Rocky Road To Dublin

Comment by Ian Bell on October 27, 2010 at 6:56pm

Whack fa lal de rah! Fun to hear a slip jig on the banjar.

Comment by Tim Twiss on October 28, 2010 at 4:11am

So, it is written in 3/4. I'm not sure what the brain would have done differently if it were written in 9/8. hmmmm

Comment by Tim Twiss on October 28, 2010 at 4:24am

This piece also gives a little insight to interpretation. No fiddle piece would have the upward stem indicating a thumb string. It is almost assummed by banjo players, that when reading a tune with one or two sharps, that we would place it in "Briggs" tuning. This is something we face in the "Back of the Buckley" 1860 book. I still remember that encountering that difficulty when I met with Carl and Greg at AEBG II and we played "Jake Bacchus' Jig". They thought "Briggs" with an open "D", and I was thinking "E" for the open string, and learned and fingered accordingly.Okay, until 2 banjos tuned the same try to play together.

Comment by Ian Bell on October 28, 2010 at 7:12am

Slip Jigs are generally written out in 9/8 time. Three triplets or equivalents thereof. They're also sometimes called "lilts" or "hop jigs". It's one of the really old time signatures in Scots-Irish Music. Check O'Neill's of you have it. There are lots in there.
"Sir Roger De Coverley" was the one that everyone knew. It was the original tune used for the contra dance that North Americans think of as "The Virginia Reel". It's in Ryan's. There is at least one other in there on the preceding page "Hop Jig"
Now that Christmas is (almost) coming - check out the great description of Scrooge, Marley, Fezziwig Co. dancing "Sir Roger" in "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.

Comment by Ian Bell on October 28, 2010 at 11:20am

I didn't see your comment about 3/4 time until after I wrote the previous posting. Just from listening I assumed you and your brain were playing in 9/8 so I guess it doesn't matter.

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