These instruments are commonly used in irish music and can be heard all around the world.
TIN WHISTLE/FEADOG
The tin whistle is known by many names; penny whistle, tin whistle and feadóg. There are many forms of whistle like this as we don't know the exact history of this type of whistle and ones like it, but what makes it famous with the Irish is that the way we play it and the musical style used.it was first used in Irish traditional music that we know of is in the early 19th century, even though bones flutes were found in a Viking settlement in Dublin. This shows that flute like instruments like the tin whistle were used all around the world before any records were taken down.
Whistles has been found in many materials such as wood,metal,clay and many more.
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| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_whistle |
The most common keys in tin whistle is the key of C and the Key of D.
The Key of C has a deeper tone to it counterpart the D key and help play the Keys of C and F easier.
Tin whistle in keys of D are more common today than the key of C as most Irish music is in the key of D. It has a higher tone tone to it and makes it easier to play in the keys of D and G.
You hear a lot of ornamentation on the tin whistle from cuts,rolls,strikes,slides tonguing and many more this gives it a bit of edge to the music the tin whistle is playing.The accordions play a massive part in modern irish music since it was introduced in the late 19th century.
Accordions and Concertina
There are 2 types of accordion button also known as box and piano accordion.
The Button Accordion in irish music is generally a 2 row button accordion and is also know as melodeon or the box. This means that there is a row of buttons on one side and another row of buttons on the other side. But how the irish button(box) accordion differs from European button accordions is that it's buttons are pitched to a semi-tone apart from each other. Because of this it is able to be play chromatically The button accordion is very popular in irish music than its counter part the piano accordion. It can be keyed to B/C and C#/D and many more.
The Piano accordion has the same folded bit in the middle as the button accordion which you press in and out except on the sides it has a keyboard on only one side and buttons on the other. This instrument became very popular in the 1950s and it is still popular in céilí bands. It became very popular as it played smooth notes and could change its keys easily.
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| Piano Accordion and Button Accordion http://www.atelierdelaccordeon.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=10&osCsid=eef014927bb582a4214b4ebea86954e0 http://www.oldsongs.org/myo_music.htm |
The Concertina in irish music is the anglo type in which each button produces a different note in which when the bellows(the folded bit in the middle like the accordions) are contracted and expanded. There are 2 types of anglo concertinas the 2 row and 3 row. The 2 row has 20 buttons and is used less commonly in irish traditional music as it doesn't give many accidentals which are commonly used in irish music,but the the 3 row anglo concertina is commonly used as it can it can be played in any key and it has an extra set of buttons as to play accidentals.
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/theyellabelly/5837171553/ |
Uilleann Pipes
We are certain that the uilleann pipes developed in the 18th century and looks like the bagpipe, but it produces a mellow tune than the bagpipe and is not squeaky as the bagpipe. It is also sayed to be the most difficult to play. The Uille translated from irish to english means "elbow" in which this is exactly how it is played and this is how it differs from the bagpipe which it blown into. It is extremely popular in irish music and is the main instrument in irish music. It can been heard in braveheart The Uilleann pipe consists of a;Chanter that has a double reed with a two octove range, 3 regulators with double reeds, 3 reed drones and a bag which is known as the bellow, the presses onto to produce air.
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| http://www.heyitsourwebsite.com/labels/portraits.html |
The Fiddle, Banjo and Irish Flute
The fiddle in irish music is exactly the violin except it is played with cuts and other ornamentation.
The Irish banjo is tuned to four strings in a tenor with the exception of 5 strings in some and is used as a melody accompaniment instrument.
The irish traditional flute has been in irish music since the 19th century and is wooden in which this is how it differs from the classic metal flute, but some is made of PVC but this type is common in beginners as it is easier to learn than the wooden in which it advances onto later in learning. It plays a really nice peaceful sound and is often complimented on its tune. It can be heard in the titanic song my heart will go on as well as the tin whistle.
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| Irish Flute http://www.firescribble.net/flute/choosing.html |
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| Irish tenor banjo http://goldtonebanjo.com/GoldToneBanjos/indexTenorBanjos.htm |
Bodhran
The bodhran is an irish drum commonly used in irish traditional music in which it ranges from 25-65cms in diameter. It has a wooden frame with 2 wooden criss-crosses or 1 inside the frame and a sheet of calf or goat skin attached to the frame. It is hit with a cipin or beater. It is rested on the knee and the cipin is strummed against it holding it like a pencil, but it can also be played on the top of the frame as well. A hand goes to the inside of the frame onto the skin and is moved around it when the cipin strikes it to give it a different sound.
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| http://www.bsutton.com/brenda/music/bodhran/bodhran.htm |
Videos
Titanic(My heart will go on): tin whistle and irish traditional flute heard.
