If you want to add Mediterranean flair to your Irish music performances, the bouzouki is an excellent instrument that has been modified from its Greek roots for Irish folk music performances.
Irish bouzoukis are constructed out of wood, typically featuring eight strings or 4 courses of strings tuned to G2-D3-A3-D4.
Beginners
Be it your first instrument or an experienced musician, the Irish bouzouki is an indispensable choice. Easy to pick up and learn quickly, all it requires is practice and dedication!
The bouzouki is a flat back instrument similar to that of the mandolin; however, with shorter scale length and easier playing.
It also produces a brighter sound and works best when playing chords rather than melodies, though both instruments require finger dexterity and hand coordination to operate. While both require some degree of finger dexterity and hand coordination, there are significant distinctions between them both that need to be considered when selecting one over the other.
Contrary to its western cousins, bouzoukis are tuned in 5ths rather than fourths compared with guitars, giving a wider sounding chord structure and necessitating different techniques when playing scales and melodies. But these differences also require additional movement due to bending strings for rhythmical reasons, making rhythm more challenging to play than ever.
Intermediate
Designed for beginners and intermediate players alike, this class provides an opportunity to expand your repertoire while honing techniques and learning new styles of accompaniment.
This session will introduce you to various rhythm patterns used in Irish ballads and dance forms like slip jigs. Reels and hornpipes as well as dance forms like slip jigs will also be discussed as will how to hold your instrument properly for more authentic Irish sounding music.
The bouzouki was originally an eight-string Greek instrument which became a part of Irish folk revival music during the 1960s. Initially six string, later converted to eight string for increased versatility within Irish trad bands as an accompaniment piece – great addition to accompany a variety of traditional and modern tunes alike!
Advanced
Advanced Irish Bouzouki players can be defined as those with an impressive repertoire and the ability to play at an acceptable speed, in addition to those looking for new techniques, stylizations or variations to improve their traditional Irish music playing experience.
An invaluable resource for Irish bouzouki players is The Irish Bouzouki GDAD Chord Bible, which contains 2,520 chords in moveable chord configurations. Its user-friendly layout includes windows or boxes for transcribing your favorite songbooks.
Alan Reid’s Bouzouki Progression course can also help develop your skills further, with its array of quirky techniques and skills designed to get the best from Irish bouzouki playing.
If you are serious about playing Irish bouzouki, investing in an instrument from a top luthier will not only make an enormous difference to your playing but will ensure an instrument that lasts.
Professional
Professional Irish bouzouki players are among the world’s finest musicians, renowned for playing lively Irish dance tunes as well as soothing ballads on their instruments.
Musicians of this caliber are widely respected for their skill in composing, arranging and performing music; many also boast excellent songwriting abilities.
Andy Irvine stands as one of the greatest Irish bouzouki players ever seen, first recording with it on the debut album by Sweeney’s Men in 1968 and inspiring generations of Irish bouzouki players by mixing elements from other musical cultures with traditional Irish tunes.
He would eventually travel through Eastern Europe where he absorbed the rich musical traditions of Balkan. While there, he learned how to play both guitar and mandolin as well as start learning the bouzouki for himself.