All,
Since a few people have referred to some tune books in some of my other posts, I’d like to ask if there is a ‘top 10’ of tune books that you guys would recommend.
Thanks,
Tony
You should start like I did, at ceola’s website. I printed up my first “tunebook” - all 30 or so pages - for the price of a few sheets of computer paper. All well-known tunes there.
Or you can buy Ireland’s Best Tin Whistle Tunes (with Guitar Chords!) and CD. This was one I used quite a bit when I started.
Either way, learn to listen to lots and lots of Irish trad music ~ it’s really the best way to go in order to get the “feel” of it.
Mary (I’m no expert, as most would agree) V.
Hi Grix
There are a couple of tune collections to be found online (apart from JC’s and Henrik Norbecks ABC databases) that have acceptable settings. I like the downloadable .pdf formats. Looks far better than GIFs.
Blarney Stone tunebook:
http://members.cox.net/eskin/tunebook.html
Paddy O’Brien’s Sets:
http://www.ceolas.org/pub/tunes/tunes.pdf/POB.pdf
O’Neill’s has been available online in ABC format for a while but fellow Chiffer OutofBreath worked it into a cross-indexed PDF document (THANKS!)
http://www.guitarnut.com/folktablature/oneills/index.html
Tunebooks:
O’Neill’s Dance Music of Ireland
Bulmer and Sharpleys collection (there are 4 books)
Breathnach’s ‘Ceol Rince na h-Eireann’ (there are 4 books)
For a beginner/someone without a teacher it might be a good idea to have some recorded material along with the dots.
I used ‘101 Irish Whistle Tunes’ which comes with a CD when I started on the whistle.
L.E. McCollough also has a book out with recordings of the tunes that others have highly recommended.
The nr. 1 tunebook I would recommend though is the first volume of Ceol Rince na h-Eireann. There are just so many good tunes in there that are good for flute.
cheers,
Pix
…hmmm
the 3 posts of Grixxly, Dixie and Pixyy
Can’t be taken too seriously 
The five Ceol rince volumes / B. Breathnach: these books are a must. Especially vol. 1 if you can only afford one at first.
Trip to Sligo / Bernard Flaherty: is also a must if you’re a flute player, some great tunes in this book
The Leo Rowsome collection: pipe settings of tunes that also suit the flute
VARIOUS: THE MOUNTAIN ROAD - TUNES POPULAR IN SOUTH SLIGO
A great production from the Coleman Heritage Center in Gurteen, Co. Sligo: a great book this one, some fine flute tunes here - there’s also a CD to go with it, great playing too
Well, there is a lovely tune book called “Dossan of Heather,” which has fairly simple tunes with a very archaic feel. These are not common session tunes, so they won’t do much to prepare you for a session, but if you are in search of good tunes, it’s a good place to start, and they are simple enough for a learner to play well.
For session tunes, there are the “Red Book” and the “Green Book” from Ossian. Good stuff.
–James