# Music by Genre > Celtic, U.K., Nordic, Quebecois, European Folk >  Update on "The Irish Mandolin" - and other stories

## Aidan Crossey

Hi all...

I hope everyone is staying safe and sane in these disrupting and troubling times.

I thought I'd take the opportunity to give an update on The Irish Mandolin, the website I started to put together towards the back end of last year.

The regular visitor to the site will notice that I haven't posted a lot of new tunes in the "learn some tunes" section of the site lately.  You'll not be surprised to learn that this is mainly down to the current virus crisis.  For quite a few weeks now both myself and my partner have been largely preoccupied with domestic matters, ensuring that our parents and my son are safe and providing reassurance and whatever practical help we can to get them (and ourselves) through this in one piece with their (and our) physical and mental health intact.  And, of course, we've both been pretty much confined to base - for 24 hours a day more or less for the past couple of weeks.

It makes recording difficult.  We don't have a massive flat and I've tended to record stuff only when I'm alone because a) it's a bit unfair to inflict endless takes of tunes on my long-suffering partner (what? you thought all those recordings were one-takers? I wish!) and b) because that minimises the risk of unexpected sounds (a tap running, a toilet flushing, a phone ringing) intruding on a take that otherwise might have been good to go.

But I haven't forgotten the project.  Not by a long way.  As we settle into our lockdown routine, I'm sure I'll find a way of carving out an hour or so each day to set aside for recording some more tunes.

The enforced confinement to base in London hasn't only impacted on my recording tunes for the website, it's also interfered with a resurrected friendship with an old friend of mine who drifted off-radar for a time.  He's a superb flute-player and whistle-player and a fund of amazing tunes.  Since the start of the year we've been meeting up once a week for tunes in his kitchen - sessions which have gone on into the early hours.  I really miss those long nights of tunes, familiar and novel.  I always came away with one or two tunes that I simply *had* to learn before we next got together.  Here's to more of these kitchen sessions to come when the veil lifts...

Mind you, a very similar experience happened recently in virtual space.  Michael O'Meara from Dublin sent me a solo recording of himself playing "The Nightingale" by Sean Ryan.  As soon as I heard it I was itching to learn it.  It's a superb A Dorian jig which just seems to fit the fingers instinctively.  You can hear Michael play the tune here  https://crosseyirishmandolin.files.w...ightingale.mp3

Which leads me to suggest that if any fellow mandolinists have recordings of tunes or tune sets which you'd like to see featured in the "notable players" section, please feel free to get in touch.  I'd be delighted to showcase some fine Irish traditional mandolinery (or mandolin versions of tunes from neighbouring traditions) in an effort to inspire and to delight the ear.  Let's maybe use some of the time spent at home to create some lovely recordings for the benefit of our fellow traditional mandoliners!

Many thanks to everyone who has visited the site and especially to all those who have made a small donation to help keep it afloat and to those who have made helpful comments since its inception.

Stay well and there'll be some almighty tuneathons when we eventually get the all-clear to emerge from our dugouts.

Aidan

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DougC, 

Eric Platt, 

Erin M, 

Gerry Cassidy, 

Iain Allen, 

Jean Andreasen, 

Jill McAuley, 

Rdeane, 

Surrey Lee, 

Tenzin, 

tjmangum, 

whistler

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## Boatswain

Hi Aidan, 
I was unaware of your website until this morning. What an absolutely fantastic and well-needed resource in the community. Thank you for taking the initiative and embarking on this project! 
Thomas

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Hi Thomas.  Thanks for the words of encouragement.  Much appreciated.   Aidan

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## Aidan Crossey

Two splendid tunes arrived with me over the weekend, from Roy Johnstone.  Flatworld - a waltz composed by the excellent melodeonist Andy Cutting - and Millie's Waltz, composed by Roy himself.  Well worth checking out.  Two beautiful pieces of music, sensitively played with lovely arrangements.

(A quick shout out to Andy Cutting while I'm writing.  I emailed Andy to check that he was OK with my including Roy's version of his tune on my website.  Andy came back within a few hours and was incredibly gracious about giving his permission for the tune to be included.  What a gentleman!)

The usual encouragement to all mandolinists who are into Irish trad (and any of its close cousins).  Please don't hesitate to send me recordings of your work if you'd like to see it featured alongside the other tunes in the "notable players" section.

I’m afraid that my own interest in playing tunes has taken a hit during the current lockdown. For me, a large - the largest? - attraction of the tunes is playing with others, with the bits between tunes being as appealing as the playing itself. Without that stimulus, my tools sometimes seem like an irritating reminder of just how easy it was to have the very best of good times in the recent past. Here’s to a time when they can safely return!

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## Bob Buckingham

Flatworld is a fine waltz. I'll have to look up Millie's not familiar with that one.

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Hi all

A quick favour if I may.

I've recently added "A Tune For Fee" to the original tunes part of my site https://theirishmandolin.com/origina...aidan-crossey/.  I've called it a slow reel but I'm not entirely convinced that it's a slow reel at all.  But it's not a hornpipe, strathspey or barndance so by process of elimination, slow reel seems as close as makes no odds...

Grateful for people's thoughts on this tune.  I've been playing around with it for several years now and think I've got it to the point where I'm ready to "let it go".  But that's often a nerve-racking moment.  :-)

And go gentle!

Aidan

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## MikeyG

> Hi all
> 
> 
> Grateful for people's thoughts on this tune.  
> 
> Aidan


REALLY lovely, Aidan.  Especially on that instrument.  Well done.

MikeyG

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Thanks Mikey.  Encouraging words and much appreciated.   Aidan

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## John Kelly

A lovely composition and great sound from the octave, Aidan.  If you step away from the Irish tradition for a moment it might be classed as a 4/4 march, perhaps.  Or even better, just categorise it as a rather fine air!

Thanks too for posting the notation.

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Aidan Crossey

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## Jill McAuley

What an absolutely LOVELY tune! I could hear that as part of a sound track to a short documentary film of some sort, great stuff!

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

John ... thank you very much for your comment.  I think I'm with you that it doesn't really matter so much what the "tune type" is.  Interestingly, I sometimes play this at a much MUCH slower pace and ignore strict rhythm conventions.  In which case the slow air aspects of the tune come to light.  (I have also - somewhere! - a version of the tune from around 2 or 3 years ago played on electric guitar tuned DGGDAE with lots of heavy metal type distortion.  If I can find it on a hard drive stashed away somewhere, I'll post it as well.  Simply as an illustration that tunes can be played in any number of ways on any number of instruments...)

Jill ... thank you, too, for the very encouraging comment.  When we last "spoke", you were recovering from surgery.  Hope that you're making good progress.  And if so - *embarrassed cough* - perhaps we could continue that earlier discussion.  I would be very excited to see where that might lead.

Y'know what?  In these very testing times when it feels like we're all bearing the weight of the world on our shoulders, it's lifted my spirits no end to be able to have this conversation with fellow musicianers about music.  Not just a pleasant distraction - a lifeline, a constant, the thread which will link the "old normal", the strange "now normal" and, hopefully, whatever "new normal" emerges.

Warm thoughts to both of you.

Aidan

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John Kelly

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## Aidan Crossey

PS - John.  Thanks for the comment about sheet music.  I'll add sheet music versions of the other tunes in the "original tunes" section of the site.  I don't read dots myself, so often overlook the fact that others do!  Thankfully I can read and write abc, so there are lots of places on the web which will convert abc into sheet music.

Aidan

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John Kelly

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## Aidan Crossey

Right - so I've found that "electric" version of A Tune For Fee and I've posted it to the site.  And I've included sheet music for all other tunes in the original tunes section of the site.  Thanks for the comments which prompted this, John!

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John Kelly

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## John Kelly

You are right, Aidan.  The contact with fellow players is so very positive and such a big boost in this time of seclusion.  I am regularly swapping material with some of the folk I generally play along with.  We are pretty much Scottish-based in our selections, but also have lots of other material including Irish, and Canadian, etc.  I play with several fiddlers so the fiddle repertoire is a strong influence, but being a westcoaster by location and birth I have a great liking for pipe tunes!
Stay safe and keep playing.

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Aidan Crossey

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## Jill McAuley

> Jill ... thank you, too, for the very encouraging comment.  When we last "spoke", you were recovering from surgery.  Hope that you're making good progress.  And if so - *embarrassed cough* - perhaps we could continue that earlier discussion.  I would be very excited to see where that might lead.


I've made decent progress with my recovery, but then of course the virus restrictions came into play, so we've been "sheltering in place" here in San Francisco for over a month now. Planning to get something to you re: our earlier conversation soon!

Cheers,
Jill

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Thanks, Jill.  Good to hear that you're making progress.  Onwards and upwards hopefully.  No rush on "our earlier conversation" ... just thought I'd mention it, given that we are in contact again.  Stay safe, keep making good progress and here's to better times when we emerge into a new normal. Aidan

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Jill McAuley

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## Aidan Crossey

Absolutely delighted to say that Jill has taken enormous time and trouble - despite having a lot on her plate! - to record four tracks which I've now posted to The Irish Mandolin.  All are stunning.  But I have a particular weakness for mazurkas and I've found myself listening time and again over the past few days to Jill's version of "Fowley's Mazurka", a 3-parter whose appeal is very difficult to overstate.  Let's just say that if I *wasn't* into the trad and I heard this tune, I'd become an instant convert.  Many many many thanks Jill.  So appreciated!

Secondly, I'm also delighted to have been in touch with a regular here at The Mandolin Cafe who's been sharing ideas with me about possible developments to the site.  Early days yet but I think we're about to launch a new feature ... more to follow when we've fully worked the ideas up.

