Chords for The Ballydesmond Polkas

[Mutiny]

Anybody know the chords for the Ballydesmond Polkas?
I found the tab here at mandolin cafe but it dosn't inlcude the chords.
Thanks.

[smittypants]

I think the chords are Am G F Em, at least for #1 and 2. That's what I usually play if I am on the guitar at a session. Play around with those. On the F chord, try an Fmaj7, that gives it a nice feel.

[whistler]

Here are the polkas (I'm not sure whether they are numbered correctly) in abc format, with chords added in. I have put in the chords as I might play them - they might sound wrong to anyone else, but they sound right to me. Whatever the case, it is only a suggested accompaniment, so I recommend you learn it and then ignore it.


T:Ballydesmond Polka#1
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:polka
K:Ador
"Am"EA A>B|cd eg|"G"G2 G>A|"Em"GE ED|"Am"EA A>B|cd ef|"G"ge "Em"dB|1 "Am
"A2 A>G:|2 "Am"A2 A2||
|:"Am"a>g ab|ag ef|"G"g>f ga|"Em"ge ed|"Am"ea a>b|ag ef|"Em"ge "G"dB|1 "
Am"A2 A2:|2 "Am"A2 AG||


T:Ballydesmond Polka #2
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:polka
K:Ador
AB|"Am" c2 "G" B2|"Am" A2 "G" G>A|Bd ed|"Em" g2 ed|"Am" ea g>e|"G" dB GA
/B/|"Am" ce "G" dB|"Am" A2 :| A2|
|:"Am" ea ag/e/|"G" dg gd|"Am" ea "D" ab|"G" g2 "Em" ed|"Am" ea g>e|"G"
dB "Em" GA/B/|"F" ce "G" dB|"Am" A2 A2:|

[Mutiny]

How exactly do I read that?
are the letters written out "A" the chords and the rest the notes in the melody?
what would a2 to be?
Thanks.

[whistler]

Sorry - I assumed people here were familiar with abc.

Yes, the chords are included within inverted commas (eg "Am"). Sonce you already knoe the tunes, that is the main thing you need to know. However, you may have trouble knowing exactly when to change chord.

The best thing to do is get a free download to convert it into a more readable form.
If you use staff notation, visit the abc home page

http://www.gre.ac.uk/~c.walshaw/abc/

where there is a list of downloads to choose from (I use ABC2Win) - and a general explanation of abc notation.

If you are more familiar with tablature, I believe you can download software from http://www.tabledit.com

If you prefer you can read it as it is - the abc homepage has all the information you need to interpret it. In brief, L:1/8 (3rd line down) means that the default note length is an 1/8 note. A note followed by a 2 is doubled in length (i.e. 1/4 note) and a note followed by / is halved (i.e. 1/16 note). Two notes separated by > means a dotted 1/8 followed by a 1/16.