Arbuckle’s

Celtic Guitar Book

Irish and Scottish tunes

arranged for fingerstyle guitar
in DADGAD
and other tunings
copyright D S Arbuckle 2006
 Arbuckle’s

Celtic Guitar Book

Irish and Scottish tunes

arranged for fingerstyle guitar
in DADGAD
and other tunings
Airs Tuning page
Archibald McDonald of Keppoch DADGAD 5
George Brabazon (1st Air) DADGAD 6
George Brabazon (2nd Air) DADGAD 7
Capt. Magan DADGAD 8
Joy Gae Wee My Love DADGAD 9
Mrs Hamilton of Pitcaithland CGDGCD 10
Planxty Fanny Powers DGDGAD 11
Planxty Lady Wrixon DGDGCD 12
Thomas Leixlip the Proud DADGAD 13
Jigs
Banish Misfortune DADGAD 14
the Butterfly DADGAD 15
Caliope House DADGAD 16
Cliffs of Moher DADGAD 17
Frieze Breeches DADGAD 18
Garrett Barry's DADGAD 20
Humours of whiskey DADGAD 21
Market Town DGDGAD 22
Mooncoin Jig DGDGCD 23
Morison's Jig DADGAD 25
Mist on the Mountain DGDGCD 26
The Rolling Waves DADGAD 27
Scatter the Mud DGDGAD 28
Hornpipes
The Blackbird DADGAD 29
Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine DADGAD 30
Boys of Ballycastle DADGAD 31
Red-haired Boy DADGAD 32
Reels and Strathspeys
Dancing Feet DGDGAD 33
Devil in the Kitchen DGDGAD 34
The Dublin Reel DADGAD 35
Jackie Coleman’s Reel DADGAD 37
Maids of Mitchelstown DADGAD 38
My Love is in America DADGAD 39
Sgt. Early’s Dream DADGAD 40
The Silver Spear DADGAD 41
the Silver Tip DADGAD 42
The Wind that Shakes the Barley DADGAD 43
The Laird of Drumblair CGCGAD 44
Lord Lyndoch's Welcome DADGAD 45
The Tablature
This book assumes you are already familiar with reading tablature. There’s one difference from most
tablature systems. In an effort to make the tab less cluttered, hammer-ons and pull-offs are simply
noted by a tie (∩) instead of the usual H and P. I figure you know to use a hammer-on when going to a
higher note, and pull-off when going to a lower note.

Getting to DADGAD tuning from standard tuning EADGBE

You only need to lower 3 strings one step or note: the 1st, 2nd and 6th strings.
1. Tune the 6th string (E) down one step to D so it sounds an octave below the 4th string D. Or, lower
the 6th string one note until it matches the 5th string A.
2. Tune the 1st string (E) down one step to D so that it sounds an octave above the 4th string D. Or,
lower the 1st string down one step until it matches the 2nd string fretted at the 3rd fret.
3. Tune the 2nd string (B) down one step to A until it sounds an octave above the 5th string A. The
note will match the 3rd string fretted at the 2nd fret.

Playing the Tunes

Many of the tunes employ what’s been called a “harp” style of guitar. Simply put, you try to keep all
notes ringing as long as possible. Fretted notes are held down while you the fret the next note or notes
on adjacent strings. In this way you can get 2 or more notes sounding at the same time. A good
example is the 2nd measure of Humours of Whiskey (pg. 24).
For variation, on the 1st time through a jig, reel or hornpipe you can drone a bass note. Try playing a
bass note once per measure or on each downbeat. For instance, on Garrett Barry’s (pg. 21) play a 6th
string D on every downbeat.
Many guitarists will damp the bass strings with the palm of their right hand to create a percussive
effect.

Capo
The capo settings given for some tunes are so the tune will sound in the key the tune is usually
played in. For instance, Planxty Fanny Powers is arranged in the key of G, a guitar friendly key, but by
putting the capo on the 2nd fret the tune will sound in the original key of A. In practice, I capo many
tunes at the 2nd fret for a brighter sound and easier fingering.

Concerning String Gauges

I usually use light gauge strings (1st .012 - 6th .053), however, many guitarists don’t like the
looseness of the lowered strings or think the tone suffers so they will use heavier strings for the
lowered strings. Some manufacturers make strings sets especially for DADGAD and other tunings, or
you can buy single strings. You could use medium gauge for these strings or gauges in between light
and medium.

Listen to the Music

Green Linnet has many compilation CDs that are a good place to find Celtic music by a wide array of
musicians and instruments. Their address is 43 Beaver Brook Rd, Danbury, CT or on the web at
www.greenlinnet.com.
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45