In the meantime get on over to the site and give Jill's lovely playing a listen!

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Jill McAuley, 

John Bertotti

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## Jill McAuley

Cheers, Aidan - delighted to contribute, thanks for the kind words!

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## Anglocelt

Hi Aidan, I have been delving into your site. There are some great resources here, especially the recordings of notable mandolin players and your own compositions. You have done some great work and I plan to make good use of it in future. A couple of suggestions, though, one is when I try to make a paypal donation, paypal invites me to pay myself rather than to pay your site! There seems to be a problem with your paypal link. If corrected you might find you get an income boost. Second, it could be easier to navigate to some material, e.g. it is not immediately obvious how to reach the great recordings by Jill McAuley and others. You mention there will be developments with the website soon so perhaps you have these issues in hand. Anyway, keep up the good work!
Kevin

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Aidan Crossey

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## Anglocelt

> Absolutely delighted to say that Jill has taken enormous time and trouble - despite having a lot on her plate! - to record four tracks which I've now posted to The Irish Mandolin.  All are stunning.  But I have a particular weakness for mazurkas and I've found myself listening time and again over the past few days to Jill's version of "Fowley's Mazurka", a 3-parter whose appeal is very difficult to overstate.  Let's just say that if I *wasn't* into the trad and I heard this tune, I'd become an instant convert.  Many many many thanks Jill.  So appreciated!
> 
> Secondly, I'm also delighted to have been in touch with a regular here at The Mandolin Cafe who's been sharing ideas with me about possible developments to the site.  Early days yet but I think we're about to launch a new feature ... more to follow when we've fully worked the ideas up.
> 
> In the meantime get on over to the site and give Jill's lovely playing a listen!


I have been enjoying Jill's playing on this site. I have also grown fond of mazurkas recently, in fact I have been exploring all kinds of 3/4 tunes from waltzes to Swedish polskas to French bourees and steering away from faster stuff; either it is lockdown syndrome or I am just slowing down. I have been fond of the slower 3/4 and 9/8 tunes played by the likes of Filarfolket for a while but you don't come across these in Irish sessions. 

Except for the odd mazurka. The one Jill calls Fawley's is usually known as the Barnacle Redowa (a redowa being a Bohemian version of a mazurka, I understand) and you can find it on www.thesession in various versions, including one close to Jills'. Other mazurkas I can recommend are the Donegal Mazurka (a.k.a. the Irsk Mazurka) and the Limerick Redowa. Some Irish tunes called waltzes seem like adapted mazurkas, such as Mrs Kinney's, can go well in sets with mazurkas.

Kevin

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Aidan Crossey, 

Jill McAuley

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## Aidan Crossey

Hi Kevin

Many thanks for the comments.  Much appreciated.

Regarding the website.  I'm genuinely puzzled by the paypal link issue which you mention.  I've had a look at the source widget in wordpress and the button is definitely set to send the money to my email address.  And the occasional donation arrives my way, so I'm assuming that it works for at least some people.

Navigation... Hmmm... Not sure I've cracked that 100%.  I'll have a think.  Perhaps I need to add a few more words to some of the link phrases.  I'll put my thinking cap on.

Finally, thanks for the gen on Fowley's Mazurka.  Now we know!  The obtuse, arcane fog of tune names!  I'll add the name at thesession.

Very best.

Aidan

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## Aidan Crossey

A few updates.

I have made a few tweaks to the homepage which, hopefully, provide a better explanation to visitors how the various parts of the site link up and enable better navigation!

I've recently posted two new tunes to the "original tunes" section.  "Michael Gregory's" and "Benedict's Rambles".  The first is in honour of the eponymous Mr Gregory who has been a very good friend to the mandolin community over the years and has collaborated with me on various parts of my website.  (At the time of writing I have been fortunate to be able to include two tracks of Michael's playing in the "notable players" section of the site - one of them not on mandolin but on C#/D box, which shows Michael's versatility!

Finally - I've launched a "favourite sets" section of the site.  This is intended to be a showcase for all those who love playing Irish music on the mando to share some of the sets you instinctively go to when you're sat at home playing or when you're in company and called upon to start off a set.  You can email your sets using the contact form on the site and I'll do my best to post them as soon as possible after I receive them.

That's all for now.

Stay well.

Aidan

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kmmando

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## Aidan Crossey

So...

I've just renewed my wordpress subscription to keep "The Irish Mandolin" up and running for another year.  Many thanks to the very kind and generous souls out there who have made the occasional donation towards the running costs of the site.  Your support is very much appreciated.

In the early stages of the virus situation I lost a good deal of interest in music.  From conversations with musician friends it would appear that I wasn't alone in that regard.  However as time goes on, I find myself increasingly drawn back again to playing - and listening to - "the tunes" - as a recent rash of new additions to the "learn some tunes" bit of the site testifies.  https://theirishmandolin.com/the-tunes/

This bit of the site continues to attract the most visitors and I hope that some of the tunes here have provided some inspiration to mandolin players who frequent the Mandolin Cafe...

Next in popularity is the bit of the site which showcases mandolin players "in the tradition".  https://theirishmandolin.com/exponen...rish-mandolin/  Some glorious recordings here and again I hope they serve not only as delightful listening but as sources of inspiration.  Please remember that I'd be delighted to showcase any other mandolinists who play trad Irish tunes  (or other related "celtic" musical forms).  Just get in touch with me and send an mp3 and I'll take it from there.

However I appreciate that not everyone feels comfortable recording themselves.  (I sympathise - I'm sure that I can play a tune 100 times without a fluff or a glitch but as soon as I hit the "record" button, my fingers tie up in knots!)  And so I've created a new feature of the site to which I'd like to extend a very warm invitation to contribute.  I've mentioned it before.  https://theirishmandolin.com/mandoli...avourite-sets/ The idea is to allow fellow trad-players to suggest some of their favourite sets.  When you pick up the mandolin - at home or in a session - what are the sets that you instinctively start to play?   Those tunes that flow well into one another and whose fingering just feels "right", that get your head into exactly the right place.  If you'd like to share these with your fellow mandolinists, please feel free to email me via the contact page on the site https://theirishmandolin.com/contact-me/ and I'll be happy to give you an honorable mention.  (And if you'd like to contribute the sets anonymously - or under a pseudonym/"handle" - I'll be happy to oblige.)  I've started the ball rolling with a few of my own favourite sets.  But, frankly, I get a bit tired of the sound of my own voice sometimes, so I'd really appreciate featuring some of my fellow mandolinists' suggestions.

Finally in this update, a big shout-out to Michael Gregory who many frequenters of the Mandolin Cafe will know well.  Michael has been incrediby supportive of my website and has contributed material and ideas which have helped the site develop.  I am deeply indebted to him for his generosity and his sage advice.  As a tribute I named the following tune after him.  It's the most fitting tribute I can think of to a man who has devoted so much time and energy to promoting the cause of the mandolin in Irish music.  https://crosseyirishmandolin.files.w...l-gregorys.mp3 https://crosseyirishmandolin.files.w...l-gregorys.pdf

As you were!

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Francis J, 

Jill McAuley

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## Jill McAuley

Cheers for the update Aidan and what a lovely tune you've named after Michael as well!

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Aidan Crossey

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## Eric F.

I'm so glad I found this thread. Thank you, Aidan, for the wonderful site. And I am now obsessed with playing "A Tune for Fee." It's absolutely lovely.

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Thank you so much for the kind words, Eric.   Im genuinely touched by the sentiment.  Aidan

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you so much for the kind words, Eric.   Im genuinely touched by the sentiment.  Aidan

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## Louise NM

Aidan, I printed out "A Tune for Fee" when you provide the link last spring. I play it almost every day. Besides being a very pretty tune, it includes every note in first position on the mandolin, top to bottom and back. Makes a great warm-up piece.

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Hi Louise... lovely to hear my tune described in such glowing terms.  When it first came to me -almost a case of the tune writing itself! - I wasnt sure if it would move others in the way it spoke to me.

It hasnt occurred to me until reading your observation that it covers the full spectrum of first position in G.  (Of course as a player of Irish trad music, there is no other position! ;-))   So Im glad it serves as a purpose as a warm up/workout as well as being tuneful.

Ive been away from home for a few days and havent been playing music.  Your comments are an inspiration to pick up the mandolin as soon as I get home and play a few tunes.  Thank you...

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## Aidan Crossey

Thanks to a very helpful suggestion from Michael Gregory, I've tweaked the "mandolin players' favourite sets" section so that as well as listing the tunes in the set, I include a link to the relevant page in the "tunes" section of thesession.org and I include a little bit of narrative about the tunes' provenance.  Hopefully these additions will add a bit of interest to this section.

And a reminder before I go that your contributions to this new section of the site and to the mp3 section are always very very welcome.  The more players who contribute, the better.  We all have our own particular takes on the music and the mandolin and we all have something to learn from each other.

Many thanks.

Aidan

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Jill McAuley

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## Joe Dodson

I just stumbled across this thread and your site for the first time today.  Thanks for the terrific resource!

