Irish Tuning

johnnysmash

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What is the name of the strings for Irish tuning. I always though D G B E but today I reliazed that is not correct because D G B E is Chicago tuning. Please tell me the strings name and also if there is more than one Irish tuning. Thank you.
 
I am not aware of an irish specific tuning. Irish trad music has several instruments under its umbrella. I know a common trait for this are instruments tuned in fifths, but surely not limited to. If you are looking for a common four string tuning, I would say GDAE - which covers fiddle, mandolin, ocatave mandolin and some tenor banjo. Irish tenor banjo also sometimes uses CGDA, but more common so is GDAE. Guitar back up commonly uses a DADGAD tuning, and tenor guitar commonly uses a GDAD tuning, but there surely are others.
 
I am not aware of an irish specific tuning. Irish trad music has several instruments under its umbrella. I know a common trait for this are instruments tuned in fifths, but surely not limited to. If you are looking for a common four string tuning, I would say GDAE - which covers fiddle, mandolin, ocatave mandolin and some tenor banjo. Irish tenor banjo also sometimes uses CGDA, but more common so is GDAE. Guitar back up commonly uses a DADGAD tuning, and tenor guitar commonly uses a GDAD tuning, but there surely are others.

I agree, and I would add that tuning a concert, tenor or baritone uke to either GDAE or CGDA would be difficult to say the least. :eek:ld:
 
I agree, and I would add that tuning a concert, tenor or baritone uke to either GDAE or CGDA would be difficult to say the least. :eek:ld:

Thanks DUD, but not really that difficult at all with the right string set! Aquila makes their two fifths tuning sets - the 30U Soprano for GDAE tuning and the 31U Concert for CGDA tuning. The GDAE set, players have reported about some high E string troubles with breaking if brought up to pitch to quickly, but I believe they found a fishing line that worked well - or just be patient with tuning. The 31U set (CGDA) is the set I use on my soprano scale and it works just fine. Obviously, it is marketed for concert scale, but it has been reported that they do work for tenor scale as well. For baritone scale, I have been told that the 31U set works well if tuned to octave mandolin tuning GDAE.
 
I agree, and I would add that tuning a concert, tenor or baritone uke to either GDAE or CGDA would be difficult to say the least. :eek:ld:

Sorry, but I have to correct you on that. It's not difficult at all. I've been using fifths tunings for 3 yrs on concert, tenor, baritone uke and several different scale length guitars.

All the gory details can be found via the FAQ link in my signature below, including the easily available strings that I used...
 
A lot of Irish music is in the key of D, some in key of G, & a few in the key of A.

Low & high whistles are commonly in the key of D, as are simple system flutes.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks DUD, but not really that difficult at all with the right string set! Aquila makes their two fifths tuning sets - the 30U Soprano for GDAE tuning and the 31U Concert for CGDA tuning. The GDAE set, players have reported about some high E string troubles with breaking if brought up to pitch to quickly, but I believe they found a fishing line that worked well - or just be patient with tuning. The 31U set (CGDA) is the set I use on my soprano scale and it works just fine. Obviously, it is marketed for concert scale, but it has been reported that they do work for tenor scale as well. For baritone scale, I have been told that the 31U set works well if tuned to octave mandolin tuning GDAE.

Well, I dunno. I don’t play sopranos much, and my GT banjolele is a tenor. I had it tuned to dGBE, but I didn’t like the boomy low G for strumming. I’m done with low G strings on ukuleles. I retuned it to GCEA, and I guess I’ll just play chords with it. I do use Aquila fifths on my Lanikai concert banjolele, but the low C is only okay. I talked to someone who used the shorter Aquilas on his tenors. And he was unsatisfied with the result.

I guess people nowadays just do whatever they wanna do, and, sure it’s okay, this is America. Lot’s of people like low G on their ukes, but I don’t like them. I have one on my Luna concert but don’t play it much anymore, and, when I do, I fingerpick it. Low G is okay for fingerpicking.

Well, that’s what I think about the subject. And I never said that it couldn’t be done but only difficult. :eek:ld:
 
Sorry, but I have to correct you on that. It's not difficult at all. I've been using fifths tunings for 3 yrs on concert, tenor, baritone uke and several different scale length guitars.

All the gory details can be found via the FAQ link in my signature below, including the easily available strings that I used...

