In folk tradition, stories of love lost, betrayal, jealousy, conflict, emigration, and the supernatural are often immortalized in songs of many traditions, demonstrating that singing has been a universal vehicle for the human condition. the criteria for this wonderful collection of prose and melodies is from Celtic traditions that have been with us for hundreds of years. These compositions have been arranged so that each will work both as an air and as a song. All of the selections in the book appear on the companion CD.

A collection of songs, jigs, hornpipes, airs, polkas, and marches from the Celtic lands of Scotland, Ireland, and England. the songs are arranged for mountain dulcimer primarily in 1-5-8 (Mixolydian) tuning, along with a few tunes in 1-5-5 (Ionian) tuning. the arrangements make use of the capo, as well as playing tunes in Em and Bm, and include a Part II for a suggested harmony on selected songs.. the book is accompanied by a CD recording of each tune. Song titles include: George Brabazon, Off She Goes, Irish Lamentation, Keel Row, Water Is Wide, Loch Lomond, Foggy Dew, and many more. Intermediate playing level suggested.

This classic collection provides fretted dulcimer players with an authentic Irish repertoire. The 31 selections include jigs, slides, hornpipes, polkas, reels, slow airs, harp tunes, and songs. Accompaniment chords and musical notation are provided for other instruments. The modal music of Ireland fits well to the modal techniques and nuances of the dulcimer. It can drone like the uillean pipes, be rhythmic as a bodhran, and melodic like a fiddle. Lois gives the dulcimer player an important introduction to the techniques of applying Irish music to the dulcimer. Consider this the beginning of a new approach to an old music, and a point of departure for your own interpretations of tunes you love

Turlough O'Carolan is the most revered of all Irish harpers and composers. This collection, epertly transcribed in notation and tablature, presents 30 beloved O'Carolan medoldies featuring a uniquely Irish collection of moods and meditations. the arrangements are designed for the intermediate to advanced player, performing on a dulcimer with a 6 and 1/2 fret. the book also includes playing tips and a biographical sketch of Turlough O'Carolan.

Put some aloha into your playing with Hawaiian & Polynesian Music for Appalachian Dulcimer! More than just a repertoire collection of classic Pacific island melodies, this book includes the history and background stories of the individual tunes and a brief language pronunciation guide. In addition, the author provides humorous and insightful observations on interpretation, fingerstyle technique, and Hawaiian slack-key guitar style as applied to the mountain dulcimer. Written in standard notation and tablature for the 3-course dulcimer with the 6+ or 6½ fret, these fingerstyle arrangements are for intermediate to advanced mountain dulcimer players who are looking for a challenge and want to try something new. These arrangements sound best played fingerstyle, and make use of polyphony, harmonics, hammer-ons and pull-offs, and the sweet chords beloved by Island musicians. Some selections like “Aloha ‘Oe” are instantly recognizable, while others such as “Wehiwehi ‘Oe” or “Pauoa Liko ka Lehua” may be unfamiliar outside of Hawaii. Includes access to online audio of all 22 examples and melodies in DAD, CGC and DGD tunings. To help the student master these arrangements, the author provides detailed performance notes for each tune. Includes access to online audio.

Dulcimer Muse is a beautiful collection of fingerpicked and strummed tunes and songs arranged for the mountain dulcimer for players seeking to expand their repertoire. Thirty-one arrangements are gathered from Medieval and Renaissance eras, traditional folk music of Ireland, Scotland, England, Brittany and Spain, plus original compositions. Intended primarily for intermediate to advanced players and for some ambitious beginners, the pieces include melody lines in standard notation, mountain dulcimer tablature, with chords above most of the dulcimer tablature that can be shared with other musicians for accompaniment. Suggestions on how to play with greater musicality and ease are included. Set one-step lower than customary to bring out the dulcimer’s deeper tones; the majority of pieces are arranged in Mixolydian and Aeolian tunings.

An important anthology of Irish and Celtic solos for the 5-string banjo featuring a comprehensive, scholarly treatise on the history, techniques, and etiquette of playing the banjo in the Celtic tradition. Includes segments on tuning, pick preferences, and tablature reading followed by 101 jigs, slides, polkas, slip jigs, reels, hornpipes, strathspeys, O'Carolan tunes, plus a special section of North American Celtic tunes. A generous collection of photos of Irish folk musicians, street scenes, and archaeological sites further enhances this fabulous book. All of the solos included here are written in 5-string banjo tablature only with a few tunes set in unusual banjo tunings. the appendices provide a sizable glossary and a wealth of information regarding soloists and groups playing Celtic music, Irish festivals, music publications, on-line computer resources, cultural organizations, and more. If you are serious about playing Celtic music on the 5-string banjo, or if you don't play the banjo but simply want to expand your knowledge of the Celtic music tradition-you owe yourself this book. the first-ever CD collection of Irish and Celtic music for 5-string banjo provides 68 lovely melodies and demonstrates revolutionary techniques for playing highly ornamented tunes and rolling back-up. Recorded in stereo with virtuosos Gabriel Donohue (steel- and nylon-string guitar and piano) and Robbie Walsh (bodhran- frame drum played with a stick), the five-string banjo is out front and plays through each melody in real-life tempo with authentic Celtic chordal and rhythmic backing. the recording features the music of all Six Celtic Nations and includes jigs, reels, hornpipes, slides, polkas, marches, country dances, larides, andros, slipjigs, strathspeys, airs and O'Carolan tunes. 35 songs in the book are not on the CD.

This much-anticipated book presents favorite Irish melodies in stunning fingerstyle arrangements that blend traditional and modern influences. the majority of tunes are performed with the guitar in DADGAD or DGDGBD tuning. the author offers an introductory section on fingerstyle technique as well as informative program notes and his thoughts on accompanying Irish music. In notation and tablature.

Dulcimer a La Mode takes the mystery of out modal tuning and playing for the mountain dulcimer player by presenting four common tunings (DAA, DAG, DAD, and DAC) with instructions for tuning, finding the scales and chords, and learning traditional tunes in each of the four modes. This book will encourage players to retune their instrument and learn more of its versatility. Each tune is presented as a melody with a drone in the mode indicated with strumming and rhythm guides. for most tunes, an optional arrangement or accompaniment is also provided using more complex chords and reflecting more traditional Western harmony. As a further learning tool, the accompanying CD allows the listener to play along with the song as presented in the book.

Over 500 mountain dulcimer chords for the five widely used modes- Mixolydian, Ionian, Lydian, Dorian, and Aeolian-plus jazz and four-string chromatic tunings. Includes an explanation and history of modes, transpositions, using a capo, playing dulcimer in jam sessions, and more. Special case size.