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Question: Celtic insruments!?!?!?
ok!.!.!.!.so im 14 and my cuzin is too and she plays the harp!.!.!.!.
sooo i want to play a celtic(irish) instrument that would sound good and/or sound good with a harp!?!?!?
also i live in southern california and if i get an instrument and start lessons i want to be able to have someone living nearby that could give me lessons!.
for instance!.if i want to play the piano im sure to find a million people nearby that could give lessons!.but if i plan on playing the banjo(which i wont) then i dont think anyone in all of southern california could give me lessons!.

also i dont want to play an instrument thats too common (like the piano or guitar) because!.!.!.!.!.i dont know i guess i want to be uniqe like my cuzin!.and i dont know anyone that can play the harp besides my cuz and i dont know anyone that cant play the piano!!!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Fiddle!.

You can take a few lessons from a classical violin teacher who specializes in teaching beginners, just to learn the proper way to hold the instrument and the bow, pull the bow across the strings to get the best sound, and play some basic first position scales in the keys of D, G, and A to start with!.

But make sure your teacher understands clearly that you want to play Irish traditional fiddle music, NOT classical violin!. The two styles are VERY different, and most classical violinists haven't a clue how to play authentic-sounding Irish traditional folk music, unless they happen to have studied it themselves!. Yes, it really DOES make a difference -- listen to some traditional Irish fiddling, and then listen to classical music, and you'll hear it for yourself!. There's a lilt and a danceable beat to Irish fiddling that just isn't present in classical music -- because Irish fiddle music is meant to be danced to, as compared to classical music which is meant to be listened to!.

So once you have the basics learned, find a teacher who specializes in teaching Irish traditional folk music!. I'm sure if you look around you will have no trouble finding an Irish flddle teacher in Southern California!.

Or you could take up the flute or the pennywhistle!. But I vote for the fiddle :-)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Try playing the viola!. It's different but it still blends with a harp very well!. If you don't know what a viola is, it looks like a violin but plays like a cello and is probably the most beautiful and underplayed instrument in the orchestra!. Though viola players are scarce, most violin or cello teachers can teach it because they're similar!. You'll need to know how to read alto clef though!. Violins read treble and cellos read bass so that may be your only problem!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You might want to try uilleann (pronounced "ill'-in") pipes!. They have an absolutely beautiful sound!. Check out the first link and see the piper about 44 seconds into the clip!. If that seems too exotic then try the flute; it's very common in Irish music and there'll be no problem finding a teacher!. Look for recordings by The Boys of the Lough featuring Cathall McConnell on the flute!.

By the way, there's no problem getting banjo lessons!. Just contact McCabes in Santa Monica and they can hook you up with a teacher!. You just have to look!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The tin whistle is very "celtic", quite easy to learn and you can pick one up for a few dollars!. Then if you find you have an aptitude for it you could progress to other wind instruments like the low whistle (only if you have BIG hands!), the flute, or the smallpipes!.

The violin is used a lot in celtic music as well, and I'm sure you wouldn't have trouble finding a teacher!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You should try the violin because there was a harp in the orchestra that I played in, and it sounded absolutely beautiful when only the violin section and the harp played together!. It is also pretty easy to find lessons for violin!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I thinky ou should try the violin!. i play it and i love it! I'm 13 and i think its really fun!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i would go with a violin!Www@QuestionHome@Com