Cooley's Reel tab request

[Denman John]

I was wondering anyone had a link to a good version of Cooley's Reel tab that they like? Ideally it would have the melody and also the chords. My wife loves String Cheese's version of Lands End, but I'd like to learn the more 'traditional' version.

Thanks in advance
John

[Franc Homier Lieu]

I had never heard the tune before, so I can't compare it to others, but I just learned the version on mandolessons.com (Cafe member Baron Collins-Hill's site). Video lesson plus a downloadable tab/notation PDF. Worth a look.

[Franc Homier Lieu]

Ok, just googled String Cheese's Land's End. I am confident that Baron Collin's Hill's version is more traditional than that. I looked at the nine settings of CR on the session.org, and they all differ from his, but the mandolessons.com version is pretty much note for note the Dubliners' version (and also, it appears, the Sharon Corr version). So, not necessarily traditional, but a nice version.

[MikeyG]

I was wondering anyone had a link to a good version of Cooley's Reel tab that they like? Ideally it would have the melody and also the chords. My wife loves String Cheese's version of Lands End, but I'd like to learn the more 'traditional' version.

Thanks in advance
John

Here's the way I play it - no ornaments but with chords (that you should feel free to change to your liking).

[dulcillini]

Mike G: Thanks for the score. I like the one you posted better than the one I have currently. This is a catchy tune. There is a fine line between playing it right and not. It makes a dramatic difference in the way it sounds. I had a great deal of difficulty with this song at first and it is still not where I want it to be. I assume this was originally played by a violin. Is that true ?

Thanks again,

Mike

[foldedpath]

Mike G: Thanks for the score. I like the one you posted better than the one I have currently. This is a catchy tune. There is a fine line between playing it right and not. It makes a dramatic difference in the way it sounds. I had a great deal of difficulty with this song at first and it is still not where I want it to be. I assume this was originally played by a violin. Is that true ?

MikeyG's PDF is closer to how I hear it played in the local Irish sessions than the original YouTube link posted above, which to my ears seems embellished with some Bluegrassy takes on the tune.

When I'm backing on guitar instead of playing the melody on mandolin or flute, I usually throw a Bm chord as a passing chord at 2nd half of the 4th measure, and similar places in the tune. But you can ignore that if you're looking for a basic chord chart. Use that kind of thing at your own discretion, and whether it's annoying those around you!

As for the origin... well, it's an old one. Might have been written on fiddle, but I couldn't scrape up any history on a brief search.

It was added to thesession.org tune database with this comment:

"This reel originally went under a different name (The Tulla Reel) but has since become associated with the master accordian player, Joe Cooley. You’ll almost always hear this tune played with "The Wise Maid" or "The Maid Behind The Bar."

So that's a reference to someone who was famous for playing it, but didn't write it. You'll run into this a lot, with this music. And other references to the Tulla reel sound different. Get used to that, too.


If you're looking to get the right feel for this tune, try this audio on this Comhaltas page:

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/joe_cooleys/

It's a group setting played at session speed, but you should be able to pick up the feel. Use one of the "slow-downer" applications to hear it slower, like the free Audacity program. That will give you a practice track to play along with:

[Denman John]

Thanks so much guys. I just showed this thread to my wife (and also the "Who has more than 1 mandolin?" thread), and she also wants to learn it. The Mandolessons site is such a great resource ~ lots of great stuff there! As for the other thread she said "Don't get any ideas"

Thanks again and hopefully when I get it under my fingers I'll upload my rendition.
John

[Paul Busman]

This is one of my favorite tunes. I play it on mandolin and penny whistle. It makes a terrific medley when played after the slip jig Road To Lisdoonvarna.

[MikeyG]

This is one of my favorite tunes. I play it on mandolin and penny whistle. It makes a terrific medley when played after the slip jig Road To Lisdoonvarna.

I've never heard The Road to Lisdoonvarna played as a slip jig. Perhaps you meant to call it a REEL

http://thesession.org/tunes/249

or maybe a SLIDE

http://thesession.org/tunes/250

In either case, we'd all like to hear you play a version of your set Cooley's Reel/The Road to Lisdoonvarna, preferably on mandolin.

Here are the two tunes that foldedpath cited as most commonly played after Cooley's Reel:





And here's The Road to Lisdoonvarna as a slide:



MikeyG

[Denman John]

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!

I knew The Road to Lisdoonvarna and it fits in nicely with Cooley's Reel. Looks like I have a couple of more tunes to learn ~ thanks so much for the "pair of maids" to go along with it.

John

[dmcginnis]

Hey MikeyG - where do you find those nice TAB files - I really appreciate you posting them (nice and big for older eyes!). Thanks!

[MikeyG]

Hey MikeyG - where do you find those nice TAB files - I really appreciate you posting them (nice and big for older eyes!). Thanks!

I didn't FIND them, I MADE them with the (free!!) software called MUP (MUsic Publisher). You might not have heard about it - go to this site for the program and documentation:

http://www.arkkra.com/

It isn't the easiest to use but if you'd like help, I'm your man. Get in touch via Notifications above (send New Message). I have many more of these TABS I could share with you.

Thanks for your comments. I too have "older eyes.

MikeyG

[BBarton]

Hey Mikey -- I'll have to give MUP a try! Cheers, B

[MikeyG]

Hey Mikey -- I'll have to give MUP a try! Cheers, B

Go for it, Brucie! But let me point out a recent thread about a similar music notation software called Lilypond:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...are-(Lilypond)

Lilypond may produce better looking tablature. There's an example in that discussion.

MikeyG