26 Reply by patrickthered

(47 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

In Ireland, workers pay PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance).  This entitles you to use our NHS.  However because of the delays and waiting list, you have no choice but to purchase private health insurance.  This costs a big chunk of money.

However unless you earn minimum wage you don’t qualify for a medical card, so you only qualify for parts of the NHS.

Therefore when you go to your GP, dentist or optician you have to pay.  A GP will charge up to €50 per visit.  Then you pay for your prescription and your drugs.

So a working Joe on average wages will pay for PRSI and private insurance amd after that will still pay to access the services.

It sucks!!

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27 Reply by patrickthered

(13 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

It wasn’t really a French invasion.  1798 saw a large scale rebellion across the country by Catholics and Protestant against the Crown.  It was led by a man called Wolfe Tone. 

Tone had been in France before and had some involvement with the French military.  As part of the rebellion he went back to France to try to get French assistance.  A force was raised and sailed to Ireland and was going to land at Bantry in Co Cork.

Bad weather scattered the small fleet and the Crown forces easily prevented the landing.  They did eventually land on the West coast and led to the ‘Castlebar Races’.  Not horses, but a rapid deployment of forces.  The French assistance was too late and too battered to be much help and they quickly surrendered.

The Irish part of the rebellion actually went very well and they managed to take many strategic towns around the country.  But this had more to do with the slow response by Crown forces than anything else.  When the Crown’s forces were eventually mobilised they were far better equipped and they did carry the day.

1798 was a very, very bloody time in Irish history with no mercy shown on either side.

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28 Reply by patrickthered

(6 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

I think if the band or artist is rubbish to begin with, then a producer can cover a lot of sins.  Take for instance any of the pop idol winners....one or two big over produced pop hits and then back to Tesco to stack shelves.

Same is true of a lot of 'boy bands' who break up or try to go solo.  nearly all crashed and burned.

If there is a fundamental talent there as in the case of U2, (yes I'm Irish and no I'm not a U2 fan) the producer becomes less important.

The producer can have a massive input to the production of an album or song...but when it comes to getting on stage and performing the artist is on their own!

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29 Reply by patrickthered

(2 replies, posted in Song requests)

Thanks Daddycool!! I missed the tab when I looked earlier.....

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30 Topic by patrickthered

(2 replies, posted in Song requests)

Trying to find a tb for this song.  There is a version posted here, but it's just chords.

Thanks

Pat

Go to forum: Song requests

31 Reply by patrickthered

(42 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Some Surprise - Cake Sale

Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard (my wife plays it on Piano)

The River - Garth Brooks

Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys

Little Old Wine Drinker Me - Dean Martin

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32 Reply by patrickthered

(23 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Sea Sick Steve's I started out with nothing and I still got most of it left

Eric Clapton's Back Trackin (yes I know it's a double album)

Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous

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33 Reply by patrickthered

(23 replies, posted in Acoustic)

My last guitar teacher had really wide long nails and he sounded great when he played.  I've tried long nails and finger pads and I prefer my sound with my pads.  However I tend to use ulta light strings and they sound twangy when i let my nails grow long.

One thing to try though is folic acid.  My wife took it befoer she had our kids and her hair and nails grew faster and stronger.

Go to forum: Acoustic

34 Reply by patrickthered

(3 replies, posted in Acoustic)

I got a good version of it here on this site a couple of years ago, which laid it all out with the lyrics.  Have a search about, it must still be there!!

Go to forum: Acoustic

35 Reply by patrickthered

(26 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

I'm 3/4 way through doing a 2 floor extension on my house.  New kitchen and garage as well.  upstairs gets a new bedroom, walk in dressing room and an en suite.

It's a self build  :-(

Kitchen and dining room just done in time for the big day....bedroom can wait 'till next year!! 

Happy Christmas to you all.

Pat

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36 Reply by patrickthered

(53 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

And while I think about it...Stephen King's Christine starts every chapter with a line from a song about cars...