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

I've spent the last few days reorganising and redesigning the "learn some tunes" section of the website.  You may remember that I had set out the tune title, type and key, links to further info and mandolin tablature and finally a sound file in table format.  A friend suggested that since the number of tunes has grown like crazy, it might be an idea to categorise them by tune type (jig, slip jig, reel, etc).  And then to create links in this index to take the viewer directly to the tune in question.  Sadly wordpress doesn't allow for the creation of "anchors" within tables and so I had to completely redesign the format of this section.  However I think the redesign has improved its usefulness.  Grateful to know what others think...  The direct link to the "learn some tunes" page is https://theirishmandolin.com/learn-some-tunes/

I have also created a complementary youtube channel, again as learning resource for mandolinists interested in the Irish musical tradition.  It's still very much in its infancy but will grow over the months ahead.  (Making good use of the long winter nights...)  The address is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVv...HMfjET8I2fQJg/

Again, I'd be very interested to hear what others think.

Very best.

Aidan

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Jean Andreasen

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## Ed McGarrigle

Aidan,
Thank you so much!
I dont know beans about technology but that must have been a ton of work. As a beginner mandolin player and a relative newcomer to the music The Irish Mandolin is a real gift.
Your inexpressible delight thread has triggered a hornpipe jag and the new format provides a nice comprehensive introduction.
Ill probably have to get some ink for the printer as I begin to assemble The Crossey Collection
Many thanks
Ed

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

So...

Having redesigned the nucleus of "The Irish Mandolin", i.e. the "learn some tunes" page, I'm now slowly trawling through the site to make upgrades to some of the earlier tablature and - where I come across them - recordings which suffer from background hiss.  (I've got my hands on some better recording equipment since I first started creating sound files for the site and the quality of some of the earlier recordings leaves a lot to be desired in comparison to the results which I can get from the new gear...)

This process of cleaning things up will take some time and it gets in the way of adding new tunes.  But slowly, surely I'll get there.

In the meantime, I've created a YouTube channel which I hope will turn out be a useful tune learning resource for people. Each video pulls up sheet music and mandolin tab for the tune in question so the viewer can play along with my sound flle.  YouTube has an excellent feature whereby in the settings for each video the viewer can adjust the playback speed to half or quarter speed without affecting the pitch of the original recording.  Check out the channel - currently growing at the rate of around 5 videos per day - at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVv...HMfjET8I2fQJg/

And finally, for those on Twitter, I've created a Twitter account in the past few days where I post updates about tweaks and additions to the website and the YouTube channel.  My profile page is www.twitter.com/TheMandolin  If you're a Twitter user, why not follow me there?

Back to upgrading those tabs now!

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gortnamona, 

Jill McAuley

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## Aidan Crossey

Another update from yours truly.

I'm ploughing my way through upgrading the tablature files on the "learn some tunes" page of the website - www.theirishmandolin.com  When I originally set the site up I was manually tabbing tunes in MS Word and some of those early tabs look a little "prehistoric" now.  So I've been using the abc converter function at mandolintab.net to generate tabs which are much easier on the eye.  (And because there's a midi generator built into the abc converter routine, it's much easier to check that the tabs are accurate before I post them...)  It's a mammoth task, to be honest.  I reckon I'm only about a third of the way through this upgrading process and there's still quite a lengthy list of tabs that need upgrading.  But sure, it's a task that will keep me out of mischief during these beak days of winter.

I've also been populating my YouTube channel with very simple videos which are designed to help people learn tunes in mandolin-friendly settings.  The concept is quite simple - the screen simply displays tablature (and "dots") for the tune while a recording of yours truly playing (attempting might be a better word in some cases!   :Laughing:  ) the tune on mandolin plays in the background.  Unlike videos of maestrae/maestri such as Jill McAuley, Marla Fibish, Dan Beimborn and others, these videos aren't dazzling displays of technique and virtuosity.  Instead they're designed to give those new or relatively new to Irish music (or new to the particular tune in question!) an idea of its gist.  One of YouTube's great features is the ability in the settings button of each video to slow down the soundtrack to 0.75, 0.5 or 0.25 times the original speed without altering the pitch.  Ideal way to learn tunes if the listener finds the original speed a tad too brisk... I've lost count of the number of videos I've posted so far but I'm sure it's close to 200 with many more on the sidelines awaiting their turn to make the team!  A reminder of the YouTube channel again https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVv...HMfjET8I2fQJg/

My twitter account provides a more or less "real-time" update on all new additions/improvements to both the website and my YouTube channel.  In addition, I aim to post every day at least one classic (non-mandolin - cos man doesn't live by bread alone!) Irish Trad album track that has featured significantly in my many years of listening and at least one superb mandolin track/video that I've come across over the years.  It's a good way of keeping on top of stuff that I'm doing and if you're a twitter user, I's be really pleased to follow you if you follow my twitter feed and drop me a quick hello.  My twitter account is at https://twitter.com/TheMandolin

Finally, before I sign off this post, I wrote a polka a few days ago as a tribute to my wee nephew Louis (6 years old at the time of writing) who is an endless source of fascination (and pride) to his parents and my partner and I on account of his sheer competence at all manner of domestic chores and his willingness to roll his sleeves up and get stuck in.  It's called The Tiny Butler and you can find it on the original tunes page of my website https://theirishmandolin.com/origina...aidan-crossey/ or here at YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDagCByRy8A

Anyway, thanks to those who've read today's despatch from the front line and to all who have visited my website, viewed my YouTube channel and followed my twitter account.  In these strange and isolating days, it's a great way to maintain a form of social contact with musicianers that is sorely lacking outside of cyberspace!

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Bren, 

Jill McAuley

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## Aidan Crossey

A few words, mainly to say thank you to those at the cafe who have provided help, encouragement and inspiration over the course of the past year.  It's been a tough one for all of us and I'm sure that Christmas will be somewhat more bleak and sombre for many of us than normal - and that the next few weeks and months will also be tough.

For me, personally, the music has been something of a consolation.  My website and youtube channel projects have been a great diversion and given 2020 a sense of purpose and "mission" that otherwise might have been sorely missing.

I hope that all who read this post have gained some consolation from the tunes and that you'll continue to find some consolation from them in the time to come.

Very best wishes.

Aidan

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Iain Allen, 

Jill McAuley, 

kmmando, 

MikeyG, 

Rich Benson, 

sgarrity, 

Steve-o

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## Aidan Crossey

I managed - with some considerable expenditure of time and effort - to complete the "re-tabbing" exercise I referred to in my post of 10th December.  And I've even managed to find time to add a few wholly new posts to both the "learn some tunes" page https://theirishmandolin.com/learn-some-tunes/  and the "original tunes" page https://theirishmandolin.com/origina...aidan-crossey/

In the past couple of days I've also posted up a few tracks from an up-and-coming young mandolinist, Caitríona Lagan from Co. Derry.  Only 14 and already a very stylish and tasteful player.  Surely she's got a grand future ahead of her... see https://theirishmandolin.com/exponen...rish-mandolin/

I was very honoured towards the end last year to have been gifted a truly lovely mandolin by Michael Gregory - who many mandolin cafe regulars will know well.  It has since rarely been out of my hands.  Can't remember ever having played an instrument which has so inspired me.  I've written a short piece and provided some pictures at https://theirishmandolin.com/the-go-...cial-mandolin/

A reminder to all members of this niche within the mandolin community that I'm always very happy to showcase mandolinists who play in Irish (or related) musical genres in the "notable players" section of the site.  Please get in touch via here or b via the contact me page at the website https://theirishmandolin.com/contact-me/

But I appreciate that many of us simply love playing - and don't necessarily feel confident about exposing out playing to the ears of the world.  In which case maybe you'd like to share with fellow mandolinists the sets that you've developed over the years.  I'd be happy to include these in the "mandolin players' favourite sets" page within the site.  See https://theirishmandolin.com/mandoli...avourite-sets/  I'd love to be able to let other mandolin players within our particular neck of the woods know what their musical comrades are playing...

On a personal note, I've found myself being increasingly attracted to the idea of playing tunes at speeds way below normal session velocity and find that this approach often brings out a dark, melancholy atmosphere - even when the tune at session speed might be quite sprightly.  See what you think.  Here are two examples.  The Lilies Of The Field https://crosseyirishmandolin.files.w...-o-v2-slow.mp3 and Love At The Endings https://crosseyirishmandolin.files.w...ow-version.mp3

That's all for now in this thread.

Thanks again to all who have provided support, assistance, tunes(!) and more.  Much appreciated.

Aidan

----------

Eric Platt, 

Jill McAuley, 

MikeyG

----------


## Jill McAuley

What a gorgeous mandolin, Mike is the salt of the earth!

----------

Aidan Crossey, 

MikeyG

----------


## Eric Platt

What a stunning mandolin. Really nice looking. And very nice playing, too. 

And, yes, it's sometimes fun to play the tunes slower than "standard". But if you get too slow, then you might end up in Martin Hayes territory. (Saying that with tongue firmly in cheek. Have been watching and admiring his playing since the late 1980's.) Giving tunes the time to breathe sometimes makes all the difference.

----------

Aidan Crossey, 

MikeyG

----------


## Aidan Crossey

> What a gorgeous mandolin, Mike is the salt of the earth!


You're not wrong there, Jill.  A gentleman and (literally!) a scholar.  I'm very fortunate to have made his acquaintance, regardless of the gift he made me.  Simply being able to share our mutual enthusiasm has been a pleasure and an inspiration beyond words.

----------

Jill McAuley, 

MikeyG

----------


## Aidan Crossey

> And, yes, it's sometimes fun to play the tunes slower than "standard". But if you get too slow, then you might end up in Martin Hayes territory. (Saying that with tongue firmly in cheek. Have been watching and admiring his playing since the late 1980's.)


