"Solas" chords ?

[Ruskin]

Hi,
One of my favourite bands and fantastic guitar playing ! I wonder if anyone has or knows of writen score music by this band, especialy the chords,I find them difficult to work out,I´m trying to play them on octave mand. tunes like : "Mom´s gig" or "Paddy Taylor/Dark Haird Lass".

[Mike Herlihy]

http://www.homespuntapes.com/shop/product.aspx?ID=647

John Doyle made the instructional tape for Homespun.

[Paul Cowham]

I think that John Doyle's style is more dependant on his fantastic right hand attack and rhythmic drive than his chords which sound great but aren't unusual in the sense that they aren't jazzy or avant garde.

He plays in drop D tuning and many of his chords use the octave between the 6th (bottom D) and 4th (D) strings which are tuned an octave apart on the same fret. He he uses this foundation all over the neck to link up the chords that he uses, and this foundation is used over minor, major chords and modal chords (i.e no third)..

He is definitely one of my favorite Irish accompanists who is instantly recognisable, and I hope you enjoy studying his style..

[mjpetrie]

I spoke with John Doyle at a local small venue concert that he played with Liz Carroll, which was a stellar performance. He does play in drop D, but he also plays in some Bm type tuning and capos the third fret. I wish I could recall what it was specifically. He's amazing though, and worth emulating, but wow, good luck.

[delsbrother]

Somewhere in the world I have a John Doyle instructional CD-ROM (not the Homespun one.. I bought it at Hobgoblin in SF many moons ago and have no idea where it is). He describes his tunings, rhythm, and influences, and IIRC I think he plays some mandolin on it.

[Paul Cowham]

I spoke with John Doyle at a local small venue concert that he played with Liz Carroll, which was a stellar performance. He does play in drop D, but he also plays in some Bm type tuning and capos the third fret. I wish I could recall what it was specifically. He's amazing though, and worth emulating, but wow, good luck.

yes - I was lucky enough to have seen him with Liz Carroll too which was great, but also with Mike McGoldrick a couple of times and at a transatlantic sessions gig, he always adds a real sense of excitement and drive whenever I have seen him...

[Rob Gerety]

I have seen John play with Liz and also with Jerry Holland before Jerry died, and others as well. John is a rock star of traditional back up guitar. I think he is a very interesting player. The only thing is that sometimes he steals the show a bit from the melody which to some is a bit of a no no. Nice problem to have though for a guitar player. Solas employs interesting and different chords and rhythm playing. I think the only way is to listen intently, slow it down if possible. Keep an ear out for 7ths and passing chords - and minors. Its often not just the 145.

[walt33]

I think that John Doyle's style is more dependant on his fantastic right hand attack and rhythmic drive . . . .

IIRC, John's a lefty.

I remember sitting in the front row at a Doyle/Carroll concert one time so I could watch him play. Took me a minute or three to adjust to the fact that he's a lefty. Once I did that, I was still lost, because of his unusual tunings (other than drop D). Oh well, he's still fun to hear and see!