Planxty Irwin - Intermediate Tunes Lesson 3

In the last few lessons we have been looking at the C scale. Now we will use it to play "Planxty Irwin", an 18th century tune by the famous Irish composer Turlough O'Carolan.

When we learnt Ode to Joy, we saw that the tunes had a number of parts, which we learnt individually then put together. Planxty Irwin is the same. There is an "A" part, which is played twice, then a "B" part, also played twice. Tunes like this, with an A part played twice, then a B part played twice, are called AABB tunes, and are very common. In this lesson we will learn the A part of this tune.

Play this pattern:

6B 7B 7D 6D 7D 7B 6B 5D 5B 4D 4B

It sounds like this

What you are doing is playing the last half of the C scale, going up, then playing the scale going down.

Now play this first pattern with the backing

then with the accompanyment only

Now play this pattern:

5D 4D 5B 5D 6B 3D 4B 4D

It sounds like this

Play this second pattern with the backing

then with the accompanyment only

Now play these two patterns, one after the other. They sound like this

We have now learnt the first half of the A part. The other half is almost the same, except that the second pattern ends differently. The notes for this second pattern are

5D 4D 5B 5D 6B 4B 3D 4B

and sound like this

Now play the second half of the A part with backing

then with the accompanyment only

Now we put these two halves together to form the entire A part, which we play twice. It sounds like this

Once you have learnt it, then try with the accompanyment only

Here is the entire A part.

6B 7B 7D 6D 7D 7B 6B 5D 5B 4D 4B

5D 4D 5B 5D 6B 3D 4B 4D

6B 7B 7D 6D 7D 7B 6B 5D 5B 4D 4B

5D 4D 5B 5D 6B 4B 3D 4B

This tune, although simple, is never forgotten, once heard. It is played by folk musicians all around the world.

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