BIOGRAPHY

A native of the northern Catskills, Ryan McGiver, is known on either side of the Atlantic for his unique blend of open string guitar and breathy vocals. Over the past decade he has performed extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia and his music has been showcased on the BBC, The Lantern Journal, NPR and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, McGiver has recorded and shared the stage with an eclectic blend of Irish and world folk musicians including Pádraig Rynne, Jesse Smith, Matty Mancuso, Patrick Ourceau, Dana Lynn, Pat Mangan, Vishtèn, Jolie Holland and Shahzad Ismaily to name a few. He toured regularly with Grammy-award winning singer, Susan McKeown’s band and in a duo with Lunasa’s uilleann piper, Cillian Vallely.

Ryan has taught guitar classes at numerous week-long summer schools at festivals in Europe and North America including Davis College in Elkins, West Virginia & Acadia Traditional Music School at College of the Atlantic.

His debut solo album of ballads ‘Troubled in Mind’ has received international acclaim. fRoots Magazine hails it as: “The Catskills and the West of Ireland blend subtly in his music…and an absorbing and plaintive collection of ballads filtered through a myriad musical influences and sensibilities.”

CLASS DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION TO DADGAD GUITAR

This course will explore the guitar tuning ‘DADGAD’ popular in accompanying traditional Irish vocals and instrumentals.  During the week, students will learn essential chord shapes, inversions, progressions, counter melody, basic theory and rhythmic devices for effective accompaniment in traditional Irish music. Additonally, the course will examine flatpicking and fingerstyle technique for the left and right hand, so that students can find effective and creative ways of accompanying Irish song and dance music.

No previous experience with this tuning is necessary. Designed as a primer course for those with basic guitar skills and more advanced guitarists looking to explore this tuning for Irish accompaniment. A basic working knowledge of chord theory is helpful, but not essential. Hand outs, arrangements and chord charts will be provided, though students should come prepared with pick(s), capo, writing materials, and an audio recording device.