IRISH HARMONICA 1: 'The Maids of Mitchelstown', & Demo of Half-Valved Harps: Brendan Power

A sweet and lovely Irish reel, The Maids of Mitchelstown, followed by a demonstration of Half-Valved Harmonica.

THE MAIDS OF MITCHELSTOWN is a wonderful tune (I play it in G here, though it's usually played in D). Its beauty lies in its ambivalent quality, both in rhythm (it seems to keep rolling on, never coming to rest) and its shifting key centre. Though it resolves briefly to G at the end, it shifts between Em, Am, C, D and G at various parts, giving a pleasant sense of restlessness.

If you want to learn the tune in this video, go to the page marked YOUTUBE ORDERS at top left on my website:

http://www.brendan-power.com

For a modest sum, I will email to you 3 files:

1. A PDF file of the WRITTEN MUSIC and HARMONICA TABLATURE for the tune. If you don't read music, Harp Tab tells you what notes/breath/hole to play. (Extra background about the tune and other relevant info is included).

2. MP3 of the tune played at NORMAL SPEED, as on the video.

3. MP3 of the tune played REAL SLOW, so you can pick up all the subtle nuances and tricky bits.

HALF-VALVED HARMONICAS are the only kind I play, both on diatonics and chromatics. I think they combine the best of both worlds, and afford a greater amount of expression than either un-valved (eg. the normal 10 hole diatonic) or fully-valved (the standard solo-tuned chromatic) types.

The Suzuki Promaster MR350-V model comes already half-valved. On this video I play a G Promaster in Paddy Richter Tuning (great for Irish Music see my other video on that). If you want to buy the same harp I use, I sell them on my website on the YOUTUBE ORDERS page (top left).

Brendan

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Brendan
• Power
• The
• Maids
• of
• Mitchelstown
• Irish
• Reel
• Jig
• hornpipe
• harmonica
• mouthorgan
• mouth
• organ
• trad
• music
• Shellist
• Christelle
• Ricci
• Kinsella
• Epping
• Pip
• John
• Murphy
• Eddie
• Clarke

[TheBluesbarry]

you technique sounds more than wonderfull!

[FunkinSpace]

Brendan Power you fucking own your amazing so glad you exist :)

[harpcy]

super ;)



[u3of52]

Brendon's - Playing Irish Music on the Blues Harp, is very very nice package!

[kingfisher323]

Is it possible to play these irish tunes on a honer ms blues harp key c?

[vietnambeatboxer]

u r freakin amazing!!!!!



[nicksib911]

@kdbrewing I'm definitely not Brendan Powers but i happen to know some celtic music on harmonica and all the ones i've learned have been in first position. Some of the more minor ones could be in 3rd though.

[naciotogi]

lovely stuff Brendan - hope to see you in or around Landshut Bavaria - let me know when you're back here again

[Depoorter123]

Brendan Power is God in the Harmonica !!

[MidnightPupster]

Very nice!!  :)

[kdbrewing]

Are you playing in 1st, 2nd or 3rd position? I play cross harp all the time and am looking to learn more celtic music.