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Celtic Radio Community > Celtic Music > Irish Traditional Music Players


Posted by: Black Mage 29-Nov-2005, 08:44 PM
Forgive me if this has already been posted elsewhere (I'm new to the forums), but are there any ITM (Irish Traditional Music (celtic)) musicians about?

I started playing the tin whistle this past June, and I love it. So far I have four whistles: a http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/inexpensive/Clarke/blackclarke/1neworig.JPG, http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/inexpensive/Clarke/naturalclarke/brokenin.jpg, http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/low/dixon/nontunablelowd.jpg, and a http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/product_images/clareredheadnick.jpg.

Does anyone else play anything?

Posted by: dundee 30-Nov-2005, 09:28 AM
aye hammer dulcimer, hurdy gurdy, mandolin....
and just recently i have gone back to guitar after a 25 yr layoff...
felt i need some vocals in the act... and seeing as i work solo....
that would leave me wink.gif note.gif

Posted by: Aaediwen 30-Nov-2005, 07:19 PM
Pennywhistle and keyboards. can't say I'm that great with either.

Posted by: celticfire 30-Nov-2005, 07:28 PM
I play the bagpipe and Celtic harp, bodhran and hammered dulcimer coming soon...

Posted by: Aaediwen 30-Nov-2005, 09:32 PM
QUOTE (celticfire @ 30-Nov-2005, 08:28 PM)
I play the bagpipe and Celtic harp, bodhran and hammered dulcimer coming soon...

is the harp as hard to play as everyone makes it out to be? I expect not.

Posted by: celticfire 01-Dec-2005, 04:43 PM
No, it really isn't: C is a red string and F is blue, and you work out the notes in between. It's almost like a vertical keyless piano.

Posted by: Aaediwen 01-Dec-2005, 06:14 PM
That's what I thought. Thanks for the note of reassurance. Something else to spend money on smile.gif Good thing I'm not ready to just yet.

Posted by: Black Mage 01-Dec-2005, 08:59 PM
QUOTE (Aaediwen @ 30-Nov-2005, 06:19 PM)
Pennywhistle and keyboards. can't say I'm that great with either.

Great, what whistle(s) do you play?

Posted by: Aaediwen 01-Dec-2005, 09:17 PM
I've got a nice generic and cheap Oak D I picked up a couple years ago when starting out. I've also got a hand made one, also in D, that was as a gift from relatives returning from a trip to Williamsburg. And I've got a Shaw low D I picked up at Powell's in Galway. I'd like to get a Shaw High D, to match my low one. and I'd also like to get some whistles in some other keys as well.

Posted by: OBH 02-Dec-2005, 08:12 PM
QUOTE (Black Mage @ 29-Nov-2005, 08:44 PM)
Forgive me if this has already been posted elsewhere (I'm new to the forums), but are there any ITM (Irish Traditional Music (celtic)) musicians about?

I started playing the tin whistle this past June, and I love it.  So far I have four whistles: a http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/inexpensive/Clarke/blackclarke/1neworig.JPG, http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/inexpensive/Clarke/naturalclarke/brokenin.jpg, http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/low/dixon/nontunablelowd.jpg, and a http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/product_images/clareredheadnick.jpg.

Does anyone else play anything?

Being a Cajun, I don't know if it's possible to categorize anything I play as "traditional Irish" but I have been playing whistles for a couple of years. I started with a C and D Clarke Sweetone and then I made a low D whistle out of PVC pipe. ( it took 3 tries to get one in tune unsure.gif ) I almost gave up on low whistles because I didn't have enough wind left in me to play that low D. I bought a Susato low G (non-tunable) and now it's one of my favorites. I also have A, B, C, D, E and G Susato (tunable) but the high G is too small to play. The plastic whistles don't have the best tone but they're rock solid in tune. I have a Clare D and a Waltons C, both in brass that have a sweet tone but the Clare D is a little out of tune.

I play any kind of music on the whistles, not just Irish music. I even manage to stick a whistle in traditional Cajun music, playing a slightly modified fiddle part. I have a nephew who plays Cajun accordion so I work out tunes to play with him. I also play guitar, saxophone, and clarinet.

I have learned quite a few Irish tunes using whistle mp3s and the http://www.ronimusic.com, a nifty little program that slows the music without changing the pitch. It's not free but it's worth the money. The biggest problem I have learning tunes is that I can't listen fast enough and this thing helped me a lot.

Posted by: Banshee_Kate 09-Dec-2005, 04:12 AM
Great to see so many other musicians here! laugh.gif

I play once a week at a local pub near Chicago- The Kerry Piper in Willowbrook. I'm the piano player for the Murphy Roche ceili band.
I also sing and play bodhran, bass & other things, and my CD is being played on air here. It's called "The Banshee". I have been added recently to new music!
Very exciting for me!

Posted by: Corwinna 03-Apr-2006, 04:26 AM
Not a musician yet, but trying and struggling with bodhrán and whistles biggrin.gif My bodhrán is 16" by Brandon White, an Irishman who lives in The Netherlands and most of my whistles are by Susato. I have a C, a D and a low D. When I can find more time rolleyes.gif I want to really start learning how to play instead of just playing a bit around like I do now. For some time I wanted te learn celtic harp, but it seems unachievable for me. Hmm, there is another instrument I started to dream about though...... happy.gif I discoverd the hurdy gurdy and I love it! Not traditional celtic, but I'm crazy about the sound and the possibilities

Posted by: dundee 03-Apr-2006, 08:30 AM
QUOTE (Corwinna @ 03-Apr-2006, 04:26 AM)
  I discoverd the hurdy gurdy and I love it! Not traditional celtic, but I'm crazy about the sound and the possibilities

corwinna i use mine to do a few scottish pipe tunes...
i always introduce it as the instrument for the asthmatic piper... cool.gif
as far as not traditional celtic.... who is to say? the earliest
historical reference is a stone carving over the doorway of a 10 century church in england (as far as i know). from what i undersand the bodhrán isnt really "traditional celtic" either.

regarding these statements please see my signature biggrin.gif note.gif

oh ps ...

i also play hammer dulcimer (my main instrument)... i also thought it was unachievable to me... never give up on your dreams corwinna. it is desire that counts.

Posted by: Corwinna 03-Apr-2006, 11:48 AM
Thank you dundee! That's really encouraging! I understood the bodhrán is maybe not that celtic indeed and well.... I like the hurdy gurdy!! biggrin.gif
I'm going to start saving money and browsing around to see what I can find to get a hurdy myself! Should I achieve one I'll let all of you people know (And yep, I'll definitely try some celtic tunes with it as well wink.gif )

Posted by: sisterknight 03-Apr-2006, 11:52 AM
i'm a new penny player as well, i've been picking tunes(celtic) and converting them, from our church hymn book.....you'de be amazed what you can find in there!!! ie green sleeves, amazing grace etc...

Posted by: greenldydragon 04-Apr-2006, 02:54 PM
I play violin and commonly implore it in the use of celtic music. I also play around somewhat with a tin whistle (don't ask me specifics cause I don't know! It came with a book) and a Native American flute (obviously not celtic..)

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