I was talking to a fiddler friend a while back.  It turns out we were both at a gig by The Gloaming at the Union Chapel in London a few years ago (although we didn't bump into each other at the time).  We were reminiscing about the gig and I mentioned that I have never been so moved by music as when Martin Hayes played his incredibly sloooooooow version of The Sailor's Bonnet.  It was my equivalent of a beatific vision.  Turns out she felt exactly the same.

That one moment will stay with me all my life and while I wouldn't say it profoundly changed my way of playing at the time, its influence has been very long-lasting and it's possibly only now - having been given a mandolin which is truly a quality instrument with just the right amount of sustain - that I'm able to approach the tunes at this very slow pace...

(Having said all of the above when Mr Hayes decides it's time to "give her the diddy" (as they say in North Armagh where I come from), he can fairly let rip!)

And thanks for the kind words about my playing, Eric.  Much appreciated.  Really.

Aidan

----------

Eric Platt

----------


## Aidan Crossey

I've added a new page to the site.

Those who follow my Twitter feed (a mere handful, tbh) which kicked off in November 2020 will know that now I've got rhythm going there, most days I post a link to a track from a classic Irish trad (or related) album track or live video and a piece of mandolin music that I've come across on YouTube which has impressed me.  I thought I'd start keeping a list of these and have now created a "recommended listening" page.  https://theirishmandolin.com/recommended-listening/

I've chosen to list only material which is available via YouTube because as far as I know YouTube doesn't require subscriptions to listen (it certainly doesn't from the UK and Ireland) and lots of the mandolin players whose music I enjoy use YouTube as their primary (only?) method of getting their music in front of listeners.

Could be a useful resource in due course for ideas and inspiration.  Or simply for an hour or so of browsing for enjoyment...

G'luck.

Aidan

----------

Eric Platt, 

gortnamona, 

Jill McAuley, 

kmmando

----------


## Aidan Crossey

I'm really excited to say that I was asked to take part in the excellent Blarney Pilgrims podcast.  I chatted and played a few tunes last week and the podcast is now available for listening.  Beware - it's quite loooooooooooong.

https://www.blarneypilgrims.com/epis...rview-mandolin

----------

Paul Cowham

----------


## Jill McAuley

> I'm really excited to say that I was asked to take part in the excellent Blarney Pilgrims podcast.  I chatted and played a few tunes last week and the podcast is now available for listening.  Beware - it's quite loooooooooooong.
> 
> https://www.blarneypilgrims.com/epis...rview-mandolin


Oh, well done! Looking forward to listening to this - I love the Blarney Pilgrims podcast!

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## foldedpath

That is a great podcast, excellent for getting perspectives on The Music from a variety of different angles. Looking forward to this one!

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

> Oh, well done! Looking forward to listening to this - I love the Blarney Pilgrims podcast!


Let's hope my contribution doesn't spoil your grá for the series, Jill.  ;-)

----------


## Aidan Crossey

> That is a great podcast, excellent for getting perspectives on The Music from a variety of different angles. Looking forward to this one!


There's most definitely some unexpected angles in this particular one... it's an unscripted conversation which, just like conversations "in real life" sometimes take all manner of twists and turns...

----------


## Greg Ashton

Just finished listening to the Blarney Pilgrims podcast, Aidan. Well done. It always impresses me when the guests are so generous in sharing their stories.

What mandolin were you playing? Sounded great.

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Thanks so much, Greg, for the kind words.  Much appreciated.  It was quite nerve-racking prior to doing the interview.  Darren explained beforehand that his approach is very unscripted and the podcasts tend to run on until the interviewee runs out of steam.  I wasn't sure that I could hold the audience's attention for very long.  (Or my own, to be fair...)

The mandolin I played throughout has been hand-built by Mike Gregory, who is quite well known to many on this forum.  I have written about the mandolin here https://theirishmandolin.com/the-go-...cial-mandolin/

Thanks again.

Aidan

----------

Jill McAuley

----------


## Bren

Thanks Aidan.

I'm a fan of the BP podcast and noticed you were due on it. Haven't listened yet, but will do soon.

It's funny how the loudest instrument at home isn't always the one that stands up best in a pub session.

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Paul Cowham

Hi Aidan, 
I've just listened to you on the Blarney Pilgrim's podcast, I wasn't aware of this podcast before - so thanks!

I also really enjoyed hearing you talk and play the mandolin. Long in-depth discussions appeal to me and make a nice change from the brevity of much communication on the internet.

My parents-in-law live in South East London, so once things have eased on the covid front and I'm down there, perhaps we could hook up and play a tune together at a session or similar?
cheers,
Paul

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

> Thanks Aidan.
> 
> I'm a fan of the BP podcast and noticed you were due on it. Haven't listened yet, but will do soon.
> 
> It's funny how the loudest instrument at home isn't always the one that stands up best in a pub session.


Sorry I haven't replied sooner, Bren.  Can't keep up with life at the moment!  I'd strap in if you're going to give the podcast a listen - it's a lengthy ramble!  But do please let me know what you think if you do get around to it!

Very best.

Aidan

----------


## Aidan Crossey

> Hi Aidan, 
> I've just listened to you on the Blarney Pilgrim's podcast, I wasn't aware of this podcast before - so thanks!
> 
> I also really enjoyed hearing you talk and play the mandolin. Long in-depth discussions appeal to me and make a nice change from the brevity of much communication on the internet.
> 
> My parents-in-law live in South East London, so once things have eased on the covid front and I'm down there, perhaps we could hook up and play a tune together at a session or similar?
> cheers,
> Paul


Hi Paul...

Apologies for not replying sooner.

As chance would have it, my son lives in Manchester at the minute where he's studying and so - in non Covid times (remember them?  even vaguely?) - I find myself there two or three times a year.  So when travel becomes a possibility again it would be great to share a few tunes either in SE London or in Manchester. 

Take care and keep in touch.

Aidan

----------


## Paul Cowham

Hi Aidan,
No need to apologise! I hope your son is enjoying life in Manchester, albeit in these difficult times. A tune in either SE London or Manchester would be great once things start to get back to some kind of normal. I do have many fond memories of fun and craic at sessions pre lockdown... There were loads of sessions in Manchester, something that I took for granted back then. That said, we had our second (and last) baby last September, so having a baby and "toddler" in the house would have tempered my freedom to explore the rich musical life of Manchester anyway, although I'm not complaining.

cheers Paul  :Smile: 

PS, on listening to your podcast, I was impressed with your mandolin playing, especially given that you seemed to start comparatively late in life with no teaching, at least compared to the "virtuosi", who all seem to start young (in any genre or on any instrument).

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Hi Paul... He is, indeed, enjoying life in Manchester.  Even though he's in lockdown, he at least has the ability there to socialise with the people in his house. so he feels less lonely than he would do if he was back in London.  And he's looking forward to the lifting of restrictions so he can get back into all that Manchester has to offer (i.e. a lot!).

Thanks for the kind comments about my playing.  I'm reconciled to the fact that I'm never going to be a virtuoso.  And indeed in recognition of that I've made a conscious decision to try to keep my playing as simple and unadorned as possible.  When I started playing, I used to think that speed and technical flourishes were "the thing".  But the pursuit of those false idols* held me back from enjoying the music.  I realise now that for me - others may disagree and they're perfectly entitled to! - the enjoyment comes from being able to play the tune at a pace I'm comfortable with and playing "the tune" rather than "the mandolin".  Once I recognised that, and started playing to suit myself rather than chasing some pipedream I found that my passion for the tunes and the mandolin rekindled...

Cheers...

Aidan

*I can be a pretentious eejit sometimes!

----------

Paul Cowham

----------


## clachanmusic

Well said Aidan.  The music is for all of us, not just the weirdly gifted.  Relax, enjoy a stride not a gallop.
John

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

_Moderator edit:_ Please refrain from commerce in the Forum, as per Guidelines. The Classifieds section is more appropriate.

----------

Bill McCall, 

Eric Platt, 

Jill McAuley, 

MikeyG, 

Paul Cowham

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Jill McAuley has very graciously allowed me to use one of the tunes she's played on her excellent YouTube channel (from which I get much inspiration!) to enable she and I to play a "virtual duet".  One of my very favourite hornpipes - The Showman's Fancy.  Jill on banjo and yours truly on Mike Gregory's hand-built and truly superb "G&O #34".  I hope you enjoy ...  https://youtu.be/BRPBvWjtiIw

----------

Cary Fagan, 

Eric Platt, 

gortnamona, 

Jill McAuley, 

whistler

----------


## whistler

I learned _The Showman's Fancy_ in C, after hearing played in that key by Pat O'Connor on a compilation called _Music and Song from East Clare_, which I picked up on cassette in Scarriff one August.  After perhaps 20 years of playing it in C, I have only just realised that he has the fiddle tuned down a tone! (The tune he follows it with, _Cronin's Hornpipe_, is in F and he plays it an octave down, going right down to F below the open G.)  I have proabably had to play it in D before when it's come up in a session, but I like playing it in C on my own  call it 'two for the price of one'.

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Wow... I tried transposing The Showman's Fancy into C and it turned from being a tune which is so mando-friendly that it practically plays itself into a rubik's cube of a tune.  Fair play to you for getting your head around it in C!  You've got a fine musical brain...

----------


## Aidan Crossey

A while ago, in another thread, I recommended Jon Antonsson's website which is aimed at Irish flute players but which contains a number of tools such as drones in a variety of keys and a "bodhrán metronome" which have appeal to players of just about any instrument.  Jon's website is here - and it's well worth a visit!  https://www.tunesandtools.com/

I don't know about you, but I find it very difficult to play alongside standard metronomes - either the old-fashioned "pendulum" types or the computerised click/pulse types.  But I find it a lot easier to play alongside Jon's bodhran metronome and it's a great help to keep a tune grounded (like many people I have a tendency if left completely to my own devices to speed up way beyond my intended pace).

