The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book Paperback – June 1, 2005

I was not extremely impressed with the organization of this book. I've been playing guitar for around 20 years, and I don't want to try to detract from anything that helps spread knowledge about guitar playing in Irish music or any other art form. There is an exhaustive section on chord theory, going all the way up to 13th chords, without explaining why or where you would use these chords in irish accompaniment. I prefer a layout that introduces the most common chord types, shows examples of how to use them, and only introduces less common chord types when a player has more experience. Introducing too much information at once can be very distracting for the beginner or even intermediate student who is lead to believe they must learn all this material before they can play music. Likewise the multiple pages of exhaustive chord diagrams. These things should appear as an appendix or reference. There is little point in having a player look at all these diagrams before trying to play a tune. Why not show a basic accompaniment using 3-4 chords and have the student master that first? This will build confidence and musical understanding of a framework in which more advanced material might be deployed.Also the chapter on backing tunes is only 5 pages long! This should be the bulk of the book in my opinion. Multiple examples of traditional repertoire with backing pattern examples from simple to complex are needed.The second half of the book is traditional tunes in melody form, without comprehensive accompaniment examples. While I agree without the authors central thesis "you shouldnt back a tune you dont know", which justifies the inclusion of so many tunes in melodic form only, wouldn't the student be better served if there were backing examples for each of these tunes?

I've been playing DADGAD tuning for over 20 years, and have backed up Irish players, but knew all along I needed more chord structures, as I often relied on the capo. I love that this book has organized chord structures according to key... and also moveable structures. Very helpful! I also LOVE that tablature for Irish tunes is also included, as I've long thought it would be great to play a tune on guitar (rather than just singing). I read somewhere that Sarah is planning a second book on accompanying songs in DADGAD. I understand how to do that, but not with her precision and embellishment. Looking forward to that one, as well. My only wish is that this book had addressed accompaniment of traditional (and/or modern) songs.

This book really should have come with a dvd. The pieces are a little tricky and a bit more challenging than I’d expected. Came in good shape and arrived sooner than expected

This book is as described. It is full of information to work on DADGAD scales and chords.

Great book. She knows her stuff. Only book I've gotten on Dadgad and Celtic music that lasts out all out.

Although this book is quite well written, as someone who has been playing open tuned guitar for more than 20 years, I found very little that was truly helpful. Almost half of the book covers basics such as a quick overview of music theory, an explanation about modes and basic information on acoustic guitars. This information seems better suited to people who are brand new to the guitar.Where I found the book to most disappointing was in miniscule amount of information on DADGAD as a tool to accompany fiddle tunes. The author only features backing information on one tune, Drowsy Maggie. She only takes the time to give one basic very basic set of changes for the tune followed by a second set of more complex changes. That was it.A large amount of the book covers playing fiddle tunes fingerstyle, and despite the large number of tunes and notations, there was almost no information on fingerstyle instruction or technique.Overall I found the book to be a good background resource but very disappointing as a guide to teach new techniques or chord progressions.

I agree that this book is a must-have for guitarists serious about Irish music. This book, though, is for fairly advanced players, in spite of the beginner level section called "The Guitar", an oddly simplistic chapter for an alternate tuning guide. This book will meet your needs only if you have some grounding in music theory, good intermediate chops and a willingness to do further research on your own.The theory chapters are quite dense, covering modes, keys and chord structure in a few pages. These are subjects that should have been developed further to be of practical use. Also, the 24 songs charted in the back of the book are only melody lines, no backing chords.The chapter "Backing Irish Music" reveals Ms. McQuaid's attitude: "You cannot back a tune that you do not know", admonishing less accomplished players not to play at all if they cannot add something to the mix. This stinginess of spirit pervades the chapter. Needless to say, I disagree completely. Open sessions are about having fun, socializing and sharing with the community, not virtuosic grandstanding. Most session players would agree ... even in the pubs :-)Ms. McQuaid does include an wonderful discography for 30 Irish guitarists that is worth the price of the book, IMHO; hard-to-find info. In spite of it's flaws serious Irish players should have this book on their shelves for reference.

This book went deep into Irish music played in DADGAD tuning on guitar. Songs are in tab with chords above. It teaches about music theory, and chord shapes for DADGAD. I ordered the cd from the company that made the book also, to hear all the tunes. This book is a must have for anyone into Irish music for guitar or just wanting to expand there guitar playing into alternate tunings.

This is a MUST HAVE for any DADGAD player. BUT there is so many BUTS to make it not your first DADGAD book!It has hand written sheet music - artistic authentic feel sure, bit it is just easier to read printed music.The music theory at the start is great IF you already know music theory it makes perfect sense in a note form. If you don't come from that background you will never decipher it. Effectively it is worthless as a teaching aid unless you have a background in music theory and even then if you don't know DADGAD you may struggle to fill in the blanks. The modes & scales discussion for example make perfect sense if you know what a diatonic scale is and how modes work. It is just not a good teaching book. You need to be at least intermediate level to play these tunes.However with all that said. This is a book that if it was to be revised properly it would be a master piece. Which is why you should have it if you know the theory already as you can just fix it yourself and play the nice collection of tunes. I enjoyed it and do not regret my purchase one bit or expect perfection all the time as sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough and polish it yourself.

This is a terrific book for teaching DADGAD - really well put together - excellent. Its the only book on the market with such detail

Tab is handwritten and while legible it would be much clearer if shown in type. This may however be a symptom of my eyesight !Text is very well written and informative.

This was a disappointment. Much of the book is written about the background to guitar accompaniment in irish music. The tablature is not clearly written without any standard notation to go with it, not at all easy to follow.

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