How To Play Irish Music On A Kazoo

By the end of the tutorial you will have learned how to :

~ hum or play on a kazoo the Irish reel Christmas Eve ( Oíche Nollag)
~ recognize and play some traditional Irish tunes
~ use the abc music notation system to learn new tunes

What you'll need :

~ an ability to hum or vocalize a tune as you hear it; kazoo or instrument optional.
~ your internet connection
~ your PC capable of playing MIDI music files
~ at least 45 minutes or more of your time for the tutorial
~ more time to practise the tunes after the tutorial is over

You're starting off in the same position as most musicians in Ireland of the last century. Few could read music and the only way of passing on tunes within a community and down through generations was the aural tradition - learning a tune by listening to it and playing by ear.

Those who couldn't afford instruments would often lilt, a vocal improvisation by singing nonsense syllables such as die, dee, dum, ta, tee, la, diddle, dum, um that fit with the melody and rhythm like diddle di dum, da dee dum . If I've lost you completely think of the American equivalent of jazz scat singing with its skee bop doo wah.

In this tutorial we'll add a little spice to the vocalization with a Kazoo, but if you don't have one handy you can just hum along, or lilt with your own diddling.

Along the way I'll be using examples from my Zazzle Store to illustrate the tutorial that I've spent a fair amount of time preparing. If they interest you further please follow the links and visit the store where you may find a suitable gift for yourself or someone else. Most of the merchandise is customizable and easy to personalize. If you are a musician or a group you'll be pleased to note that you may buy in bulk, customize and re-brand my content, and re-sell on behalf of your group or community.

Music Gift Search Engine

There's also a searchable database that will help you choose a gift that features over 60 musical instruments, musical styles and themes on a range of nearly 40 types of gift. You will find the link to the Search Engine after the tutorial.

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A kazoo consists of a metal or plastic tube open at both ends. Near the centre of the instrument is another opening that is sealed with a thin membrane that vibrates. Blowing into the kazoo is not enough to produce sound. You need to hum a tune through the tube causing the membrane to vibrate.

Kazoos are very cheap. Refer to the Amazon listings below to give you an idea of pricing and to order. Anyone can play a kazoo; few develop the technique of not annoying the neighbors. Once you have one then consider this Kazoo Maestro Hat to show off your accomplishments.

Wear Your Golden Kazoo Maestro Musician's Hat


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So, if you are ready, with or without Kazoo, we move on to start playing. Soon you could be playing in a Kazoo band celebrating St Patrick's Day in any of your local parades.

You are probably most familiar with music as sheet music in its written form. Sheet music is really only useful if you can read and play from it. In this tutorial we will be using another music notation system. It's called ABC or abc notation. You don't need to read and play music in abc format; we only use it to convert to a playable music file, so I will only briefly describe the system.

What is the ABC notation system?

• it's a text based representation of music
  
• ABC text files can be easily converted to sheet music and MIDI music files
  
• more flexible than MIDI sound files (text can be easily changed)
  

We don't actually play music by reading ABC notation; the notes are not easy to read. ABC format just makes it easy to change the music before it is converted to sheet music or playable MIDI music, and more convenient to exchange with others.

There are huge libraries of ABC tunes freely available on the internet with over 80,000 tunes on one of them (see bibliography later). Many genres are available, e.g. folk, classical and in the public domain. You won't find many pop or rock music in ABC format. Copyright laws apply to ABC notation as equally as sheet music, MIDI and MP3s. And there's no definitive standard for calling the notation either ABC or abc so I'll be using both terms here.

Let's look at the first tune we will play. It's a Irish reel called Christmas Eve. It's also known by a few other names - Oíche Nollag (Christmas Eve, in Irish ) and The Christmas Reel.

You won't be writing any abc notation in this tutorial so don't worry if you don't understand the abc explanation that follows.

The abc file is in two parts. All the lines above and including the line beginning K: are header lines, containing information about the tune. Lines below K: contain the tune's actual notes.

