This book and its companion recording give an insight into some of the many guitar styles that have been developed to accompany Irish music. The author assumes a basic understanding of guitar chords and strumming ability but no specific knowledge of Irish music.

He delves into DADGAD, dropped D and double dropped D tunings and several different ways of playing in each tuning. Although the range of styles presented is not exhaustive, by analyzing the styles which are presented, the author covers all of the elements that go into making any style, thereby leaving you better equipped to both develop your own style and figure out the subtleties of any other style you may come across.

1.0  The developing art of accompaniment

1.1  The emergence of the guitar in the accompaniment of Irish music

1.2   Profiles of leading players

1.3  Accompanying tunes effectively

2.0  Getting started

2.1  Guide to choosing equipment

2.2  Developing a practice routine

2.3  Notation used in this book

3.0  Guide to tunings and accompaniment styles

3.1  The structure of Irish tunes

3.2  Strumming and picking patterns

3.3  Tunings

3.4  Tunes accompanied in standard tuning

John Brady's & Hexham races

Pretty Peg & The baker

Flogging reel & The whistling postman

Pigeon on the gate & The Shaskeen reel

3.5  Tunes accompanied in dropped D: DADGBE

Fred Finn's & Music in the glen

Julia Delaney & My love is in America

Cooley's horn pipe & The home ruler

3.6  Tunes accompanied in double dropped D: DADGBD

Eddie Kelly's jig & Jerry's beaver hat

Pigtown fling & Roly-poly

3.7  Accompanying tunes in DADGAD

3.8  Tunes accompanied in DADGAD

Mist-covered mountain & The rakes of Kildare

Doctor O'Neill & The mug of brown ale

The trip to Athlone & The rambling pitchfork

My darling asleep & Boys of the town

Shoemaker's daughter & Dinkie's reel

4.0  Appendix

4.1   Theory

Chord construction Fretboard diagrams

Chord inversions & voicings, modal chords & modes, barré chords, slash chords, relative minors

4.2   Full listing of all chords used in the book

4.3  Transposition chart

4.4  Running order of the accompanying CD

4.5  Discography for recommended listening