I decided today to record a set of reels and a set of jigs to illustrate how the metronome can be used as a practice aid.  The set of reels - Miss Monaghan/The Monaghan Twig - is played alongside Jon's reel metronome set at 80bpm.  The set of jigs - Junior Crehan's/Willie Clancy's Secret Jig - is played alongside Jon's jig metronome set at 110bpm.  Both are available to listen to at this page of The Irish Mandolin website https://theirishmandolin.com/traditi...aidan-crossey/

Or you can listen to them directly via the following links:

https://crosseyirishmandolin.files.w...pm-g-and-o.mp3

https://crosseyirishmandolin.files.w...pm-g-and-o.mp3

----------

gortnamona, 

Jill McAuley, 

Simon DS

----------


## Aidan Crossey

A lot of my efforts in recent days - as well as the usual focus on traditional Irish tunes - have been on original compositions.

I've been delighted to be able to share four polkas written by Michael Gregory - The Tettegouche Polkas Number 1 and 2 and The Castle Danger Polkas Number 1 and 2.  You can hear Michael playing the tunes at this page https://theirishmandolin.com/exponen...rish-mandolin/ and he has kindly allowed me to create tune learning resources which can be found at this page https://theirishmandolin.com/learn-some-tunes/

In the past few weeks, inspired by some truly lovely playing by Jill McAuley on her new Frank Tate tenor guitar, I have also got my hands on a tenor guitar (which I jokingly call "an maindilín mór").  It's a pretty basic, bottom of the range Ashbury AT-40 and despite some shortcomings (notably a rather chunkier neck than ideal) it's got some sterling qualities.  For one thing, it's inspired a little wave of creativity.  There's something about adjusting to a new tone palette and navigating a different scale length which has given me a bit of a jolt.  And so in the past few days I've written a few tunes which I'm feeling quite pleased with.  A mazurka called The Kindness Of Strangers (in tribute to the many strangers who have been so supportive of my efforts since I first started my website and associated other web endeavours).  A jig called Miss Benson's Fancy (dedicated to my partner's long-time best friend who has been something of a cheerleader for my music; thank you Miss Benson!).  And finally, hot off the press today, a hornpipe which I'm particularly pleased with which I call The Seven Derries.  (The name is explained in some detail.)  All of these can be found at the "original tunes" page https://theirishmandolin.com/origina...aidan-crossey/ )

And finally, while I'm here, I've started work on compiling volume 2 of The Irish Mandolin Tunebook.  I hope to be able to say more about this in a little while, once it's ready to roll.

In the meantime, many thanks to all for your continued support.  Much appreciated.

Aidan

----------

gortnamona, 

Jill McAuley

----------


## Jill McAuley

What a lovely bunch of tunes - I particularly like the B part of The Seven Derries hornpipe!

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

GRMMA, Jill.  That's really kind of you to say.  Part 1 of The Seven Derries kind of wrote itself but I spent quite a bit of time on part 2.  It was going nowhere until I hit on the "GBdg BedB" sequence in bar 2 and then I saw how to give the turn some shape.  Anyway I'm really pleased you like it.  And, ahem, if you ever feel like giving it a go, I'd be really pleased to hear the results!  :Wink:   Aidan

----------

Jill McAuley

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Volume 2 of the Irish Mandolin Tunebook is now complete...

----------

gortnamona, 

Jill McAuley

----------


## Aidan Crossey

I'm an awful geek sometimes.  Not just about Irish Traditional Music.  Not just about mandolinery.  I've drawn up some stats about the YouTube channel which complements/quasi-mirrors The Irish Mandolin website.  Current as at 19 May 2021 and I think I might be tempted to update this every 6 months or so...

----------


## Aidan Crossey

And something similar relating to my website.

----------

gortnamona, 

Jill McAuley

----------


## Aidan Crossey

A dispatch from the trenches...

Regular visitors to my website and YouTube channel will have noticed that I've been revisiting some of the earlier sound files which I've uploaded to both places.  Earlier this month I I took the opportunity to review the sound quality of the sound files in the videos which I posted to the website and the complementary YouTube channel when I first established it in November 2020.  My original recordings were made with recording equipment which was a little more primitive than my current set-up and I hadn't figured out how to remove ambient noise from the sound files.  I'm now using a Zoom H1n digital recorder and I clean away ambient noise and normalise the sound file to -3dB using Audacity software.  I'm also playing a much punchier mandolin (my G&O #34 ) than the Eastman MD304 which features on those early recordings.  Therefore I decided to re-record the "offending" sound files with updated and improved versions.  From time to time in these "revisited" sound files and tune learning videos I play the tunes in both a mandolin version and a tenor guitar version, each of which hopefully spotlights different aspects of the tune in question.  I also tend to play each tune at least twice-through rather than simply once as was the case when I began recording sound files as tune learning aids.  I hope these new recordings are easier on the ear and a better aid to learning tunes than the original sound files.

You'll appreciate that this is a pretty gargantuan task... There are a lot of sound files that need "revisiting" and because I'm playing each one through at least twice and often in 2 separate versions, the effort is pretty much multiplied!  Still.  From my perspective it's all practice!

In other news, I've been collaborating with John Cradden (known to those on this forum as "clachanmusic") who runs the website www.thecelticmandolin.co.uk.  John first got in touch with me a few months ago after he'd heard one of my original compositions called "Michael Gregory's".  As well as being a fine mandolinist, John has a talent for arranging tunes for multiple mandolins and he spotted the tune's potential as a vehicle for such arrangements.  And so an acquaintanceship was born which has blossomed somewhat over the last few months with occasional correspondence about this or that aspect of the music.  Very recently John and I have been working remotely on a series of musical collaborations.  I've been sending John some sound files of tunes that I've recorded and he's been working at his end on turning these solo recordings into something much more polished and "full".  It's quite a slow process - both John and I are trying to fit this into all of the other stuff we have going on in our lives.   However I'm pleased to say that the first of our collaborative efforts is now available to listen to.  I'm playing the jig set "Junior Crehan's/Willie Clancy's Secret Jig" on mandolin with accompaniment by John on his bouzouki (which he has made himself from a repurposed former 12-string guitar).  I can't begin to tell you how lovely it is as a melody player to hear my music given such a lift from being backed by a musician like John who understands this music intimately and perfectly and whose swathes of colour and depth turn a sketch into a proper painting!  More to come in due course; we're bouncing arrangement ideas around in the background at the time of writing.   But for the meantime I hope you enjoy the set below...




Last week my partner and I had a few days away and it gave me the opportunity to meet up with Jeremy Keith, who founded and manages http://thesession.org.  As well as being the brains behind what has turned out to be one of the most comprehensive Irish traditional tune collections on the web, Jeremy is a fine mandolinist (and bouzoukist and guitarist and singer...).  No tunes were had, sadly - this time around, at least! - but a few beers in the early evening sunshine just about made up for that as we talked trad at each other for a few hours.  A souvenir below...



During the conversation, I floated an idea to Jeremy for a collaborative web-based venture which I'm still mulling over.  It might be a little too much work for me to take on just at the minute (I'm about to start a 6-9 month contract shortly which will wreak havoc on the amount of time I have available for passion projects).  But I'm thinking through how I can get it up and running in such a way that it's as straightforward as possible for both myself and potential collaborators.  More on this in future updates if it eventually gets off the ground...

That's it for now.  Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to visit my website and/or YouTube channel or who has otherwise been a supporter of my endeavours.  Very much appreciated.

Aidan

----------

Jill McAuley, 

John Kelly, 

Paul Cowham

----------


## Jill McAuley

What a lovely set of jigs Aidan, the bouzouki is such a great addition too!

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Thanks, Jill.  Really kind of you to say.  Two of my favourite jigs and each associated with a real legend in the tradition...  And I'm a very lucky man to have made the acquaintance of people such as John Cradden who are prepared to go out of their way to make a contribution to my efforts to GDAEvangelise!

----------


## Aidan Crossey

I mentioned in my post above on 22 June that I had a new idea for a collaborative venture in mind.

Well, I'm pleased to say that it's now seen the light of day.

The idea is a series of playlists, each associated with a single letter of the alphabet, which I've called "An A to Z of Irish Traditional Music".  Three playlists are now live - "D", "G" and "J" in collaboration with Darren O'Mahony, Michael Gregory and John Williamson respectively.  Others are in development as various of my contacts are mulling over ideas for their "desert island discs for the trad-obsessed".

Check it out at https://theirishmandolin.com/an-a-to...itional-music/

----------

Jill McAuley

----------


## Aidan Crossey

The "A to Z" that I mentioned in my previous post is now starting to grow...  I was very pleased yesterday to be able to collaborate with Jill McAuley.  Our joint playlist is the latest addition to the series.  As you'd expect, Jill's selections focus on GDAE instruments.  Check the playlists out here https://theirishmandolin.com/an-a-to...itional-music/

----------

Simon DS

----------


## Simon DS

Many thanks Aidan, great playlists for sure.
Love the tunes with Marla Fibish and others in the coffee shop.

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Thanks, Simon for the kind words.  Much appreciated.  Aidan

----------


## Aidan Crossey

If any cafe members would like to contribute to the series of collaborative playlists, An A to Z Of Irish Traditional Music (see https://theirishmandolin.com/an-a-to...itional-music/) please get in touch either by reply to this post in the forum or, if you'd rather keep your head below the parapet(!), by direct message.  I'll then send (reasonably) detailed notes to enable you to take part in what is an interesting parlour game on one level but an informative, entertaining and educational venture on another!

