UILLEANN PIPE POLKAS
Below is a sample lesson on how to play a polka on the uilleann pipes from uilleannpipe.com
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Learning to play the uilleann pipes has never been easier with these carefully designed uilleann pipe lessons. There are over 50 video tutorials and dozens of tunes on this site and more are being added every month to allow the lesson plans to improve, grow and always stay current.
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Irish Polkas are a kind of dance tune. They are played in 2/4 time and played very fast. The European polka came to Ireland way back in the 1800s, and they have become a core part of Irish music. It’s particularly popular in the Kerry, Clare, Cork and Limerick regions. They are written in 2/4 time with an emphasis on the off beat: 1-and-2-and, 1-and-2-and.
Polkas are generally easy to learn, but as lively dance tunes, it’s all in the delivery. They need energy!
BRITCHES FULL OF STITCHES PART A SLOW
This tune will allow you to learn your first polka as well as practice many of the things you have learned thus far. It also demonstrates that most tunes are broken up into two parts an "A" part and a "B" part. I have removed most of the cuts in this tune so you can concentrate on how a polka should be played and less on the embellishments. Also, there will only be 2 beats before the tune starts because it's in 2/4 time, most of the exercises and tunes you have done thus far have been in 4/4 so there have been 4 beats.
BRITCHES FULL OF STITCHES PART B SLOW
Britches of Stitches
I have included a "fast" audio to play along with. When I say fast I actually mean up to speed. Once you have learned the tune slowly and correctly you should play it at the "fast" speed. Plus, it's a little more fun to play fast for a change.