X: 1
T: Christmas Eve
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
Q: 300
K: Gmaj
GE|:DB,DE G2 GA|(3BBB dB ABGA|BAGE DB,DE|G2 BG ABGE|
|DB,DE GFGA|B2 dB ABGA|BAAB G~E3|1 ABGF G2 EG:|2 ABGF ~G3A||
|:BG (3Bcd edeg|a2 ge gfeg|a2 af ~g3e|dBgB BAGA|
|BG (3Bcd edeg|abge gfeg|abge dBGB|1 ABGF ~G3A:|2 ABGF GAdc||
|:BGGA BGBd|e~g3 egdc|BGEG DGBG|FAAG FADA|
|BGGA BGBd|e~g3 efga|bgaf gedB|1 ABGF GAdc:|2 ABGF G EG||

T: Christmas Eve tells us the name of the tune. The rhythm is a reel ( R: reel ), it has a time signature (M: 4/4) and a default note length (L: 1/8).

K: Gmaj tells us the tune is in the key of G Major and this field ( K:) is always the last header line. X: is a file reference and always the first line of the file.

The value of Q determines the tune's tempo - the higher the value the faster the tune is played. We'll be using this parameter later in the tutorial.

In the second part of the notation there is little that you need to know for this tutorial, but for the sake of the curious :

• Each letter represents a note ( C D E F G A B )
  
• Upper case letters denote the bottom octave, with C as Middle C
  
• Lower case letters denote the top octave
  
• A letter followed by a comma takes the note down an octave
  
• A letter followed by an apostrophe takes the note up an octave
  
• Other punctuation is used in the notation ( e.g. the pipe | is a bar line )
  

Several music software programs for the Mac and PC will play music in abc notation, but I'll assume that you don't have any on your computer. If you have and it can import and convert notation files with the extension .abc then you will be able to do more with the music than this tutorial covers.

In this tutorial we'll use web based abc converters that allow you to copy and paste abc text files into a window for conversion to sheet music format, for reference purposes, and to midi format, which you can play on your computer. There are two web based abc converters which you may use. The links are below and will open a new window in your browser.

Clicking on the following links will open a new browser window. Keep this tutorial window open as well and switch windows as required.

The sites shown here may not always be open. At time of writing the Folkinfo.org converter was offline. If you find any new web based abc converters that I haven't come across let me know through the Comments section at the end of the tutorial

1 Copy and paste all of the abc notation text for Christmas Eve in the gray box above into a text editor and save it as a text file. Check that the copy paste hasn't introduced spurious html into the text

2 Open one of the following abc converters in a new browser window

» ABC Converter - Concertina.net
» ABC Converter - Folkinfo org

3 Paste the abc text of the Christmas Eve reel into the window and press Submit

4 The converter will then display a page with three links along the top and the sheet music for the tune. The link we are interested in is the one called MIDI Music File. Click it to play the converted Midi file for the tune. If you cannot hear a MIdi tune when you play it please check your audio settings. The melody will be played note for note, so don't expect accompaniment to the tune.

You'll also be able to print off the sheet music to the tune at that page. There's a smaller image of the tune's sheet music shown in the next section.

You've played the abc file for Christmas Eve as a MIDI file and it's at more or less at its normal playing tempo for listening to.

Reels are like that - fast and furious for dancing, but too fast if you are learning the tune. What we want to do is slow the tune down, but keep the pitch the same. This is where we can use a feature of abc notation and change the tempo.

So, let's go back to the abc text file you have saved. Find the line that says

Q: 300

Change it to

Q: 150

Copy and paste the new file into the converter window, submit it and play the Midi version again. You'll immediately notice the difference. The tune is played at half the speed, whilst pitch is retained.

Experiment with other values of Q and find a tempo that will allow you to listen and follow with your kazoo or your fine lilting voice. You should be able to download the Midi file to your hard disk and use it at your leisure.

You've now learned your first abc tune. The rest is up to you now - practice and more practice.

In the next part of the tutorial you will expand your repertoire with some more tunes.

The Christmas Eve reel, in its more visually attractive sheet music notation, appears inside this customizable and easy to personalize Christmas card, at my store.

It also appears on the reverse side of compact 3.5" x 2.5" chubby business cards as well.

