Celtic Music

You could look a long time for an answer to this one. The Irish Tradition ( which has had a strong influence on Scotland - and vice versa ) is based on a number of key elements. One good site to explore these is http://www.thesession.org/ , which brings together a library of 11,000 tunes and commentary. I'm no expert, but the elements would include

1. The Rhythm - you should look up reel, jig, slip-jig, horn-pipe, polka, waltz and march in this context. But beyond that, it's how different beats are emphasized, how it swings and how it feels.

2. The tunes - as suggested in the link provided by SouthPaw, the tunes are modal ( not initially based on chords). Many were dreamt up ( because the musos back then had no theory and could not write ) on the basis of what notes sounded good together. They were passed on orally from one player to the next. This is why the tunes sound different - it is often very difficult to strum along with them because they don't rest within a chord sequence. The tradition in Ireland is that most musicians at a session play the melody, rather than a backing.

3. The Structure - many tunes are made up with short phrases that are played and then other phrases added on. This then leads on to

4. Ornamentation - this is the core of Irish ( and I would suggest Celtic ) tradition. Many players add bits to the phrases as they are played. This can get very complex, some of the best players would claim never to play the same tune the same way. They add bits to the start, and end of tunes, and in places where the "feel" is right. You should look up ornamentation, triplets, rolls, crans. Really the best way to learn this is to know a tune well and be able to recognise when the ornamentation is added

Check out the Kesh Jig at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWwmhj92-Cw and Tripping Up The Stairs at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czcb-mu- … re=related .