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Two Jigs

by Steve Smith

Dermott’s Return is a little jig I wrote and named in honor of fiddler Dermott Diamond from Ireland. He is a great player whom you can often find playing at Hughes Pub in Dublin on a regular basis and on occasion in Las Cruces, New Mexico where we first met. It is always a treat and learning experience to hear him play.

To achieve the feel and color of the piece, use all down strokes. At 88 beats per minute (to the dotted quarter note,) a very even right hand should be used with only the slightest of accent on the downbeat in measures 6 and 13. The D major chord in Measure 11 adds a nice harmonic lift that briefly suggests a mode change from A Aeolian to A Dorian with the appearance of the F# note of the D chord.

The Stone Path falls into the often used right hand pattern for jigs of:

down,up,down,down,up,down(1,2,3,4,5,6.)

With a slight increase in tempo to 100 per minute (to the dotted quarter note,) this pattern lends a better feel. The Stone Path is played with all closed position notes. Once learned it may be transposed positionally to other keys, for example, up a half step to C minor. Opon learning both tunes, try changing the right hand patterns of each tune to notice the change of the feel of each tune. For the chord F#/C# use two fingers. Index on the F# at the (4th fret 3rd string) and middle finger on the C# (sixth fret, 4th string.) Leave the A and E string open for an F# minor chord with C# in the bass.

Enjoy, Steve Smith
Copyright and publishing Steve Smith/Desert Night Music 2002.