The Merry Blacksmith

Also called Merry Blacksmith

Type: Reel (4/4)
Key: D
Tuning: GDAE (standard)
Difficulty
Genre: Irish

This is a new transcription that hasn’t been checked against the printed source yet. If a note looks wrong, let me know.

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Speed 75% (81 BPM)Loop

Tune to GDAE Metronome at 81 Download ABC

Sheet music and playback need JavaScript. Here is the tab as text:Part A | A0 | 3 0 1 0 D2 A0 | 0 1 3 0 1 0 D2 A0 | 0 1 3 E0 1 A3 E0 A3 | | A1 E0 0 A3 E0 1 L2 0 | A3 3 0 1 0 D2 A0 | 0 1 3 0 1 0 D2 A0 | 0 1 3 E0 1 A3 E0 A2 | | A3 1 0 D2 0 | Part B | E1 L2 | 3 3 L2 1 1 0 | A3 3 0 1 0 D2 A0 | 0 1 3 E0 1 A3 E0 A3 | | A1 E0 0 A3 E0 L2 1 0 | 3 4 3 L2 1 L2 1 0 | A3 0 1 0 D2 A0 | 0 1 3 E0 1 A3 E0 A2 | | A3 1 0 D2 0 |

Reading the tab

Each note shows its string and finger: A0 is the open A string, 2 is your second finger. The letter only appears when you change string. L means low (finger back, a half step down) and H means high. A plain 2 is the usual high 2 in keys like D and A.

Notes under each finger in GDAE tuning
String	0	L1	1	L2	2	3	H3	4
E	E	F	F♯	G	G♯	A	A♯	B
A	A	B♭	B	C	C♯	D	D♯	E
D	D	E♭	E	F	F♯	G	G♯	A
G	G	A♭	A	B♭	B	C	C♯	D

About the tune

A favourite session reel in D. O’Neill writes each part once with rolls; this setting leaves the rolls out and repeats each part, as it’s usually played.