Here are five fantastic sources of tunes - submitted by Mike Rudge

TRADITIONAL MUSIC LIBRARY

A huge archive of traditional, folk & old music - song-books with lyrics & chords, tune-books, sheet-music, scores, old songs, midi backing tracks, tabs, music lessons & theory, learn to play guides for various instruments, chord diagrams, scales and other music educational & academic reference materials.


abc notation home page

abc notation is a text-based music notation system and the de facto standard for folk and traditional music.

 

THE SESSION


The definitive site for music resource, covering a vast range of tunes from many folk genres. Also includes discussion blogs from musicians and suggestions for tune sets.

THE VILLAGE MUSIC PROJECT

This music project is primarily interested in the traditional social dance music of England – where it came from, where it went to, who it travelled with and where it is now. Because the places where we will be looking for this music also contain other sorts of material such as folk song, carols and religious music, band and military music, etc. we have left the aims more open, to allow for expansion of the project at a later date. We are intending to fill in a gap in the ethno-musicological research spectrum and not duplicate the research in which other people are engaged.

PAUL HARDY'S TUNEBOOKS

Paul Hardy's tunebooks contain tunes that he learned to play on my English concertina. They should also be playable on other folk melody instruments such as fiddle, whistle, flute, mandolin or dulcimer. Included are guitar chords, sometimes based on computer generated ones - so use these as guidance, not definitive! By far the majority are traditional tunes from the British Isles, including many English, Irish, and Scottish dance tunes, but others are an eclectic mix of session favourites. Some have been adapted from Internet resources, in abc, midi or visual score formats. Others have been learned by ear or handouts from various sessions in the UK and US. All are believed free of current copyright (unless noted explicitly), or else appear to have been placed in the public domain as part of the ongoing live folk music tradition.