On an early Paddy keenan album he use’s a very interesting devise to make a simple tune more interesting and get more out of it That is on the slip jig “drops of brandy” he plays it firstly in a low key and then in the more common key. It certainly make,s the tune into something more than just playing it in one key.
I’ve been playing around with other tunes to see if it was possible to give them the same treatment,I’ve tried jigs as they would be the easiest I think. The one I’ve had most success with is the kesh jig instead of starting with a G roll I start with a D cran and work from there .It might not be to everybodies taste but with a bit of experimenting you could come up with some nice alternatives to just the tune played in the one key
I’ve a tape of Jerry O’Sullivan playing Dinky’s in D, instead of the usual A. Fantastic piping tune in D. Another guy I heard playing the Foxhunter’s reel in D. Miss McLeod’s. Hours of fun there. There are three different keys for the Walls of Liscarroll - A, E minor, D. I like playing it in G, too - you can get very Willie Clancy, if you understand.
A friend was talking about how much dancers love the Lark in the Morning, it has this repetitive insistency they go nuts for. I suggested that she could compose a whole raft of tunes that have that quality to them. “Yeah, you could…better not though!”
The Dark Haired Lass in D instead of A is great too.
FDDEFGAF/G-CGECGE/FDDEFGAF/GBAFD–
Its the kind of tune that makes anyone sound like Robbie Hannon.
Theres a couple of tunes in F that can be nice too.
The Boys of Ballisodare for one, CFFFCFdF/CFFFAGGG/CFFFCBCA/GCAGFDED etc.
Not easy but not impossible. The legacy jig works well in F too.
A bit easier is the Leg of the Duck in G instead of D
BGGAGG/BABGED/EAAABG/EAAA
Yourself and John O’ B were in the Conradh years ago when I played the ‘Leg’ in the lower key. This was about half two in the morning (where did that energy go?). John wouldn’t leave me alone until he got all the tune off (it took him about ten minutes). It was the latest that I ever gave anyone a tune.
Richard Dwyers tune ‘the fox on the town’ is another good one; starting on the d instead of the g.
biliii : “…mason apron in Amaj on fiddle, most fluters or pipers if they play it do it in G”
…very true…just like I have run into many people who prefer to play the Fox Hunter’s Reel in A on the whistle, from the key of G which I usually play on the fiddle.
Howya John,
They were great nights in there. Was Vincent Collins there too that night?
Haven’t seen him since then either.
Hope your keeping well!!
Tommy