In the sections that follow I have some more examples of tunes for you to experiment with. They are all well known tunes you are bound to hear at Irish music festivals or in pub sessions.

Listen to the tunes at normal tempo first then tweak the value of Q to suit your practice pace.
There are a couple of tunes where Q looks different, e.g. Q:1/4=200. Just reduce the value to play the tune at a slower tempo.

X: 4
T: Maid Behind the Bar
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Reel
Q: 250
K: D
A|FAAB AFED|FAAB A2de|fBBA Bcde|fdef edBA|
FAAB AFED|FAAB A2de|fBBA BcdB|AFEF D3 :|
g|faag fdde|(3fed ad fddf|gfga beef|(3gfe be geea|
fgaf bfaf|defd e2 de|fBBA BcdB|AFEF D3 :|

ACEO ATC Maid Behind The Bar Music Reel
Other Irish Music Gifts at Digital Dreams Zazzle Store
A waitress carrying a tray of food at a Diner in Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1917

X:54
T:The Cliffs of Moher
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:290
K:ADor
a3 bag|eaf ged|c2 A BAG|EFG ABd|
a2 a bag|eaf ged|c2 A BAG|EFG A3 :|
efe dBA|efe dBA|G2 c dBA|GAB dBd|
efe dBA|efe dBA|GAB dBA|BAG A3 |
gfe dBA|gfe dBA|G2 c DBA|GAB dBd|
efe ded|cdc B3|EFG AGA|DB,G, A,3 |>|

ACEO ATC Cliffs of Moher Irish Music Jig Card
The Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare, on the west coast of Ireland in a vintage print circa 1890

X:4
T:The Flowers of the Red Hill
S:Tommy Peoples, Donegal (fiddle)
R:Reel
N:As played
Q:290
M:4/4
K:G
eA(3.A.A.A eAgA | eA(3.A.A.A eAdA |eA(3.A.A.A ea{b}ae | {a}gedB GABd :|
ea~a2 ba~a2 | ea{b}ae gedg | ea~a2 (3babag | eBde gdBd |
ea~a2 ba{b}ag | ea{b}ae ~g3a | bg~g2 aged | ea{b}ag edBd ||

ACEO ATC Flowers of Redhill Irish Music Reel Card

X: 157
T:Farewell to Ireland
T:Farewell to Erin
R:Reel
H:Originally a Scottish tune: "The Scotsman's Farewell to Ireland".
N:Bars 1-6 are played one octave up by flutes, whistles and pipes.
Z:id:hn-reel-50
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:1/4=200
K:Ador
|:A,2A,C E2EF|GEDB, G,A,B,G,|A,2A,C E2EF|GEDB, EA,A,G,|
A,2A,C E2EF|GEDB, G,2g2|edeg ~a3f|gedB BA~A2:|
|:~a3b agef|~g3a gede|~a3b agef|gedB BA~A2|
agef ~g3e|dedB GABd|cBAB cdea|gedB BA~A2:|
|:eA (3cBA eA (3cBA|~d3B GB~B2|eA (3cBA ~e3a|gedB BA~A2|
eA (3cBA eA (3cBA|dedB GABd|cBAB cdea|gedB BA~A2:|
|:ae^ce aece|gdBd gdBd|ae^ce ~a3f|gedB BA~A2|
agef ~g3e|dedB GABd|cBAB cdea|gedB BA~A2:|

ACEO ATC Farewell to Ireland Music Reel
Killary Bay, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland, circa 1890

X:35
T:Wind That Shakes the Barley, The
R:reel
E:7
Q:350
M:C
K:D
|A2AB AFED|B2BA BcdB|~A3 B AFED|gfed BcdB|\
~A3B AFEF|DBBA BcdB|~A3B AFED|gfed Bcde||*
|~f3d ~g3e|~f3d Bcde|f2df gefg|afed Bcde|\
~f3d ~g3e|~f3d Bcd2|defg afbf|afed BcdB||**

ACEO ATC Wind That Shakes the Barley Music Reel
Hopi Indian harvesting barley, Arizona, circa 1898. Courtesy LOC.

