These lessons demonstrate some of the more difficult variations & embellishments that are used in traditional tunes. Each lesson gives a description and demonstration of the embellishment plus a tune to illustrate how it is used in context.
Lesson 10: Triplets - Paddy Taylor's Reel
Unlike the taps, cuts, or rolls which are used to accent a single note, triplets are used to bring out a transition from one note to another. The examples that I use in this tune are to get up to a C-natural or to a high-D from a note below.
Lesson 11: Triple Rolls - The Green Mountain
The "triple roll" is basically a standard roll with one extra gracenote thrown in. Rather than giving the appearance of the same note played twice, it sounds like the note is played three times. Have a listen to the tutorial, and it'll probably make more sense!
- Complete Lesson - The Green Mountain (5.3 MB)
Lesson 12: Crans - The Humors of Ballyloughlin
A cran is actually a piping embellishment that has become very common for whistle and flute players these days. There are three cuts (gracenotes) played in succesion - the last finger of the top hand, followed by the first finger of the bottom hand, then the middle finger of the bottom hand. If that makes no sense whatsoever, just check out the video and it should all be clear! Also, the tune Humors of Ballyloughlin is an excellent jig, and one that you will hear very often in sessions around the world.
Lesson 13: Variations - Gallagher's Frolics
There are so many things that can be done with a particular tune, it's difficult to give a lesson on variations. This tune, also called "Gallagher's" is a good example of a simple tune that can be varied with farily simple embellishment and melodic changes. The tutorial demonstrates only some of the possibilities.
