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  #1  
Old 02-18-2001, 01:27 AM
Jeff M Jeff M is offline
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Post Celtic fingerstyle books

Any suggestions for good Celtic fingerstyle music books/methods? I see Mel Bay has a couple listed on his "best sellers" site-anybody know anything about them?
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  #2  
Old 02-18-2001, 02:35 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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Mel Bay has a book called DADGAD Tuning by Julie Henigan that advertises itself as an introduction to DADGAD - might be interesting

Some "Celtic" books are mostly standard or drop-D tuning (such as a book called Celtic Encyclopedia). I don't think that's what you're looking for at all.

You want the open and airy sound of altered tunings I'm sure. Look for the names down in that other post. (I poke around in DADGAD on my own)

Don't forget about Homespun - anything DADGAD

Steve Baughman and El McMeen use tunings different than DADGAD
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Old 02-18-2001, 08:56 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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In the above post I wrote "I don't think that's what you're looking for at all."

Who am I to tell you what you're looking for?!? Good grief.

All I meant was that Irish or Celtic stuff in regular (or Drop-D) tuning sounds nothing like stuff in DADGAD and other alternate tunings. If you want that magical, mystical, airy ,"full moon moonlight shimmering on whitish-blue Windham Hill fresh snow" sound, you're looking for tunings like DADGAD (and I guess I shouldn't imply that everything in DADGAD has some sort of British Isles origin, either.).

Do you subscribe to Fingerstyle Magazine? A long time ago I let my subscription run out. Dumb. (That's not a very positive word, is it?) Fingerstyle Magazine comes out 6 times a year, features the absolute best players in the world, you get a companion CD with each issue (nice!), and tablature for both all the tunes and great lessons. Subscribing would be a very good way to discover whose playing really grabs you.

They have a website and you can order back issues. One of the best issues ever was NOV/DEC 1997 - such a good mix of artists (there's always a good mix), styles, and levels of difficulty.

William Coulter - beautiful Irish song (most beautiful sounding arrangement of any song ever?????) called Citi na gCumman - yes, I got the spelling correct! A perfect example of how pretty something that's relatively simple can sound in DADGAD. Play this in a guitar shop with a little reverb and chorus and everyone stops dead in their tracks to listen. Mesmerizing (spelling? ever stop and realize despite how many years you've been on the planet you're writing a very common word for the first time in your life?) tune. It's exactly the type of tune I think of when I think "Celtic".

Other things in that issue.

The most beautiful arrangement of Silent Night I've ever heard - but I can't play it! Monstrous stretches - no go for me. Sad.

Simply spectacular Lee Ritenour nylon-string " oh my goodness" fingerstyle jazz tune. Good grief. One of those "Am I inspired, or am I hesitant to ever pick up the guitar again knowing how well some people can play" types of tunes. So smooth. Man, I'm lumpy.

Awesome Keb' Mo' Travis picking accompaniment tune....this is fun.

Very simple and pretty Craig Dobbins gospel arrangement....

Other things, too....


Get it!

I think March/April of that year was a very good issue also.

I let my subscription run out because I thought I was spending too much time working on things that were in reality just too advanced for where I was at the time( these players are the very, very best in the world). Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. I try not to use such a strong word unless I really mean it. Dumb! I'm probably going to end up getting every back issue at (twice? three times?) the cost of a subscription. Dumb. I just felt that I was spending way too much time looking at tablature when I really needed to spend more time trying to arrange songs for myself. Should have used these magazines as the great sources of information they are - not as a crutch. Oh well, live and learn. Current budget doesn't allow a penny to go to subscriptions....sad. Having relatives about that need to be fed might even mean I've got to get a (oh I can't even say it) a r rrr rrrr rrrrrr rrrrrrreal job. EEEEEEEK!! Flee! Run!


I forgot where I was....


[This message has been edited by mapletrees (edited 02-18-2001).]
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Old 02-18-2001, 09:58 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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Hey! While I'm at it...1997 was a very good year for Fingerstyle Magazine. Their January/Feb issue was very good, too.

A couple of highlights...

Stefan Grossman - Ragged and Dirty - There is nothing that compares to playing a Travis picked rollicking and thumpin' country blues in a guitar shop to make people think you're better than you really are. The pretty Irish tune I mentioned above is lovely - but people notice if you mess up! If you're playing Ragged and Dirty and you sound a little ragged.....you'll still impress people. It's good to have an arsenal of impressive but easy to play tunes for stores....the shop owner will let you play all the expensive guitars even if you're not that good!

He plays this tune by hooking the fretting hand thumb over the neck. If that's easy, go for it. I don't do that well at all. I'm too stretched to have any functional mobility left in my hand..... Grrrrrrrr.....But, If you detune all of the first 5 strings a whole step (2 frets' worth) and tune UP the sixth string a half step(one fret's worth) you get what might very well be the easiest blues tune to sound impressive on in existence. Cool. He capos way up - makes it easier and gives the tune a very lively jingle-jangle sound. Play it with your back to people, they'll think you're doing more than you are

There's also a Travis picked blues by Paul Yandell that has one of the coolest signature licks ever. A lesson in what's known as" implied harmony "that would make this issue worth $100.

Lots of other stuff, too. Mrs. Mapletrees thought one of the guys was cute....playing that romantic and sophiticated Latin stuff....he'll get bonked with a paintless Telecaster if he shows up 'round these here parts....
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Old 02-18-2001, 11:06 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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The Jan/Feb 1997 (blues) issue is called Part No. 19 on the Fingerstyle Guitar site (fingerstyleguitar.com).

The March/April issue is Part No. 20
It has a very soft and pretty DADGAD piece called Sleepytime by Alex DeGrassi. Has a Celtic piece by Steve Baughman and a very neat arrangement of an old tune called 8th of January, amongst other things

The first issue I mentioned - NOV/DEC 1997, with the William Coulter arrangement is called Part No. 24

Worth checking out....
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Old 02-25-2001, 10:44 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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Have you checked out Pat Kirtley's web site?
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Old 02-27-2001, 12:52 PM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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Has anyone checked out Citi na gCumman - mentioned above - yet?
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Old 01-13-2018, 10:07 AM
nazump nazump is offline
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So this is an OLD thread but it isn't something that can be definitively answered and closed so I don't feel too bad about necroing it. I was about to make my own thread, but seeing as there is already one in place on the topic, I figured, why not use it?!

So, are there any other book suggestions for this topic? I'm just starting out fingerpicking and using "The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking." Once I finish that I plan on doing the next book in the series, and hopefully by then I'll be comfortable with picking in general.

Being that youtube wasn't even around when this thread stopped being replied to (crazy, right?!) can people suggest any good channels to get inspired by for Celtic fingerstyle? Any channels that provide tab (free of charge) or lessons?
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Old 01-17-2018, 09:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nazump View Post
Being that youtube wasn't even around when this thread stopped being replied to (crazy, right?!)
That's insane!!

I think the Jean Banwarth YouTube channel would be a place to start. Haven't tried his books but this maybe worth looking at.
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