Irish Banjo Events
Irish banjo events provide a fantastic way to experience traditional Irish music, featuring banjos, fiddles, bodhrans and guitars in various configurations.
We Banjo 3 are four award-winning musicians from Ireland who play multiple instruments – banjos, fiddles, mandolins, bodhrans and guitars among them – seamlessly fusing Celtic, Americana and Bluegrass traditions into pop-sensible songcraft.
We Banjo 3
Enda and Fergal Scahill of We Banjo 3 perform banjos, fiddle, mandolin guitar and fiddle as part of one set. Martin and David Howley provide banjos fiddle mandolin dobro percussion accompaniment. Together these brothers combine virtuosity with precision to deliver an unparalleled live concert experience for audiences across Ireland.
As evidenced by their incredible performances at festivals like Merlefest, BottleRock Summercamp ROMP Wintergrass and others, lovers of all genres are taking notice. Their blend of modern rhythms with traditional melodies and virtuosic banjo and mandolin music will leave your feet tapping with happiness – guaranteed.
We Banjo 3 have one foot in Irish music and one in Americana music, seamlessly fusing both genres with their captivating live performance that offers something truly original and fulfilling. Their masterful instrument control supports lead singer David Howley’s captivating vocals to produce something truly impressive and exciting.
Irish Tenor Banjo
Irish Tenor Banjo is a four-stringed tenor banjo tuned an octave lower than fiddle to facilitate playing the rapid melodies and triplets common to many Irish instrumental tunes more easily.
Misunderstandings about Irish banjo are frequent. While most Irish tenor banjo players favor short-neck (17 fret) models with 22 to 23 inch scale length, short neck (17 fret) banjos may not necessarily qualify.
The tenor banjo was first created in America as a melodic picked instrument for use with strumming chordal accompaniment and as a rhythm-instrument in popular 1920s jazz dance bands. Its volume and tone perfectly suited early music styles; furthermore its adaptability made it suitable for Irish dance bands as well.
Irish Bouzouki
Irish bouzoukis have long been part of traditional Irish music, but were introduced by Johnny Moynihan and Sweeney’s Men during the mid 1960s as an exotic instrument similar to Greek bouzouki but often described as large mandolin-type instruments.
Irish bouzouki differs from its Greek counterpart in that it features a flatter back and straighter sides, as well as having lower tuning than its Greek counterpart.
This makes the instrument easier to play on, as well as providing players with more freedom when it comes to capos high up the neck to accommodate for specific keys. Furthermore, it has brighter sound qualities and more comfortable to hold than its Greek counterpart.
Andy Irvine first played his bouzouki during Sweeney’s Men’s debut album release in 1968 and it has become his primary instrument ever since. Other Irish musicians have taken up playing it as well and it has become part of their repertoire.
Irish Dulcimer
Irish dulcimers are some of the oldest instruments ever created, dating back centuries. A diatonic instrument, they feature two melody strings and one drone string tuned closely together for maximum sound output.
This instrument features a teardrop-shaped soundbox and is similar to the mountain or lap dulcimer, likely developed in Appalachian Mountains by Scotch-Irish settlers.
As an instructor, I taught students the fundamental skills of playing scheitholtz before transitioning them to mountain or hammered dulcimers for practice. With time and dedication they were soon playing traditional tunes on both instruments.
This instrument differs significantly from its counterparts in that the finger strength and dexterity needed for playing it requires more repetition and exercise than its tenor banjo counterpart. Building your repertoire may take time and commitment, but the effort will certainly pay off!