X: 16
T:Foxhunter's Reel
R:Reel
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:1/4=200
K:A
|:e2cA eAcA|eAcA BAFA|e2cA eAcA|BdcA BAFA:|
|:~E3c cBAF|EAcA BAFA|~E3c cBAc|BdcA BAFA:|
|:afec ABce|aece fbbg|afec ABcA|Bcde fB~B2:|
|:eaag ~a3f|eaae faec|eaag ~a3e|faec BABc:|
|:A2cA eAcB|AccA BABc|A2cA eAce|faec BABc:|

ACEO ATC Foxhunters Irish Music Reel Card
Vintage print of 'Oriental America', a musical revue dating from 1896, courtesy LOC.

X: 12062
T:Rights of Man
S:KCC p27
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Hornpipe
K:G
P:A
GA|"Em"BcAB GAFG|"Em"EFGA B2ef|"Em"gfed "G"edBd|"Am"cBAG "B7"A2GA|
"Em"BcAB GAFG|"Em"EFGA B2ef|"Am"gfed "B7"Bgf/2g3/2|"Em"e4 e2:|
P:B
ga|"Em"b^abg efga|"Em"b^abg e2fe|"D"d^cde fefg|"D"afdf a2gf|
"Em"eBeg "D"fdfa|"G"gfga b2ef|"Am"gfed "B7"Bgf/2g3/2|"Em"e4 e2:|

Rights of Man Hornpipe on a Map of Ireland Card

X:1
T:Molly Malone
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:200
K:C
G| c c c| c/2 e3/2 d/2c/2| d d d| d/2 f3/2 e/2d/2| g e c| g e c| A d c|\
B2 G| c c c| c/2 e3/2 d/2c/2| d d d| d/2 f3/2 e/2d/2| g/2 e3/2 c|\
g/2 e3/2 c| d3/2 c/2 d| c2 G| c3/2 c/2 c| c- ed/2-c/2| d3/2 d/2 d|\
d- f e/2d/2| g/2 e3/2 c| g/2 e3/2 c| d3/2 c/2 d| c2||

This song is also known as Cockles and Mussels and Molly Malone. There is however no evidence that the song is based on a real woman of the 17th century or at any other time.

The greeting card below doesn't have the melody or music but it does contain the full lyrics.

Molly Malone Ireland Card With Lyrics
Browse through other Molly Malone gifts

Thousands of tunes of many genres from around the world have been archived with abc notation. I have only touched the surface with a handful of Irish tunes.

I'll end the tutorial with one more tune that you may recognize. It's The Banks of The Ohio, a traditional 19th Century american ballad with a sad ending.

X:1
T:Banks of the Ohio
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:250
K:C
z C C C| E4-| E C B, C| D4-| D z D E| F4-| F A A G| E4| z C C E| G4-|\
G E F G| A- F3-| F C C D| E4-| E C D D| C4-| C z3|

ACEO ATC On The Banks of The Ohio Folk Song

As with earlier examples I've managed to fit the tune and the lyrics onto an artist trading card (ATC) format (3.5" x 2.5" chubby business card size). The melody is shown on the front of the card, the lyrics to the traditional version on the back of the card. The card shows a vintage sepia print, circa 1868, courtesy LOC, but it shows the Shoshone Cañon and Falls on Snake River, Idaho, not the Ohio River. There's plenty of freedom to personalize the card, sold in packs of 100, for individual or group use.

I hope that this tutorial has broadened your horizons and perhaps improved your musical skills and that you might continue to explore the tunes available in the online databases. The links are available in the Bibliography section.

Before you go you are invited to browse through the irish and music themed gifts in my store on zazzle. Here is just a small selection of Irish themed gifts at the Dreamgifts store. Click on any image to go to the store. The examples below have been freshly updated for St Patrick's Day.

You'll also find a section of the gallery for other music gifts. Irish music is only part of the music theme in the store. Here's a small selection of other music themed gifts at the Dreamgifts store.

I've included a sample of music related designs on gifts from talented zazzlers around the world. Here's a selection from Johampton, Bebops, Cinnamonbite, Animotaxis, and October Sage.

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