----------


## Aidan Crossey

I've just paid this year's renewal fees for The Irish Mandolin and I thought it might be an opportune moment to give a bit off an update on how the site has been developing over the last little while.

The "learn some tunes" page https://theirishmandolin.com/learn-some-tunes/ continues to be the primary raison d'être for the site and over the past few months I've been concentrating on recording improved sound files to accompany the sheet music and tab.  Originally I was recording using mandolins and recording tools which didn't deliver the sort of results I'm now able to obtain and so I'm revisiting the recordings and gradually re-recording those whose sound quality leaves something to be desired.  (I wish I could say that the quality of my actual *playing* has improved since the first recordings but I'm not sure I could say that in all honesty...)

But of course, I'm adding the odd new tune as well as revisiting old recordings and at some stage, when I've cleaned up as many of the original recordings as need improvement, I'll be able to focus again on adding to the stock of new tunes.

The pace at which I've been able to do this has slowed down a little.  Various reasons. 

One is that I've picked up a contract for work which leaves me less time than in the past year or so to devote to music.

However my attention has also been diverted by spending time on compiling the various playlists in the series "An A to Z of Irish Traditional Music" https://theirishmandolin.com/an-a-to...itional-music/ which took up far more of my time than I ever imagined it would. But I'm really pleased with the results.  In a while I'm going to put out further feelers to musical friends and acquaintances to see if anyone's interested in adding to the series.  But I'd also be very happy for members of the cafe to approach me directly if you'd like to collaborate on a playlist. (Those who have taken part so far have really enjoyed the experience...). You can, of course, contact me via the direct messaging feature on the cafe.

There's still occasional interest from people in both of my mandolin Tunebooks https://theirishmandolin.com/buy-the...olin-tunebook/  There was an initial flurry of interest when they were launched which then settled down over time.  But they continue to be of interest to people and I've had some very nice feedback from folks who have found them useful in furthering their Irish mandolinery...

And finally another thing which has been diverting me from re-recording tunes and recording new ones is a side project - Mildew Lisa - which I started to develop over the course of the summer.  It might raise a few eyebrows, particularly among those who know just how puritanical I may appear to be about Irish music.  It's a project which I call "lo-fi cybertrad" and, in essence, it's Irish music made without the benefit of flesh and blood, wood and wire.  The tunes are very much at the heart of this project but they're "played" on electronic instruments with voicings and beats which are far from traditional.  The inspiration for this project comes from many sources.  For example, there's the fusing of electronica and trad which Kane O'Rourke has pursued; there's the sort of production which Jim Higgins has pioneered - for example on Breda Smyth's Bachelor's Walk; there's the experiments on keyboards for which Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin was renowned.  However one of the other influences on this music has been my background in punk where one of the maxims of some the outfits I've put together has been not to worry too much about "the rules" and "just do it".  

One of my friends, on hearing some of the material I have been working on, feared that it might be too much of a distraction from my mandolin playing.  However the irony is that I think of this music as mandolin music in the sense that every note has been written on mandolin and then translated afterwards into code to generate the melodies (and counter melodies, bass lines, etc in some tunes or sets).  You can find out more about this project at https://theirishmandolin.com/mildew-lisa/ where you can hear samples of 12 tracks on the mp3 album "Electric Nyah, Volume 1" and you can download a complete track for free - Farewell To Ireland/The High Reel.

And that's it for the moment.  When I renew my subscription for the website, it prompts me to look back over developments in the past year and to look forward to how the site might further develop over the year to come.  I'm pleased to say that there's life in the dog!

Aidan

----------

Jill McAuley, 

MikeyG, 

Peter Reynolds

----------


## danb

Good stuff Aidan. I've been hitting the Howl at the Moon in Hoxton now and again, let me know if you're up for one in a couple weeks

----------

Aidan Crossey

----------


## Aidan Crossey

Good to hear from you, Dan.  I'll message you privately to see what we can arrange...  Aidan

----------


## Aidan Crossey

A quick update ... a sort of "almost the end of year" stocktake.

I'm really pleased that my humble efforts to evangelise the cause of Irish music played on mandolin seem to be appreciated by many in the mandolin community.  Both my website and YouTube channel seem to be well-used.

Over the course of the last year to date, the videos at my YouTube channel have been viewed 50,056 times.  That's probably very small beer indeed to professional influencers but to someone operating in what is essentially a niche within a niche, it proves that there's value in what I do and so it spurs me on to keep up the work.

As far as the website is concerned, 8,162 visitors downloaded/viewed 46,953 separate resources.  Again those sorts of figures keep me motivated!

The downside of creating the tune learning resources for both my website and the YouTube channel is that I focus very much on tabbing out and playing individual tunes and of course the real heart of Irish trad is combining individual tunes into sets.  So I've started to set a little time aside to record a few sets now and again.  Here are three examples of recent sets that I've been playing and have decided to record.




The Connaughtman's Rambles/Tiocfaidh Tú Abhaile Liom?




The Teetotallers/The Virginia




An Rogaire Dubh/Na Ceannabháin Bhána

The last of these features tenor guitar and mandolin.  I changed computer a while back and I hadn't been able to figure out how to overcome latency issues in order to create overdubs.  However I persevered with the instructions a few days ago and have managed to make the necessary corrections to the settings of Audacity.  So I'll likely make a few more such "duet" or even "trio" recordings in future.

One final thing.  A little while back I launched a feature on the website called an A to Z of Irish Traditional Music which was, in essence, a series of playlists many of which are collaborative ventures with musical acquaintances.  See https://theirishmandolin.com/an-a-to...itional-music/ I'm very much still open to further collaborations so if anyone would like to participate, please get in touch!

That's all for now...

Thanks for reading.

Aidan

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gortnamona, 

Nbayrfr

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## Aidan Crossey

I thought I'd share a recently (as in 2 days ago!) composed tune with you.  It's a 3/4 march in G Major which occurred to me as I was noodling around with a venerable 3/4 march associated with the O'Sullivan clan called The Eagle's Whistle.  3 versions of the tune in this video - mandolin solo, tenor guitar double-tracked and finally tenor guitar and mandolin together.  Rough recordings but hopefully you'll get the gist.  It's called *The Hound's Gowl* - which will be a term familiar to those members of the cafe who, like myself, were "rared" in the North of Ireland.




Aidan

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## Aidan Crossey

Some time ago I came across John Cradden's superb website, http://TheCelticMandolin.co.uk   Shortly afterwards John and I began a correspondence which has led to some interesting online collaborations.  John has an ear - and an ability - for arranging and backing tunes which I simply don't and he offered to take some of my raw, solo mandolinery and add splashes of colour and detail which turn sketches into proper pictures...

Recently John has been working with two of my solo sound files and he sent me through the following.  I'm very pleased with the results and I hope you enjoy them as a sort of "New Year's" gift.

John has said that he may revisit both at some stage, time and energy permitting (he's an incredibly busy man!), so who knows, I may have alternative versions to share further down the line.

Anyhow, here we go.

Nell Fee's - a 3-part polka which I was captivated by when I first heard it.  Lilies Of The Field - a reel which I was introduced to by Michael Gregory (who will be well known to many who frequent this forum) and which has since become one of my favourite tunes.  (Fittingly, I play the reel on a mandolin which Michael made, his G&O #34 which he generously gifted to me about a year ago...)

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Jesse Harmon, 

Randi Gormley

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## Aidan Crossey

A few days ago I composed a polka - The Bottomless Well - and put together a video on my YouTube channel which sort of captures its gestation and eventual delivery...




Aidan

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brunello97

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## Aidan Crossey

Its been a while since Ive updated here.

Ive recently overhauled the about this site section of my website which is now much more comprehensive than previously.  Check it out at https://theirishmandolin.com/about-this-site/  The intention is to give an insight into my musical, ahem, journey, the impetus to create the website in the first place and its subsequent evolution.

Those of you familiar with my website and associated YouTube channel will be aware that my output focuses on tune learning resources  mandolin tab, sheet music and recordings of the tune in question.  However in recent months Ive found it increasingly difficult to make acoustic recordings.  There are a number of significant issues to deal with 1) I live in a flat surrounded by others who are increasingly working from home and there are many day-to-day sounds which leak through from one flat to another which arent a major issue except that microphones tend to emphasise them.  2) I live under the flight path to Heathrow just at the point at which planes begin their final descent and the noise as they drop the landing gear, etc can sometimes be very intrusive indeed.  3) A few weeks ago, someone several doors away commissioned some building work which, again, was very audible on acoustic recordings.  4) And finally my downstairs neighbour has begun work on the demolition of a former jerry-built extension and its replacement with a proper extension  a project which will take 3-4 months.

All of the above was causing me to despair of easily being able to make acoustic recordings again for some considerable time and would thus cause my work rate to slow down considerably.  And so I decided that I would invest in a cheap as chips electric mandolin (Revelation Jaguar) and use it as my primary recording instrument at least until the major building work downstairs has been completed.  I can record direct to my computer and no matter how much extraneous noise is going on around me, it doesnt transfer to the sound file.  Im very pleased that this has allowed me to continue to plough my way through my lengthy to do list and indeed the results have been so pleasing that Im considering upgrading the electric mandolin to a more serious weapon

You may have seen elsewhere on this forum that http://www.tunesource.net now features a number of my YouTube videos and the looping and slow-down functionality which TuneSource feature should significantly add to their value as learning tools

Finally, for the moment, Im working on Volume 5 of The Irish Mandolin tunebook which I hope to be able to publish in the next few weeks.

