Maybe they all had to tune to the bodhran! While D is a people's key, Eb is a much warmer, slightly darker key. Very beautiful key. A good idea when you don't want your arrangement to be hijacked by overzealous session bandits.
Many Irish fiddle players like to tune the whole instrument up a semi-tone which gives the fiddle a brighter sound and more string tension. Banjo and guitar and bouzouki players will capo at 1st fret to compensate.
so I rented a banjo to try and learn this. absolutely love this song! can anytone tell me what tuning the banjo is? I realise he has a cappo on the 1st. But if anyone can tell me the tuning that would be great. Or where I could find tab to how he actually plays it
Stanley Ang One more questions (if you know)...I also play the bodhran and have been wondering is the black tape purposely there? Is that what makes the bodhran sound a little bassier/dimmer than usual?
you can tune to eadg or adgc - i play eadg as per Gerry's tutorial book - my advice is to practice the scales and easy tunes for ages and listen to an ipod playing the tunewhilst you practice it, if you can master a tune playing it slowly, you will play it better when you do go faster - i found i can't master some 'easier' tunes, but can play some 'harder' tunes better. i think you will find your own favourites!
