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| Site last updated . This particular page was created 16/11/2003 and last updated 28/08/2004 Site updates |
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There is one particular rhythm pattern that is so common it deserves a page of it's own. I call it the "Drunken sailor" rhythm, because the famous songs opens up with it.
You play it by filling in with eight notes on every other beat:
This is probably the single most useful rhtyhm pattern you'll ever learn. You can use it for just about every reel and hornpipe and also for most other uptempo four time tunes, both irish and others. So practice this rhythm until you can play it in your sleep!
Two useful variants are bass notes on the first and third beat:
and bass note on the first beat only:
