical guitar playing on steel string guitars, which seems to be missing the point to me. It totally misses the groove & swing inherent in ITM.

I think I'm just going to have to listen to as much Donal Clancy, Donogh Hennessy, John Doyle, Arty McGlynn, and Tony McManus as I can get my hands on and see what I can get intuitively & by ear from there.

rh · Post by rh » Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:08 am

Seamus Egan has some nice nylon-string stuff on his "When Juniper Sleeps" cd, check out "The Mason's Apron" for example. The album's kinda Celtoid but i think enjoyable nonetheless, and SE's always handy with a flatpick.

greenspiderweb · Post by **greenspiderweb** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:13 am

I was just listening to WFO 3 (wooden flute obsession), disc 2, track 1, with N Holmes on flute and Dave Wood on guitar-and he uses some flatpicking along with strumming, and it sounds pretty nice.

Don't know anything other than that about Dave Wood, but he might have other recordings too.

Fingerstyle1952 · Post by **Fingerstyle1952** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:28 pm

Actually, there are fingerstyle guitar players who can play with the right groove and swing of ITM -- Duck Baker, Dave Evans, John Renbourn come to mind. I am a fingerpicker who also flatpicks. However, I rarely use DADGAD -- one of the reasons is that it seems 90% of players who use it tend to sound like Pierre Bensusan. again, I really like what Davey Graham (who pioneered the tuning and was the first to record with it)John Sherman and Pat Kirtley do with the tuning because each of them sounds unique to me and they are in the groove.
That being said, I use drop D and double Drop D far more often , which enables me to switch back and forth with interesting bass lines and melody lines (I also flatpick with a thumbpick). I use a mixture of classical technique and country blues techniques (fretting with the thumb)for airs, jigs, slides and slipjigs and some hornpipes, but reels require the technique of a Duck Baker or Pat Kirtley to play at speed and proper feel -- thats when I switch to flat picking.
I recommend listening to the Kid on the Mountain CD by Duck Baker for fingerstyle and some of Dick Gaughan Coppers and Brass CD for flatpicking.
Aviv

Paul Anderson · Post by **Paul Anderson** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 3:56 pm

Mick Hanly and Paul Brady flatpick (trad) on their older albums. Sadly, for me at least, they've moved on to other musical genres. John Doyle has some great tunes on his first CD (think it's called "Evening Comes Early"). Arty McGlynn has a CD called "Speed The Knave" that has some great flatpicking on it. A must buy for trad flatpicking fans is Donal Clancy's solo CD. I think it's called "Closer To Home". Last I heard, Tony McManus has settled in the Toronto area. He would be a great resource for lessons.
Steve Kaufman [www.flatpik.com] put out a book of Irish flatpicked tunes in notation and tab. Some of the tunes are bluegrassy arrangements but it's still a good buy.
Hope this helps

PJ · Post by PJ » Mon Sep 24, 2007 4:22 pm

There are a few guitar tunes on clips & snips (I added a few on my 12-string)

http://www.tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/non.html

There's a great guitarist called Dan Crary who flatpicks a 12 string and has done a CD with a few ITM tunes. Outstanding.

Domhnall · Post by **Domhnall** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:29 pm

Also try Dick Gaughan for some wonderful flat picked melodies and passages. Particularly his album Coppers and Brass, he often tunes his guitar to EAAEAE, which, with a little bit of practice can be made to sound like a bagpipe. You could also check out John Allan Cameron, who, as many Canadians like to say, invented the style. (No idea how true it is.) John Renbourne I also second as a great finger stylist (my favourite guitarist and arranger in fact), but I don't know if his stuff is quite what you are looking for.

EDIT: I just realized the album Coppers and Brass was mentioned. I second that suggestion. Rooting through my father's old album collection was quite possibly the best move I've made as a musician.

EDIT AGAIN: Tony McManus, has indeed moved into the area (though not IN Toronto). Its great news for all of us who live in South-Western Ontario, I've been able to see him play a few times, and also to take a workshop with him. Great guitarist, and a good guy.

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