Celtic music is way older than the guitar. It is also played with instruments such as bagpipes, fiddlers, flutes, and harps, which have a different tone than the guitar.

So, how can we make our guitar sounds like a flute, a harp, or a fiddle? Well, we can if we consider the function of each one of these instruments so that we can try to replicate their timbre and articulation.

In Celtic music, the different types of flutes are usually played with a lot of trills. We can have the same sound by plucking one note several times. The harp sound very resonant. So if we let most of the notes over-ring, we can achieve the same sound.

We also have pedal tones. Meaning, we keep the same note on the bass as the melody develops.

So in this video, we are learning a few Celtic licks and melodies that can make your mind think of things Celtic.

I am using the capo on fret III, and the tuning is DADGBE. So, Drop D tuning with the capo on III. We can use the capo for different reasons. One of them is that it makes the trills easier to play.

Tabs available on Patreon.

Enjoy this lesson.