Jon: Irish Music

I try to soak in music wherever I travel. Every part of the world has its own unique styles and sounds. Irish music has its place in the states, but I never really gave it a chance. The average bar with entertainment in America will most likely have a cover band playing popular cover songs. I have yet to see that in Ireland. The two women from Imrama that played for us in class broadened my view on Irish music. They taught us a great deal of history as well as current issues surrounding Irish music. I was surprised to learn that the instrumentation varies between regions. The standard line up in Kerry may differ from the standard line up in Cork. Instruments that are most common are fiddles, accordions, guitars, mandolins, and flutes. I have seen a few percussion instruments in live sessions. The women also said that instruments have changed through the progression of time. That doesn’t sound right to me. I don’t know how instruments can be changed in a style that is called “traditional”. Guitarists seem to have a better sense of rhythm in the traditional genre. They sometimes keep a beat with the hands on the head of the guitar or stomp their feet loud enough to be heard as part of the song. Guitar parts in traditional music seem to be more rhythmically relevant than average American folk bands, which usually involve simple strumming patterns. Traditional guitar playing blends guitar and bass techniques (to American standards) to create more intricate patterns. The absence of a bass seems to be made up for by a heavier focus on rhythmic patterns and tempo. The style in general is very melodic, almost sounding too busy at times. All (or at least most) Irish people are able to identify with the music. I have not met anyone in Ireland who has put down traditional music. I would imagine that is because it is such a large part of their identity. It is an Irish staple and extremely significant to the country’s evolution. I don’t think I fully understand it yet, but I enjoy listening to it. I usually lose interest after listening for a few minutes because it all tends to blend together. Every song sounds very similar to my ears. However, I can’t help but tap my foot whenever I am around it.