Booli, I looked at your FAQ link, but it seemed to be mostly about guitars, and, just scanning it, I found it somewhat confusing. Maybe I didn’t read far enough or closely enough. If so, my bad.

Anyway, sometimes I sing with my ukes or fingerpick them, but I’m mostly into banjos and mandolins now.
:eek:ld:
 
Booli, I looked at your FAQ link, but it seemed to be mostly about guitars, and, just scanning it, I found it somewhat confusing. Maybe I didn’t read far enough or closely enough. If so, my bad.

Anyway, sometimes I sing with my ukes or fingerpick them, but I’m mostly into banjos and mandolins now.
:eek:ld:

Nothing far to read, only 9 items in the list.

Links from item #9 on the FAQ page:

"Info about fifths tunings (CGDA & GDAE) string options on ukes, one & two"

I dunno where you saw guitar stuff, all those links point back to threads here on UU, and related specifically to ukulele.

Maybe it's worth another look for you?
 
Naw, I was only giving my opinion about fifths tuning for ukuleles. I did it, and I’m done. My Lanikai concert is okay, my GT tenor plays “Clementine” good enough. So I’ll let you teach fifths tuning to all.

Have a really nice day. :eek:ld:
 
Naw, I was only giving my opinion about fifths tuning for ukuleles. I did it, and I’m done. My Lanikai concert is okay, my GT tenor plays “Clementine” good enough. So I’ll let you teach fifths tuning to all.

Have a really nice day. :eek:ld:

All the info is already well documented if one is willing to actually look. Dozens of places online, not just via my links. Mandolin Cafe, Banjo Hangout, over 1000 different YouTube videos, etc...

Not my job to teach anything.

I only share my experience. If that helps someone I am happy.

Leading a horse to water does not make them drink if that horse is not so inclined...

Some do not seem so interested, that's fine.

Plenty of items on the musical menu with choices for all.
 
Well, I dunno. I don’t play sopranos much, and my GT banjolele is a tenor. I had it tuned to dGBE, but I didn’t like the boomy low G for strumming. I’m done with low G strings on ukuleles. I retuned it to GCEA, and I guess I’ll just play chords with it. I do use Aquila fifths on my Lanikai concert banjolele, but the low C is only okay. I talked to someone who used the shorter Aquilas on his tenors. And he was unsatisfied with the result.

I guess people nowadays just do whatever they wanna do, and, sure it’s okay, this is America. Lot’s of people like low G on their ukes, but I don’t like them. I have one on my Luna concert but don’t play it much anymore, and, when I do, I fingerpick it. Low G is okay for fingerpicking.

Well, that’s what I think about the subject. And I never said that it couldn’t be done but only difficult. :eek:ld:

I agree, for me, strumming with a lo G stinks. As for picking, I've only managed to learn to play Foggy Dew. I took the lo G string off my uke and put a high g on that I found in a drawer. I like it better.

BTW, I'm Irish, and I can't tune worth a damn....
 
Yeah, Nickie, I love Irish music. I’ve played it on my flutes and tin whistles and mouth harps and, now, banjos and mandolin. One can clawhammer on a uke, but it doesn’t sound right to me. Aaron Keim has a book for it.

Did you find out what was wrong with your mouth harps? :eek:ld:
 
Well, I dunno. I don’t play sopranos much, and my GT banjolele is a tenor. I had it tuned to dGBE, but I didn’t like the boomy low G for strumming. I’m done with low G strings on ukuleles. I retuned it to GCEA, and I guess I’ll just play chords with it. I do use Aquila fifths on my Lanikai concert banjolele, but the low C is only okay. I talked to someone who used the shorter Aquilas on his tenors. And he was unsatisfied with the result.

I guess people nowadays just do whatever they wanna do, and, sure it’s okay, this is America. Lot’s of people like low G on their ukes, but I don’t like them. I have one on my Luna concert but don’t play it much anymore, and, when I do, I fingerpick it. Low G is okay for fingerpicking.

