After a very unscientific observation I've determined that the note D is the most common note in Irish traditional music. I have a sort of half-baked idea built around this note that I'm hoping to flesh out by writing a post about it. Here goes.
First off, you have to know the pattern of the major scale: 1•2•34•5•6•71•2•34•5•6•71 and so on. For brevity, lets think of the major scale as this: 1•2•34•5•6•71.
OK, so the D-major scale looks like this: D•E•F#G•A•B•C#D. In other words, in the D-major scale D is the 1st note of the major scale. However, it is also common in Irish music for D to be the 5th note of the major scale. That looks like this: 5•6•71•2•34•5 or D•E•F#G•A•BC•D (one sharp key signature, also known as D-Mixolydian). Note that the only difference between these two is whether the C note is a C-natural or a C-sharp. D whistles can also play in this key.
A little less common, but D can also show up as the 4th note of the major scale: 4•5•6•71•2•34 or D•E•F#•G#A•B•C#D (three sharps key signature, better known as A-Major). D whistles might have to skip any G# notes in the tune. I've also seen D function as the 2nd note of the major scale: 2•34•5•6•71•2 or D•EF•G•A•BC•D (all white keys on the piano, this is called D-Dorian). Whistle players use a special whistle for tunes in this D-Dorian mode.
I can think of one more place where D might pop up and that is as the 6th note of the major scale: 6•71•2•34•5•6 or D•EF•G•ABb•C•D (key signature has one flat, maybe G-Dorian or D-Aeolian). This one is quite rare though and whistle player might just sit this one out entirely.
You're not going to have a D-natural note in the key of E-major (E•F#•G#A•B•C#•D#E) or the key of B-major (B•C#•D#E•F#•G#•A#B) for example, but those keys aren't really part of Irish trad in my experience. With me so far? I'm not even sure that I am!
When D is the first note of the major scale, let's call that D-1. 4th note of the major scale = D-4. 5th note of the major scale = D-5. 2nd note of the major scale = D-2. And 6th note of the major scale = D-6.
Now let's add a slash to indicate the tonal center, because in Irish music the tonal center isn't always D. It can also be E, G, A or B. Maybe even F!
- D-1/D = D is first note of major scale and it's also the tonal center (ex: Lady Anne Montgomery)
- D-1/E = D is first note of major scale and E is the tonal center (ex: Morrison's Jig)
- D-1/A = D is first note of major scale and A is the tonal center (ex: High Reel)
- D-1/B = D is first note of major scale and B is the tonal center (ex: Musical Priest)
- D-5/D = D is fifth note of major scale and it's also the tonal center (ex: Banish Misfortune)
- D-5/G = D is fifth note of major scale and G is the tonal center (ex: Far From Home)
- D-5/A = D is fifth note of major scale and A is the tonal center (ex: Lilting Banshee)
- D-5/E = D is fifth note of major scale and E is the tonal center (ex: Rights of Man)
- D-4/A = D is fourth note of major scale and A is the tonal center (ex: Boys of Malin)
- D-2/D = D is second note of major scale and it's also the tonal center (ex: Julia Delaney's)
- D-6/D = D is sixth note of the major scale and it's also the tonal center (ex: The Sailor's Wife)
- D-6/G = D is sixth note of major scale and G is the tonal center (ex: The Golden Castle, Splendid Isolation)
I think that covers most of the scenarios except for maybe some Liz Carroll tunes!
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