Hi All:
I have been playing ( if you can call it that ) for all of three weeks, and can play all of the notes in the first two octaves, and even a couple of ornaments, half holes, etc. I am looking for recommendations for a few tunes that would be good for me to start on as a beginner. I do not read music well at all, so alternative ways to learn would be good. Thanks, Mark
–Kesh jig
–Club Ceilie or Old Favorite jig (I think may be the best beginner’s tune of the three, though the least known): http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/56
–Tobin’s Favorite jig
Find the dots and ABC’s at thesession.org in the “tunes” section. Also at thesession.org is a tunebook in the member’s section that lists all tunes downloaded from the site in order of how many times total each tune has been downloaded. Thus, the most popular tunes are listed first, e.g. Drowsy Maggie is #1, etc. http://www.thesession.org/members/
Best of luck.
Jason
Try this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/sessions/swf/folkmenu.html
It has notes and sound files that you can play along with. You can even download the pdf of all the music and then download all the tunes and use a “slowdowner” that keeps the pitch the same. Quicktime does this, BTW…
Good luck!
Pat
Hi Mark - I was where you are a couple years ago.
IMO reels & jigs are a bit challenging for out&out beginners. Try waltzes & airs. The Southwind, Planxty Fanny Power, come to mind. Once you get better at finding your way around the flute the tunes will come easier. Used to take me weeks to get a tune under my fingers - now usually a couple hours & I can play through it - Of course much more repetition to get to session speed. Best part about being an ear musician is don’t need the music. Worst part is when you can’t remember how a tune goes.. ; )
Banish Misfortune is a 3-part jig with about zed ornamentation what was one of my early tunes that I was very proud to learn. I still play it often today. It’s a good-un.
You can get some whistle notation online which works fine for simple system flute… whistlethis.com has a bunch. I spend a lot of time playing to tunes on youtube.
Eskin at tradlessons.com is great for slow & fast versions for ear learners.
Tradschool.com is also good - you can find on youtube
Google search Bowling Green slow session & you will get a site to download a bunch fast & slow versions & played very nicely on flute…
Google search for irish flute podbean for a great site of flute tunes you can learn from also.
Get software that will slow down files so you can figure them out by ear (assuming you are an ear learner) finger charts are ok & notation is you can sight read some is good to help figure out a tune, but got to hear a good live player to get the best feel for tunes. Best advice I can give is find tunes you love & that seem accessible & learn them & keep at it.
Best,
Deisman
As a still beginner a few years down the track, the tunes I found easiest when I started were;
Airs: South Wind, Wild Mountain Thyme, Bonnie Doon, Skye Boat Song, Danny Boy, Ned of the Hills
Jigs: Over the Oceans, Kesh jig, Ship in full sail (my favourite easy jig), Joy of my life, Blarney Pilgrim, Rose in the heather
Reels: start slowly on (say) Cooleys, Foxhunters, Banshee
Hornpipes: Little stack of wheat, Off to California
Slip jigs: Butterfly, Fig for a Kiss.
- make sure you can play a tune without the music before you start another one! If you can get just 1 or 2 tunes down, you will find it great to be able to pick up a flute anywhere and play. You will find the next ones easier as well.
Pat, what a great site. Thanks for the heads up.
Jason
Suggestions for some non-ITM songs are Christmas Carols, Children’s Songs, and Church Songs (if they’re familiar to you.) These songs are already in your head and usually simple.