Banjo tablatures for Star of the County Down

Practicing Tips

Learning Overview: The music resource 'Star of the County Down' provides Melodic and Scruggs style bluegrass banjo tablatures, honed for intermediate level players. With a traditional Celtic and Irish touch, this iconic bluegrass piece offers a unique single string playing experience. The learning platform provides advanced features like Lick Switcher, Arrange Slider and Tempo Slider, all available on the Tunefox platform, aiming to enhance your learning and playing experience.

Tip #1 – Lick Switcher: An excellent tool to expand your musical repertoire, Lick Switcher on Tunefox allows you to add news licks or variations to the song, enabling you to develop a unique interpretation and personal arrangement of the tune. Tap individual measures to explore the variety of hidden licks.

Tip #2 – Arrange Slider: This feature offers the capability to customize the difficulty level of the song. Slide left to simplify the arrangement by removing the “fill-in” notes, while a slide to the right elaborates the piece by adding extra notes to the arrangement, revealing the full song.

Tip #3 – Tempo Slider: The tempo slider gives you control over the speed of the song. Playing along with the song at different tempos can be greatly beneficial for your learning process.

Tip #4 – Play Along with Backing Tracks: Full engagement in a musical piece is key to learning bluegrass. Play along with realistic backing tracks to prepare for performance jams. Maximize your focus on selected measures and practice by repeating them.

Tip #5 - 'Speed Up' Function: This function is beneficial for gradually increasing your playing speed. It helps you start at a comfortable pace and gradually nudges the tempo higher each time you play through the song, subtly pushing your practice forward.

General Tip: A patient, consistent practice routine is paramount in your learning journey. Start slow, master the measures, and progressively increase your speed and difficulty. Every lick, even the hidden ones, counts to the overall feel and rhythm of the song.

Star of the County Down lyrics

Near Banbridge town, in the County Down One morning last July Down a boreen green came a sweet colleen And she smiled as she passed me by She looked so sweet from her two bare feet To the sheen of her nut brown hair Such a winsome elf, I'm ashamed of myself For the see of her standing there From Bantry Bay of the Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head And I looked with a feelin' rare And I says, says I, to a passer-by "Who's the maid with the nut brown hair?" Well he looked at me and he said to me "That's the gem of Ireland's crown Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann She's the star of the County Down" From Bantry Bay of the Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down She had soft brown eyes with a look so shy And a smile like the rose in June And she sang so sweet, what a lovely treat As she lilted an Irish tune At the Lammas dance, I was in a trance As she whirled with the lads of the town And my heart did race just to see the face Of the star of the County Down From Bantry Bay of the Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down At the Harvest Fair she'll be surely there So I'll dress in my Sunday clothes With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right For a smile from my nut brown rose No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke 'Til my plough was a rust colour brown And a smiling bride by my own fireside Sits the star of the County Down From Bantry Bay of the Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down From Bantry Bay of the Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down