ABC versions

More stars--this time, a beautiful tune.

I first learned this from Dan Gelo's book of Irish tunes for mandolin. He recommends varying the use of tremolo: using it on some long notes, but not on others. I have found that to be a very effective and musical device.

What a good choice John.

X:109
T:Star of the County Down
R:waltz
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=160
K:Am
EG|"Am"A2A|"F"A>GA|"C"c2c|"G"d>cd|"Am"e>dc|A>GE|"Em"G3|"E"^GcB|!
"Am"A2A|"F"A>GA|"C"c2c|"G"d>cd|"Am"e>dc|A2A|"Am"A3-|A2e|!
"C"g2e|e>dc|"G"d2d|d>cd|"Am"e>dc|A>GE|"Em"G3|"E"^GcB|!
"Am"A2A|"F"A>G A/B/|"C"c2c|"G"d>cd|"Am"e>dc|A2A|"Am"A3-|A||


Download as an [ABC file]

In addition to waltz time, it is an excellent jig, and I've even heard it done in 2/4 time.

g'day, great tune. My picking buddies and I play it as a waltz 2x, then change to 4/4 time and add bluegrass embellishments. Lotsa fun.
cheers, Maria

For this tune, our fiddle player wrote an "interlude" in some strange key (at least two flats, it escapes me now...). It's an homage of some sort to one of his favorite classical composers. At the end of the interlude, it slides quite nicely back into the top of Star of the County Down, changing back to the original key... It's not for everyone, but then, neither is our fiddler!

A little late, but I've uploaded a tab/standard notation version to my web site at

www.argonet.co.uk/users/gatherer/tunes/tab/tab1/star.html

I was playing around with Star of the County Down and here is my attempt to take it as a Waltz and make 4/4 tune and two jigs out of it.

ABC files:
[Traditional]   [Reel]   [Jig 1]   [Jig2]

My guitar player and I like to play the Star as a waltz, then slow down to a 4/4 shuffle groove and play it blues style with whammies and blue notes, then speed it up and pick with a bluegrass vocabulary...lots of Lester Flatt G runs.

I like that slide up from the G to a G#, changing the chord from an Em to an E7. I think it sounds cool, especially on the fiddle.