Computer Lessons
Sharon Shannon’s guitar accompanist Jim Murray has created a website that provides lessons in playing Irish trad guitar. He talks to Jackie Hayden about the thinking behind it and runs through his musical history.
Jackie Hayden, 27 Mar 2012
“As far back as I can remember, my father played music, as did all of us in the family. By the age of three, I could pick out tunes on the piano and a year later I discovered the piano accordion.”
He started on guitar when he was about nine.
“My first guitar was a half-sized nylon string bought for me in Fermoy, although I had a bit of a battle getting it because it was suspected that if I got the guitar I would give up on the accordion forever. I bought a book to learn from, and I also tried to learn ‘Mona’ after seeing Billy Idol doing it on the Late Late Show. My science teacher was a fine guitarist and he really brought me on. He taught me tunes like ‘Cavatina’ and I think my stage debut was playing it with him at a school recital. I was also drawn to The Beatles, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor and played their songs on guitar, but eventually I found my way back to the trad stuff, bringing the other influences with me. But it’s always been acoustic guitar. The one I most use these days is a Takamine nylon string which has a built-in pre-amp that works really well. I’ve had it for about 15 years. I also have a Martin steel-string. I use both for recording and they make an intriguing combination if you layer one on top of the other. I never had the inclination to strap on the Fender Strat and turn up the volume and stand out front soloing under the spotlight! I was more drawn to accompaniment and that’s where I’ve always wanted to be.”
The guitarist who’ve mainly inspired him are Steve Cooney on the trad side and James Taylor.
“Steve was just so imaginative with his playing that it really inspired me. One day I’d love to play with James Taylor. We’ve both been on the TV series Transatlantic Sessions, but never on the same show, but maybe one day ...”
Jim Murray’s online guitar tutorial website is jimmurraymusic.com
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