At the time of writing Im recovering from a case of COVID which completely floored me for a week or so.  Its left me feeling distinctly below par.  But thankfully it hasnt dented my enthusiasm for the tunes!

Until the next update, stay well and keep in touch.

Aidan

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Beanzy, 

kmmando, 

Randi Gormley

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## Aidan Crossey

Every six months or so I like to run some stats on how my website and YouTube channel are performing.  Maintaining both is a lot of hard work and sometimes - in dark moments - I ask myself whether all of the effort is worthwhile.  Thankfully these statistics are quite persuasive in making the case for keeping on keeping on...

Here are the statistics for my website for May 2022.



And here are the statistics for my YouTube channel for May 2022.



Interestingly I had an email from a friend a few days ago who felt that my "output" was more heavily weighted towards jigs than reel and that in his experience, since reels tend to predominate in sessions, perhaps I should start to focus more on reels in future.  Hmm... I kind of wish I was that organised.  When I sit down to make tune learning materials for my website and YouTube channel my usual approach is simply to skim through my (very lengthy) "to do list" and my eye will light on this or that tune which I've been meaning to tab out and record.  That could be a reel, a jig, a hornpipe - whatever.  And that will then lead me on to thinking about this or that other tune which may be related or may be a mirror opposite or just some random spark.  And some days I'm just in a mood for playing hornpipes or jigs (or, indeed, reels for that matter).  I suppose one of the pleasures of doing what I do is that no-one tells me what to do; I set my own agenda.  (Having said that, I occasionally get the odd "request" from people to tab out and play a particular tune or - as has happened recently - to record a couple of tunes VEEEEEERY slowly so that they can hopefully play along more easily than with the current recording.  When people are polite and well-meaning, who can resist? Not me, for sure...)

In other news, my journey into electric mandolinery continues as does extensive work on my downstairs neighbour's flat.  Without the ability to record direct to my PC in this way, I would have had to curtail significantly my "missionary work" (as one of my Twitter pals recently described it).  Indeed I have now upgraded my mandolin to an Epiphone Mandobird VIII.  It's a considerable improvement in many ways on the Revelation Jaguar mandolin which I was using up until I got my hands on the Mandobird.  However both mandolins seem to have a weak e string and no amount of fiddling with string height and with amp settings in GarageBand seems to compensate.  (Except, that is, if I use lots of "punky/"metal" effects in which case the strings tend to growl fairly evenly.  I'm not averse to using such effects from time to time.  I come from a punk rock background and have a real fondness for dirty, aggressive string instrument sounds.  But everything in its place and apart from the odd moment of madness I tend to favour very clean amp settings for recording Irish music.)

And finally for today's update, I have just recently finished compiling Volume 5 of The Irish Mandolin Tunebook.  Each of these outings is a labour of love.  I forget between times just how gruelling it can be to pull together 100 tunes, index them, create hyperlinks etc etc etc.  But the feedback from those who have found the tunebooks useful in their playing makes all that effort worthwhile.

That's it for now.  For the day that's in it, I'll just finish off this update with a hornpipe which I recorded on 1 May 2021.   It's called The First Of May.  How topical is that?!

Aidan

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Beanzy, 

mandocello8

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## Aidan Crossey

From time to time I get a chance to play virtual long-distance mandolin duets with some of my online friends.  I was delighted to be able to make the recording below with John Williamson who takes the lead on his Fylde Signature Touchstone, playing The Hare In The Corn with your truly adding a splash of my Epiphone Mandobird VIII electric mandolin...

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derbex, 

Randi Gormley

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## John Kelly

Nice collaboration, Aidan, and a good way of demonstrating the different tones of the acoustic and electric mandos.

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Time for an update on the usage of my website and its associated YouTube channel.  I sometimes wonder if the amount of time and effort which I put into maintaining both of these is worth it.  That's especially been the case over the past few months when I've been feeling quite unwell - a blood disorder which is being treated and which, hopefully, will be sorted out before long.  It's left me feeling very listless - constantly "running on empty" - and in those circumstances it's very easy to doubt oneself.

Anyway, I take heart from these stats.  It would appear that there's plenty of life in the old dogs yet and the sense of purpose which I get from watching both continue to be well-used is a tonic.

Those 'cafe regulars who visit my site occasionally may have noticed that I've had to reconfigure my "learn some tunes" section.  My initial idea was to have all the tabs and sound files available on one page but the size of the page grew a little too unwieldy and every time I attempted an update of this very large page, it was rejected.  And so I've had to split this section out into four separate pages - albeit with a single "landing page".  I hope this doesn't detract from the site for people.

Anyway.  I'll draw a line here. Energy levels aren't up to gaunching on at great length.

Thanks very much to those of you who have supported these efforts for the past few years.  Much appreciated!

Aidan

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brunello97, 

Denis Kearns, 

MikeyG, 

Ryk Loske

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## Steve Mead

Aiden, I believe many of us can relate to your health issues. Some days it is just one foot in front of the other that gets you to the finish line. To keep plugging on will be the best medicine.
  Whatever works best for you on your site will continue to be wonderful for us who visit it. A tremendous resource, thank you!!

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MikeyG

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## Dagger Gordon

I'm sorry you haven't been well, Aidan.

"Anyway, I take heart from these stats. It would appear that there's plenty of life in the old dogs yet and the sense of purpose which I get from watching both continue to be well-used is a tonic."

That's good to hear. 

Meanwhile life in the Scottish Highlands is fine. Still playing my mandolin!

Kind regards

Dagger

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## Aidan Crossey

> Aiden, I believe many of us can relate to your health issues. Some days it is just one foot in front of the other that gets you to the finish line. To keep plugging on will be the best medicine.
>   Whatever works best for you on your site will continue to be wonderful for us who visit it. A tremendous resource, thank you!!


Thanks, Steve.  Kind words.  And heartening.  Aidan

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## Aidan Crossey

> I'm sorry you haven't been well, Aidan.
> 
> "Anyway, I take heart from these stats. It would appear that there's plenty of life in the old dogs yet and the sense of purpose which I get from watching both continue to be well-used is a tonic."
> 
> That's good to hear. 
> 
> Meanwhile life in the Scottish Highlands is fine. Still playing my mandolin!
> 
> Kind regards
> ...


Thanks, Dagger.   Good to hear that you're still at the mandolin.  I caught your recent (well, not so recent now; time flies!) appearance on David Benedict's weekly mandolin showcase.  Very nice it was, too!  Aidan

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Dagger Gordon

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## Aidan Crossey

A recent new feature on my YouTube channel.  I've begun to use the "Community" feature as a means of sharing info and creating some conversation with visitors to my channel.

See https://www.youtube.com/c/TheIrishMandolin/community

One of the polls which I'm running there asks about people's preferences for learning tunes.  I've been criticised by some of my "seasoned" traditional musician friends for including tablature on my website and YouTube channel as some musicians find tablature to be "spoon-feeding" and reckon that people should learn tunes by ear (for preference) or from sheet music as a fallback. Hmmm.  I'm very wary of *should* and *must* when it comes to learning music and therefore I include tablature alongside sheet music and a recording as an alternative way into the tunes for people. Judging by the results so far of this small and very unscientific self-selected sample there is a demand for tab alongside the other two options.  But it would be great to have a few more views.

If you don't want to leaf through the other posts in my Community section, you can go direct to the poll in question here https://www.youtube.com/post/Ugkx5cd...3ffMYCfd2eggom

Many thanks.

Aidan

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## Michael Snief

I think, there is not the one method that is the holy gral. Different people have different needs or even opportunities. 
I have - for example - not very much chances to join sessions for learning tunes by ear here in my area in Germany. Learning "by ear" is hard just from online videos. So the tabs are very very helpful for me. Others may prefer other methods but there are so many people with different opportunities, talents, knowledge etc out there. I assume a lot of them appreciate your work with the tabs the way I do. Thanks a million for that!

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Aidan Crossey, 

Ryk Loske

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## Aidan Crossey

> I think, there is not the one method that is the holy gral. Different people have different needs or even opportunities. 
> I have - for example - not very much chances to join sessions for learning tunes by ear here in my area in Germany. Learning "by ear" is hard just from online videos. So the tabs are very very helpful for me. Others may prefer other methods but there are so many people with different opportunities, talents, knowledge etc out there. I assume a lot of them appreciate your work with the tabs the way I do. Thanks a million for that!


Thank you for that, Michael.  Much appreciated.  Aidan

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Ryk Loske

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## Ed McGarrigle

In my youth, long before electronic tuners, my initial frustration with playing guitar was simply getting tuned-up by ear. A big part of many failed attempts to learn was probably lack of confidence in my ear: hearing and finding notes, chord changes and such. Sometimes, I still feel guilty about not being able to tune by ear and wish I could play by ear but at as a continuing beginner at age 68, I wonder if that ship has sailed. I am able to recognize when a wrong note is struck and doesnt fit in a melody and listen to a recording and find a right note with the help of The Amazing Slow Downer and tab when I have made a mistake writing out the notes from my Zoom lessons.  And since I dont read the dots what I do is take a tune written written in tab and substitute the note for the fret number. So, instead of fret numbers on the staff/ tab paper I write the notes. So this helps me learn the fretboard and after a bit of practice transcribing from tab to notes is fairly easy
So, while the above isnt from your collection its just a sample of how I use tab and what I have done with tab from The Irish Mandolin website. 
Aidan, once again, thank-you and first and foremost,  be well!

