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Complete Tenor Banjo Method
by: Mel Bay

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by Michael Keyes

Almost every email I get about playing the Irish Tenor Banjo asks "how do you make those (expletive deleted) triplets?" I guess I have come to the conclusion that not everyone is going to get it. But that is OK, you don’t really need triplets to play Irish music - but it really helps. Playing the banjo is all about the right hand. If you don’t have the triplets, that is OK, but you have to have a good right hand.

So I decided to try showing triplets one more time.In the first place, they are not really triplets. True triplets are three notes played in the timing of two notes. They are written into the music and are found in hornpipes most often in Irish music. On the other hand, trebles (a term Tommy Peoples likes to use) are ornaments. This means that they hang on the music to make it pretty. Remember, with the exception of slow airs, most Irish traditional music is for dancing and ornaments drive the music.

But I will give in to common usage and still call them triplets.

The hard part about triplets for most beginners is not being able to produce one. It can be done if you practice and start out slowly. There are two common ways to make a triplet, the wrist stroke and the McTwist, both of which have been explained before in this column (December 2005 and October 2006 ) so I won’t go into that again. This time I am going to show you when and where to use triplets.

But first some short videos of triplets. Look at them over and over until you can do them. It takes time and you will eventually have an epiphany.

Written Triplets vs. Ornamental Triplets

Ornamental vs Triplet Video
Download the video:
OrnamentalVsWritten.mov

Straight Triplets

 (Note that even when I try, I can’t always do a straight triplet.)

Stroke Triplet Video
Download the video:
StraightTriplet.mov

The McTwist

 (Probably the most natural way to do a triplet.)

McTwist Video
Download the video:
McTwist.mov

The interesting secret to playing triplets in a tune is that there is no one place to put them. If you make triplets at exactly the same place each time, the tune becomes boring very quickly. (Remember, to outsiders, all Irish tunes sound like either dah-da-dah dah-da-dah or da-da-da-da da-da-da-da.) By introducing a triplet in a different place each time (or no triplet at all) you change the rhythmic effect of the tune making it more available to the listener or dancer each time around. Of course there are some places that are better than others and too many triplets sound awful. It is up to you to experiment and make mistakes until you find a style that suits you. But that is all part of learning to play the music. Remember to listen to as many other Irish musicians (not just banjo players) as you can. It will eventually come to you.

Here is the Galway Hornpipe, an easy to play tune which is slower than a reel but has a wonderful feel about it. There are both written triplets and ornamental trebles in this tune.

Galway Hornpipe Video
Download the video:
GalwayHornpipe.mov

Here is the notation for Galway Hornpipe. I have written in some suggestions for places to put triplets. Your interpretation may vary.

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About the Author

Mike Keyes, a native of Franklin, Tennessee, has played tenor banjo since 1957 and over the years has learned to play five string banjo, mandolin, and guitar. He earned his way through college and medical school playing in bluegrass and dixieland bands and currently plays in the Irish band "Maggie's Misfortune." He is an expert in sports performance and has written a book and over 200 articles on the subject.

His interest in Irish music started a number of years ago when effort to learn more about his musical roots led him to the discovery of session playing. Since then he has been to Ireland to learn more about the music and has taken classes and interviewed such banjo greats as John Carty, Charlie Piggot, and Gerry O'Connor.

His medical practice is in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. You can email him at mikeyes@charter.net if you wish to discuss some aspect of the Irish tenor banjo or go to his web site at www.mikekeyes.com.

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