Well, that’s what I think about the subject. And I never said that it couldn’t be done but only difficult. :eek:ld:


Understood, DUD! It surely isn't for everyone, but I like it quite well. The 31U set actually sounds nice on my Martin S-O. I have to try them on another instrument, so they might not suit. I just really like the tuning and fingering scheme. Also loving my tenor guitar and mandolin :)
 
A simple, but not necessarily quick, way of starting to learn how to play the folk music of the British Isles, often called Celtic, and with slight variations for English, Irish and Scottish. First get hold of a tin whistle tutoring book. Clarke whistles has one and you can get others from sites like Feadog whistles.
First a simple musical fact: The D scale starting at fret 2 on the C string of a "normal" GCEA ukulele plays notes at exactly the same audio frequency as the popular D tuned tin whistle. The low D note on the whistle has the same audio frequency as the low D note on yuor uke and so on. You can stop at this fact and realise that you don't need a different tuning to play most Irish music on your GCEA uke, you just need to learn where the notes in the D major scale are, and the most used chords for the D major scale. D Em F#m G A7 Bm C#thing D.
The method of learning is to look at the book and work out a decoder chart that converts the whistle TAB or holes to something you can use for your ukulele, either TAB or notation or just a good memory and ears. Maybe you can use post it notes to replace whistle notation with ukulele notation in the book?
Then just follow the lessons in the tutor, recognising that "learning" a piece is about being able to play it smoothly from memory, not just mechanically sight reading notes. Start out playing slowly and speed up with practice. Keep going with the whistle book or books until you get past the stage where you learn the embellishments or ornaments. This is the end of the first stage.
The second stage is to go back through the book, starting at the beginning, and work out how to play the tunes using more than one note at a time, and integrating in some chords.

That's a great idea Bill. I'm going to check out those resources. Thank you :)
 
You can also download the well-known Ryan's Mammoth Collection (1050 fiddle tunes from the British Isles) for free from sites like this:
https://violinsheetmusic.org/collections/

UBULELE - That link is a hot one, for me for sure. I like to play chord melody on slower and beautiful Irish numbers, however, I love flat picking on guitar and now on ukulele. I downloaded a copy and have it on my desktop at the moment. When I get back home in Korat, where my printer is I will print out all 293 pages. On page 5 I found my favorite fiddle tune, Arkansas Traveller which I already play in another key. I tried this collections and love it and fell in love with this collection. Now me, my baritone ukulele, and me are having a party in the hotel in Bangkok - hope room on either side do not bang on the walls.

Thank you
 
You can also download the well-known Ryan's Mammoth Collection (1050 fiddle tunes from the British Isles) for free from sites like this:
https://violinsheetmusic.org/collections/

UBULELE - That link is a hot one, for me for sure. I like to play chord melody on slower and beautiful Irish numbers, however, I love flat picking on guitar and now on ukulele. I downloaded a copy and have it on my desktop at the moment. When I get back home in Korat, where my printer is I will print out all 293 pages. On page 5 I found my favorite fiddle tune, Arkansas Traveller which I already play in another key. I tried this collections and love it and fell in love with this collection. Now me, my baritone ukulele, and me are having a party in the hotel in Bangkok - hope room on either side do not bang on the walls.

Thank you

Hey Johnny, I remember you complaining about chords and damage in your hand and I never knew you were so advanced in able to play from sheet music these tunes :)
I myself used a fiddle once time long time ago, was trying to avoid my neighbours to bother. They are fine with a guitar octave lower these tunes too.

But with ukulele, I can't say I can read all those high notes and able to play sight reading. Low notes too might go out of range unless you have that low G instrument. Which you should have.
Myself I'm just a strummer with a reentrant uke.

I saved your pdf not exactly given a srtaight link of Ryan's mammoth collection for days to practice. To find some tunes to practice upper end of ukulele. Thank you a lot.
 
Jarmo_s - Yes, I read music and understand most music theory. Not because I am smart, but, because I have been at it as a hobby for 70 years. I started on clarinet at age 10 and now I am 80. Still just a kid at heart. I played clarinet and sax for years then accordion and organ. At age 40 I mostly took a break from music for a few years - job, kids, wife, cares of life got in the way. At age 66, retired and bored I got back into music. Took piano from a professional performer for two years in Philippines and also strumed some guitar. From piano I learned what I call the most important part of theory there is - I know the notes for every chord and their inversions. I started on Baritone Ukulele for the first time last September and found because I knew chords well that I could play about half of Mike Lynche's Chord Melodies, not really smooth, but I could play them. Again because of chord knowledge I can make my own Chord Melodies from just knowing the single note melody. Just an old kid still having fun. I also go a Melokia solid Acasia Tenor Ukulele, low G. So now playing around with two ukuleles I want a short scale Tenor Guitar. Ten I can be a kid and have fun until the end.
 
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