Irish Tunes - Vocal with Only Mandolin

[Centennial Flatpicker]

Hello there,

I was listening to the radio on St. Patrick's Day in my car, and I heard the sweetest Irish tune. A man was singing and he was accompanying himself on the mandolin. That was it, just the guy and the mandolin. I won't go into the long story about why I can't figure out what radio station I was listening to, nor my efforts to figure out the song anyhow, but I suppose I can ask the question...

Can anyone recommend any learning resources and/or recordings to listen to for this type of music? The guy wasn't exactly "Carter picking" (excuse me, I started on the guitar) but he did play fills and rolls and some other things to fill out the sound. The music struck me as so intimate and wonderful, and I would love to hear more and perhaps learn to play songs in this style.

Thanks,
PJ

[theCOOP]

You can check out The Tossers from Chicago. They're a full 8-piece celtic/punk/Pogues-like band (very talented) though Tony Duggins does do 1 or 2 or 3 tunes with just him and his mandolin.

My current favorite, from an older album (full accompaniment). They're a little more refined now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWNsN4F_0K0

[abuteague]

I don't have a lot to go on, but I'd point out Mel Bay's Mandolin Sessions: http://www.mandolinsessions.com/?p=527 and the back issues. In particular the column by Michael Gregory.

Also, the website http://www.thesession.org/. They have lots of tunes to learn.

I like the book, The Irish Mandolin by Padraig Carroll with the CD. It is one of the few books/CD combos that I have played all the way through multiple times. It will give some pointers on the ornamentation that you mentioned. He talks about the various types of ornamentation and where to put them. It takes you from beginner to intermediate material all in one book and the author is thoughtful on how the material is organized so it starts easy and he adds until you are putting your own touches on tunes in the end. No tab, but it makes an effort to teach some notation over a few pages. There are lots of other books.

I'm less confident on where to go for songs. I'd hit up the local library and find some CDs and find some songs you like and then look them up from there. Add what you know about ornamentation and such from the above resources and you might have something.

Good luck.

[Centennial Flatpicker]

Thank you. I'm still looking for that elusive pairing, but I loved both suggestions!

[M.Marmot]

Andy Irvine has been known to do some fantastic songs backing himself on mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, guitar and what not

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdYkC...eature=related

Tim O Brien as well came to mind as a solo singer mandolin suspect.

[Steve L]

Some of Martin Carthy's early recordings have Dave Swarbrick backing him on mandolin. There's a version of Broomfield Hill on a live record called "Both Ears and the Tail" that's fantastic.

[M.Marmot]

Some of Martin Carthy's early recordings have Dave Swarbrick backing him on mandolin. There's a version of Broomfield Hill on a live record called "Both Ears and the Tail" that's fantastic.

Tasty! I do like hearing Dave Swarbrick on mandolin.

[mandocrucian]

I've covered this topic over the years. You might want (or not) to investigate some of the following:

"Accompaniment Workshop with Tony Cuffe" in Mandocrucian's Digest #8

Various "Clawhammer Mandolin" columns in various issues of Mandocrucian's Digest. Also numerous examples in The Mandola Sampler (just play them on mandolin);

Andy Irvine interview in Mandocrucian's Digest #27 with transcription of his playing on "Ramblin' Robin" from the Christy Moore Prosperous album.

"Backing a Fiddle or other High Rester Instrument in a Duo Setting" article in Mandocrucian's Digest #24 & 25 . many of the accompaniment techniques can be used to support vocals rather than another instrument. (An instructional CD with all the notated/tabbed article examples, and a lot more, is also available.)

Swarbrick (and Carthy too) also plays mando accompaniment on a few tracks on the reformed Carthy/Swarb albyms from the 90s: Life and Limb and Skin And Bone. Richard Thompson does some nice mando accompaniment of some tracks from early albums "Smiffy's Glass Eye" (Hokey Pokey), ""Poor Little Beggar Girl" (I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight), "The Poor Boy Is Taken Away" (Pour Down Like Silver).

There are also tracks on the early Steeleye Span albums (Below The Salt, Parcel of Rogues) with Peter Knight playing mandolin and while there are other instruments, the mando part could function as a solo accompaniment.

Many of the tracks on my On Fire & Ready! album where guitar is absent originated as solo mandolin/voice arrangements. Adding drums, bass, harmonica and other instruments to the song really didn't change the mandolin playing, just filled up the sonic spectrum.

see catalog link below for more info on Digest issues, books, etc.

Niles H

[Centennial Flatpicker]

Good stuff...better get to researching. Thanks!

[Centennial Flatpicker]

Niles, you got a letter and a check coming your way!

[Dagger Gordon]

Early Paul Brady?