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Aidan Crossey, 

Simon DS

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## Aidan Crossey

That's an interesting approach Ed and if it works for you, then good stuff.  I was able to follow the tune perfectly well from your transcription...

(And by sheer coincidence, Junior Crehan's Hornpipe is nearing the top of my list for recording and the fact that you've shared your take on it is a prompt to me to bump it up the list!)

Aidan

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## Ed McGarrigle

Aidan,
Well, it’s helped me to learn the fretboard— at least in the first position which I suppose is all I will ever need. Referring back to your start of the tab vs by ear discussion
and the way things “should” be done, “Should” implies a moral imperative. I’m for substituting “could” for “should” most of the time.
As for  the above version, that’s the version taught me by my teacher Randy Gosa at the Milwaukee Irish Fest School of Music. I look forward to hearing your take on the tune as yours are usually a little different from the ones I’m taught, which just makes things a little more interesting

Ed

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Aidan Crossey

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## Beanzy

As people say, each to their own. 

But it got me musing about how there's one thing that rankles me a bit with tablature and that's its current presentation across the mandolin publishing world.
Whereas in a fiddle tune book, with just the dots, you get the business presented in as compact and cohesive manner as you can, once TABs are added to the same page for mandolin books, the whole thing explodes into a visual mess. 
The interspersing of alternate lines is useful as a comparison aid, illustration of complex cross-picking patterns, or as a comparison for those trying to transition from tab to dots. 
However for anyone committed to using one ot the other, it's just a waste of space and more clutter having the other one interwoven on the page.
I wonder whether an alternate page approach (dots/TAB) might be better?
From a hard copy perspective, my  preference would be to be able to buy tunes in the format I want & not pay for the waste paper & printing of other formats that mean more page turns. Again giving people the 'each to their own' option of not having to work around (or pay for) the alternative shoe-horned into the pages.
As a dot reader I get around this by not buying books that include both & buying fiddle books.
In Irish trad there are scads of options for the dot readers, as well as software defined solutions (abc readers) which offer either or options, so it's not like we're stuck.
However it does mean that people like me don't really engage with those resources doing the interlaced presentation thing. 
That's possibly a good thing, as I spend too much on books anyway.

Keep up the good work there Aidan & hope you're back on top form again soon.

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Aidan Crossey, 

Bren

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## Aidan Crossey

Hi Ed...

I've posted a version of The Stack Of Rye (Junior Crehan's) to my YouTube channel today.  Interested to know how you think it compares to the version which you were taught.  (Judging by your transcription above, it's pretty close?)




Aidan

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## Tim N

_The Irish Mandolin_ comes up regularly on my Youtube feed. Although I can't remember how that started, it's certainly an awesome resourse, which I only very occassionally use, but which could easily become a full time occupation given time! Every now and then a tune really stands out - recently it was _The Exile._ Thank you that this resource exists. I feel that I barely begin to avail myself of its riches.

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Aidan Crossey, 

gortnamona

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## Aidan Crossey

> _The Irish Mandolin_ comes up regularly on my Youtube feed. Although I can't remember how that started, it's certainly an awesome resourse, which I only very occassionally use, but which could easily become a full time occupation given time! Every now and then a tune really stands out - recently it was _The Exile._ Thank you that this resource exists. I feel that I barely begin to avail myself of its riches.


Lovely words, Tim, and much appreciated.  It's a resource to be dipped into as and when you wish.  I have no plans to step away from either the website or the YouTube channel and for as long as I am able I'll continue to maintain both as a means of making tunes from the Irish musical tradition available and accessible to mandolinists everywhere...

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Tim N

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## Ed McGarrigle

Attachment 204299
So, on first hearing I thought “ yeah, those are the same”. But applying my hybrid tab system the differences seem immediate and fairly substantial although the number of measures that are the same seem to make the differences stand out less. The version I’m learning has a couple triplets I’m not picking up in your version. Some measures are by and large the same with a few different notes and some measures might be the same except for transposed notes. It does make me wonder how those of you accomplished players know what version is up ( especially when there could be 5 different versions colliding). Speaks to the importance of someone like myself attending a session and really paying attention before attempting to join. 
And thanks for posting stack of rye/ jr crehan’s on your YouTube, Aidan.  Maybe it will be the first tune I learn 2 versions of
Ed

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

Hmmm... there is a lot to pore over in your post, Ed.  In fact the issues which you raise lie right at the very hub of "the tunes" and are issues which I've often discussed with friends who play this music.  It's about 10:00pm here this evening and I think I wouldn't be able to do justice to a response at this hour.  So I'm going to sleep on it for a bit and hopefully come back with a response which is partway satisfactory at some point over the next few days...

Aidan

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## Bren

Aidan,

Your efforts have been very useful, not just that, but inspiring.

It's just a fact that, since the age of recording started over 100 years ago, and the print distribution of notation and tabs that accelerated with the folk "revival" of the 1950s and 60s, we are now influenced by many more sources than was even possible 50 years ago.

Most people will find something to celebrate and also somethings to deplore in all that. So what.

Every tune I play has my own spin on it and is a live project influenced by every person I play with.
And that's barely half of it - who here can deny they are also influenced by recordings and YouTube etc?

Here in Aberdeenshire , I have been fortunate to know well and play with fiddlers who can trace an unbroken generational line of tuition from Niel Gow to themselves.
They are not gods, just talented and dedicated people trying to find their way, and looking on the internet just like we do. And most of them have picked up a mandolin at one time or another.

maybe I pick up phrasing and other ideas from them, maybe I don't, but we are all trying to express what we find in the traditional sources as best we can with what abilities we can muster.

And anyway, as well-intended as they are, you know what Brendan Behan said about begrudgers.

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Aidan Crossey

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## Aidan Crossey

> Attachment 204299
> So, on first hearing I thought  yeah, those are the same. But applying my hybrid tab system the differences seem immediate and fairly substantial although the number of measures that are the same seem to make the differences stand out less. The version Im learning has a couple triplets Im not picking up in your version. Some measures are by and large the same with a few different notes and some measures might be the same except for transposed notes. It does make me wonder how those of you accomplished players know what version is up ( especially when there could be 5 different versions colliding). Speaks to the importance of someone like myself attending a session and really paying attention before attempting to join. 
> And thanks for posting stack of rye/ jr crehans on your YouTube, Aidan.  Maybe it will be the first tune I learn 2 versions of
> Ed


Ed...

I've been giving your post some thought over a coffee this morning.

All of these tunes have been around for a long time - even a tune like the Stack Of Rye which was, in the scheme of things, a fairly recent composition by Junior Crehan.  They've been around a long time and they've been played by a lot of musicians and along the way the tunes have been adapted to suit individual players' styles (more ornamented versus less ornamented; played straight or played with swing, etc) , to suit particular instruments, to incorporate "zeitgeist" elements (e.g. syncopated phrasing or the substitution of, for example in ABC speak "D2 DD D4" endings for "D2 D2 D4" in hornpipes or the substitution of "AGF GFG" endings for "AGG G3" in jigs...).

But the tune remains...

Those of us who have been around this music for a while would tend to take with a large pinch of salt any version of any tune which we have been taught, which we've heard played by this or that player, which we've encountered in a book or which we've stumbled across on the net.  Each of those versions is simply a moment in space and time - how in one particular instance the player(s) in question chose to express the the tune.  (And bear in mind that often the settings of tunes which we come across written down may have been notated from someone playing a particular instrument - e.g. the pipes - which is very particular to that instrument and which doesn't translate well to other instruments.)

I have minimal technical musical knowledge.  I know A Dorian from A Mixolydian from A Major.  That's about as far as my technical knowledge goes.  (I read music like a 4 year old reads books, pointing out each note with my finger and virtually having to say them aloud!)  And so something has always puzzled me.  Since there are so many possibilities for variations in the playing of a tune, where is the tune itself?  Where within those pages of squiggles - which can vary wildly from one notated setting to another - does the tune live?

It's a question I often find myself asking.  Particularly when I'm in the company of someone who has got some technical training in music.  I'm not sure I've ever had a satisfactory answer...

So my take on it is pretty much as follows.

Strip the tune back to its basics.  Forget about ornaments.  Learn the absolute bare bones.  And then, when you're familiar with the tune, listen to your playing and decide for yourself where you would choose to ornament it (if at all).  And remain open to the possibility - probability? virtual certainty? - that at some point you'll hear someone else play the tune and there will be a flourish, a substituted phrase, an ending which will catch your ear and which will make you re-think the tune and which you may end up incorporating into your playing.

I try not to overthink this sort of question nowadays.  I'm much more interested at the moment in providing visitors to my website and YouTube channel with fairly plain and accessible versions of tunes in the knowledge that eventually they will ornament them as they see fit.  I'm not sure that this necessarily works, but to use a "google maps" analogy I show a possible direct route from A to B but the player makes the journey and they may choose to deviate from the direct route and do a bit of sightseeing along the way...

Aidan

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Ed McGarrigle

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## Aidan Crossey

> Aidan,
> 
> Your efforts have been very useful, not just that, but inspiring.
> 
> And anyway, as well-intended as they are, you know what Brendan Behan said about begrudgers.


Cheers, Bren.  To not only have been useful to a player with your pedigree but to have inspired.  That's kudos! :-)

I am indeed, well acquainted with Mr Behan's sage words about begrudgers. A useful mantra.  Have they turned it into a fridge magnet or an inspirational poster, I wonder?

Give us a shout when/if you're next back in London, Bren...

Aidan

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