Piano Accompaniment Basics

IRISH PIANO BASICS

Learn to accompany Irish music on Piano in a fun and easy course

The piano has played a significant role in the history of Irish music. Introduced in the late 19th century, it quickly became a popular instrument in traditional Irish music, bringing a new dimension to the melodies and rhythms. Its expressive capabilities have allowed musicians to incorporate rich harmonies and intricate melodies into the vibrant tapestry of Irish music. Today, the piano continues to be an integral part of both traditional and contemporary Irish music, adding depth and sophistication to Irish musical heritage.

18 lessons teaching how to play 13 very popular Irish tunes
PDF sheet music & mp3’s to download & keep for each tune
Progress at your own pace, pause & repeat videos
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Your Tutor

Marie McTeague

Marie McTeague (formally Clarke) hails from Letterkenny, Co Donegal. She began playing the piano accordion and tin whistle at the age of 5 and competed in the Fleadh Cheoil over the years, winning the Senior All Ireland Title in 1997 for the Piano Accordion. Marie studied Music and Irish at UCC and furthered her studies there with a H.Dip in Education. In 2002 she graduated from the University of Limerick with a Performance MA in Traditional Irish Music. She also holds the TTCT diploma in teaching Traditional Music from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. Marie was part of 'The Rising Step' Dance and…

Course Structure

Ready to take your piano skills to the next level? Our 13-lesson course is ideal for those who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore the wider world of Irish traditional music.

Guided by the exceptional Marie, you’ll discover an easy vamping style of accompaniment through popular tunes from the tradition. Starting in G major with simple, predictable chords, Marie will teach you ascending and descending bass hand runs and other tips to keep your accompaniment sounding fresh. After mastering G major, she guides us through tunes in D major and E minor, focusing on the main chords associated with these keys.

By the end of this journey, you’ll have a toolkit of skills and techniques to apply to your growing repertoire of Irish tunes. Imagine the fun of accompanying your trad music friends at home or in sessions, with confidence! Each video lesson comes with animated diagrams showing when each key is pressed on the piano and multi-speed practice tracks to accelerate your learning. And the best part? You don’t need to read music to join this course! So, are you ready to dive in? Let’s start this thrilling ride together!

The tunes in this course include:

Introduction
Cronin’s Hornpipe (G Major)
The Marino Waltz (G Major)
Britches Full of Stitches Polka (G Major)
Inisheer Air/Waltz (G Major)
The Kesh Jig (G Major)
Christmas Eve Reel (G Major)

The Rolling Wave Jig (D Major)
Fred Finn’s Reel (D Major)
Downnies Polka (E Minor)
Bríd Óg Ni Mháille Slow Air (G Major)
Ships are Sailing Jig (E Minor)
The Butterfly Slip Jig (E Minor)

Sample Sheet Music

Download Chord Bank for C major & G major Download Cronin’s Hornpipe Standard Notation Sheet Music

Cronin’s Hornpipe

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