Guitar for Celtic?

[sharpdressedscot]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I can almost play Scotland the Brave on guitar, but I'm tryin' to arrange a way for a rock band to play it, we don't have any pipers

[sharpdressedscot]

I went over this in another thread so you might want to do a search.

Basically most Celtic music is done in a myxolydian mode. It's only sounds technical, you only have to learn one shape and five notes.

You need a drone effect so here goes. The key of D is a common Celtic key. The lower A is the drone. So here's your pattern, D on the A string, right beside is the A on the E string. You'll go one note (two frets) on the E string (A to B). You'll go two notes on the A string (two plus two frets) which is E to F#.

Amazing Grace: A-B-D, F#-E-D-F#, E-D, B-A

There's your shape, it repeats on the D string 7th fret and the B string 10th fret. Use the A string as a guide, key of C, third fret, same pattern.

Play around with it. Always finish on the D but try to keep the A note fairly constant.

Then you have to learn to play broken triplets. It's not a four count and it's not the blues triplets. Think Riverdance.

I'll play around with it, thanks!

[thatcelticband]

There is a product made by Tascam called guitar trainer. They are not very expensive but what they do is allow you to slow down recordings to SUPER slow so you can pick out each note with relivitave ease. We sell them at the music store I work at. Very cool practice tool. You may find it helpful!

[Archangel]

I play Scotland the Brave around the C shape on the 8th fret on the D,G,B, and E string. I play it too fast but I like it that way. The chorus is challenging rhythm wise but it's built on the G shape on the 10th fret.

I usually have a strong overdrive on but you have to remember to palm mute everything to keep the notes clear. You need high gain to play the harmonics.

Try playing around the D shape on the 10th fret using the four high strings and an open A, keeping the low E muted. For rhythm, try to play to the words of See the Chameleon, (run, run away, what is that song called?).

[berserkbishop]

I play Scotland the Brave around the C shape on the 8th fret on the D,G,B, and E string. I play it too fast but I like it that way. The chorus is challenging rhythm wise but it's built on the G shape on the 10th fret.

I usually have a strong overdrive on but you have to remember to palm mute everything to keep the notes clear. You need high gain to play the harmonics.

Try playing around the D shape on the 10th fret using the four high strings and an open A, keeping the low E muted. For rhythm, try to play to the words of See the Chameleon, (run, run away, what is that song called?).

I have been following this thread because I also play guitar and have been trying to get into Celtic music. You certainly sound like you know what your are talking about Archangel and I am appreciating your posts. Is there any chance on getting a tab or some music out of you. For some reason I am having trouble sorting this out in my head. . . .

[thatcelticband]

You all are making this waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more difficult. First, figugre out the melody. Try to make it as fingering efficent as possible. then, chart it. Tab or music. Then, with a metronome or drum machine, practice it slowly until it's under your fingers. Then and only then, start speeding it up.

[thatcelticband]

Also, the bagpipe scale on guitar is...
Ab, Bb,C,D,Eb,F,G,Ab,Bb. Thats it, Thats all the notes they have.

[macsim]

You need to listen to the late great Stuart Adamson of "big country" and the "skids" and also listen to Gary moore's album "wild frontier" for some fantastic "celtic" sounding guitar playing.

Amen! I loved Big Country! Got to see them on tour after their first album long ago. I used to try to cop that sound by adding lots of overdrive, reverb, flanger set to "warble" a little bit and then I'd hammer on a melody while trying to keep the A string droning. Not exactly a "realistic" sound but it got the feel of pipes. Oddly enough my teenage sons have a "Viking Metal" band, whatever that is, and they discovered a band that recently covered "Over the Hills and Far Away" from that Gary Moore album. They've found a ton of bands that do a sort of Celtic/metal combination. Seems like a lot of them are actually Scandinavian. Oh well, at least it provides us with some generational "crossover."

[pipesndrumsnun]

Go for it!

[Archangel]

I have been following this thread because I also play guitar and have been trying to get into Celtic music. You certainly sound like you know what your are talking about Archangel and I am appreciating your posts. Is there any chance on getting a tab or some music out of you. For some reason I am having trouble sorting this out in my head. . . .

Thanks, but I'm really not that good. I've played since I was about 17 but the reality is that I only knew three chords until I was forty something. Then a buddy who had recorded said if I really loved it, take lessons. So I did.

I have a great teacher. His opening anthem video is on another thread, bass drum, I think.

What is happening is that you're asking questions that I've already asked before you.

Big Country, my favourite: the sound comes from the slide 5th fret to 2nd fret.

Here's a nice one string melody. On the B string: 5-7-9-7-5 slide to 2, 0,0/ 5-7-9-7-5 slide to 9-12,12/ 5-7-9-7-5 slide to 2, 0,0, 0-2 slide to 5, 5,5/ 5-7-9-7-5 slide to 9, 12, 12, 9-12-14-12-9-12-9-7/ 5-7-9-7-5 slide to 2, 0,0, 0-2 slide to 5, 5,5.

The / represent lines in the song. It's called "In the Beauty of Holiness" by Richard Marks. Unless you buy the cd, the closest I found on a quick search is a guy doing a version on youtube called "As my heart and spirit soar". It's good but not too Celtic a feel. Try and get the cd. Except it's religious and the rules etc...