Irish Scale

[GeorgeHarrison]

Hi,

I am looking for some kind of Irish scale. I have to write an irish sounding piece and I wonder if any of you knows some scale that could suit it.
I've found some examples all over the web, but none of them were very helpful.

Thank you;

P.S.I am new here...and i guess I'll stay for long.

[Jolly McJollyson]

okay, I'll tell you a secret. Do the Irish song in Am, in the open position. If it's supposed to be classical, this will work like a charm. What you need to do is make up aome classical melody, and repeat the same basic bass notes, that'll give it a real Celtic feel. I've cheated my way through many a composition by writing a celtic piece.

[chris mood]

make sure to put a 3/8 or 6/8 feel to it for a sense of Irish authenticity.

[noticingthemistake]

Mixolydian and Dorian are the most common because of it's Folkish tonality. Here's a little page to explain it.

http://www.geocities.com/feadanach/modes.html

[Edited by noticingthemistake on 10-06-2003 at 10:58 AM]

[Christoph]

Bout time someone asked this question. A lot of the bag-piping stuff is in mixolydian, I've noticed. So if you just start dinking around in mixolydian, it should sound celtic. Also, try doing a lot of hammer-ons and pulls-offs, ya know, legato stuff. That really helps give it the celtic feel.

[TheDirt]

noticing is right about the Mixolydian mode. Try tuning to drop D. Now play fingerstyle. Play the bass as half notes between the open D string and open A string. Now play around in D Mixolydian on the E and B strings. This should sound really celtic.

[GeorgeHarrison]

Hey, id like to thank everyone for their answers...i didnt expect getting feedback so quickly.
I've been playing around with the Mixolidian mode and it really sounds celtic; that is the kind of sound I was looking for.
And noticing, thanx for the web page: very interesting!
I love when people are willing to share information.

[Jolly McJollyson]

Originally posted by GeorgeHarrison
I love when people are willing to share information.


Unlike those selfish CIA agents.

[Karma In The South]

90% of Irish pieces are in D or G, or modal, usually Dorian or Mixylodian, cos the main instruments, violin and tin whistle are best suited to those keys(standard whistles have only the notes from the D and G major scales)

A 6/8 or 9/8 jig would be the standard, 6/8 is alot more common, but use 9/8 if you wanna be different. 6/8 is a standard jig while 9/8 is a slip jig. Remember each measure will end in the root note. Sirry Ive no more time to explain it, tahts just basic.

[GeorgeHarrison]

Thanx Karma, I think i will do it in D and using the Mixolidian mode. However, I have a very begginers question: If I'm writing the song in D, and I want to use the Mixolidian mode, should i work with the mixolidian starting on A (since it corresponds to the Major Scale of D) or should I just work with the mixolidian starting on D?
Did I explain myself??

[noticingthemistake]

Yeah. You'll just have to try both to see which you like better. If you've already written the tune in D major, A mixolydian isn't going to change the tune any. So if you don't want to change the tune, there's your answer. Although theres nothing wrong with experimenting and changing the tune from D major to D mixolydian might be better. Try it and see. :) If you haven't written the tune yet, try both to see which one you like better.

[Christoph]

Originally posted by GeorgeHarrison
If I'm writing the song in D, and I want to use the Mixolidian mode, should i work with the mixolidian starting on A (since it corresponds to the Major Scale of D) or should I just work with the mixolidian starting on D?

If you want to write a song in D mixolydian, start at the D in the A major scale.