Celtic tunes to learn

[manicmando]

i really want to learn some celtic traditional tunes or most common tunes to know could you guys give me about what you think is the top 5 you would learn and where could i get a cd or mp3 of them

[Bren]

This is a loaded question as even the most part-time of Irish or Scottish players know hundreds of tunes.
However, if you go to The Session Members section and click on the "Tunebook" tab, you'll see tunes listed in order of request frequency.

For mp3s, check the usual online stores with the tune names, as well as tradtunes.co.uk , ayepod and eMusic.com.
The simplest approach of all these days may be just to find them on YuTube

[JeffD]

Is this in order to play in a jam session, or for yourself, or for a band. The answers would be different.

If its for a session, it depends on where in the world the session is. If you can go and listen a few times, in short order you will know the core tunes they like.

If its for yourself - I would peruse the many many celtic CDs and find a few that "speak to you", and learn those.

If its for a band, then I would peruse an Irish tune book or two, and find some underplayed beauties to highlight.

Complicated answer to a simple question. I hope it helps.

[whistler]

"I would peruse an Irish tune book or two, and find some underplayed beauties to highlight."

I would not dispute this piece of advice (Jeff - I am aware that you offer this advice specifically with regard to playing in a band and, as such, it is good advice). There are many great traditional tunes which you are seldom heard in sessions. But if you are new to this kind of music and you would like to learn the style seriously, then do not think that you can do so solely by learning tunes from books. The importance of learning by ear cannot be emphasised enough, especially in the early stages, as this is how you develop a feel for the subtle nuances of the music. Use tunebooks, by all means, but they only form a small part of the learning process.

I hope that doesn't come over too scary.

[whistler]

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann publishes a series of books and accompanying CDs of common session tunes, Foinn Seisiún. You can listen to sound clips of all the tunes in vol. 1 here:
http://comhaltas.ie/shop/detail/foin...book_volume_1/

The BBC Virtual Session is a great interactive tune learning site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/.../folkmenu.html

[JeffD]

do not think that you can do so solely by learning tunes from books. #The importance of learning by ear cannot be emphasised enough, especially in the early stages, as this is how you develop a feel for the subtle nuances of the music. #Use tunebooks, by all means, but they only form a small part of the learning process.

That is absolutely true.

And you can hear someone who is "paper trained" because the playing is either too mechanical and melody perfect, or its too rhythm driven might as well be percussion, or its too jazz driven with lots of inappropriate improvization.

You have to listen a lot. A lot. No, a lot!

[EdSherry]

At most sessions (and on most recordings), tunes are played in sets (frequently of three tunes, played two or three times each). #

For a lot of players, the hardest part of playing sets is making the transitions between tunes. It's easy to learn separate tunes, but hard to string them together seamlessly without botching the transition from one tune to the next.

So rather than learning "five tunes" I'd suggest you learn two or three sets: #a reel set, a jig set, and a slip jig (9/8 time) (my prejudices are showing).

I second the suggestions for the BBC Session website and the Comhaltas tune books, which have the advantage of being laid out in sets.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Depending on your proficiency on the mandolin you might want to start with slow and medium tunes before proceeding on to the dance tunes.
Slow Tunes:
Mna na hEireann
Roisin Dubh

Medium Tunes:
Planxty Irwin
An Ghaoth Aneas
Fanny Power
Star of the County Down

[mikeyes]

Bren's advice about thesession.org is right on the money. In addition, if you can't get to a session, listen to music and forgo the notation for a while. After you get a few tunes under your belt you can look at notes, but ITM is an aural tradition like BG and OT. You can know the notes but not know the tune.

[Gutbucket]

The maid behind the bar. The wind that shakes the barley. The star of the county Down.
Now go and practice.

[withak]

Learn all of them.

[Bertram Henze]

For navigation through celtic music, corrective forces are more important than correct starting points.

If you learn from notation, tabs, listening, if you choose your first tunes from "what goes in a session", from something you like on a record or what has an interesting sounding name in a book doesn't matter that much as long as you constantly test it against playing with others, playing for others, and your own feeling when playing. You heard it and you liked it - does it feel the same when you play it (not immediately, but eventually)? There has been much discussion here about authenticity - I think you're authentic if you can feel it and make others feel it, too, no matter what your passport says.

Most Irish tunes are made to be learnt fast, i.e. after some time you will play so many of them you can't remember which one was your first (I can't, at least). I meet lots of players in sessions with little black books to remind them which tunes they can play. So - don't wait to start with the right one, start with any one right now! There's some 4000 traditional tunes out there waiting for you, and new ones are born every day.

Bertram

[jlunt]

Check out The Bothy Band (Amazon.com, Itunes) and find some tunes you especially like. Most of their recorded output have become standards. Then, if you like, head over the session.org to check out a sketch of the melody. The idea there is that they give you a starting point, and you then make the tune you own.

Planxty, Patrick Street, Altan and Cherish The Ladies will also give you many, many standards. And inspired playing, too.

By the way, I'm new here, so "Hi, all".

[Fishmonger]

But be careful of the message board on session.org. It's quite toxic and impatient with beginners. Which is one of the reasons I'm here now.