And wasn't there some old toch song about some body trying to win a hot rod race so he could buy his girl a ring with the prize money?  He crashed and died..very cheerful!

Pat

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37 Reply by patrickthered

(53 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Johnny Cash had one (I think) something about stealing it piece by piece?

Then there was the JCB song...i know it's a digger, but it held up the cars on ther bypass.

Then possibly the worst of them all... Richie Kavenagh (Irish artist(?)) sang about a Morris Minor.

Pat

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38 Topic by patrickthered

(0 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Just got the tab for some surprise.  Some song!  However at the end of each line   /a    /b    what does this mean?

Thanks,

Pat

Go to forum: Acoustic

39 Reply by patrickthered

(20 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Drink messes up fine motor control....I have found drink makes my playing worse.

Of course you could get vocal classes....

Go to forum: Acoustic

40 Reply by patrickthered

(4 replies, posted in Electric)

Did you give the strings a little stretch before you tuned them?  If not they wont stay in tune.....

Tune them them give them a little over stretch and tune them all again.

Hope this helps.

Pat

Go to forum: Electric

41 Reply by patrickthered

(9 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Do it your way, if not you may as well listen to a cd!!!!

An Irish radio station dj has spent the last year getting guest singers and bands to come on his show, plug their gig or album release or whatever.  His price is they have to sing an acoustic version of a disco hit.  Abba's Dancing Queen played as a slow torch song on an acoustic guitar with a great vocal was incredible. 

Take also Thin Lizzy's Whiskey in The Jar.  A traditional Irish song given the metal treatment! fantastic.  Likewise 9 inch Nail's Hurt given the C&W treatment by Johnny Cash.....best song ever bar none.....

Enjoy what you do,

Pat

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42 Reply by patrickthered

(10 replies, posted in Electric)

If you can get your hands on a couple of silica gel bags and pack them in with the guitar.  They will soak up any condensation or excess moisture in the air.

Hope it helps,

Pat

Go to forum: Electric

43 Reply by patrickthered

(5 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi Palmer.

I can't tune either of my guitars by ear.  I know that lots of peope can, but many can't.  I think it's an ego thing with a lot of people that they don't need a tuning aid.  However I wouldn't trust a carpenter who didn't use a measuring tape!

I've found that the simplest way to tune an acoustic is to buy a tuner that clamps to the head of the guitar.  It works really well and you can spend less time worrying about tuning and more time playing!

Hope this helps

Pat

Go to forum: Acoustic

44 Reply by patrickthered

(23 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Joy, 

I have been that man!  Been playing now about 4 years and boy did I go through that same sound thing!   I play a lot of Irish and folk and that can really sound the same.   Two things to try.  First work in some pull offs or hammer ons into the strums.  In some songs you could also miss out a strum...the sound from the previous strum will ring on and it gives a great feel.

The other thing to do is to not strum but pick instead.   Thumb 123 or some other version.  This will work on all sorts of stuff from Green Day to The Animals to slow ballads.

But the best way out of this is, as I've been told before is to listen to the song and not to depend too much on tabs.

Hope this helps a bit....

Pat

Go to forum: Acoustic

45 Reply by patrickthered

(6 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)

I have a little 5amp Epiphone valve amp which has a lovely warm sound.  No effects or adjustments, but it does sound nice...

Go to forum: Guitars and accessories

46 Reply by patrickthered

(13 replies, posted in Electric)

Any shop taking a trade in anywhere for anything will need to 'buy' it in at a low enough price so that they can make a profit when they sell it on.  Of course this means that you won't get what the item is worth.

The question is if youare prepared to put the work in to sell the item at it's true value.    That's a question only you can answer!

Go to forum: Electric

47 Reply by patrickthered

(16 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

World peace and maybe some natural guitar ability.....

Failing that I'd settle for an effects pedel..

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48 Reply by patrickthered

(9 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Hux Flux get my vote, just make sure you dont get a typo.....

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49 Reply by patrickthered

(19 replies, posted in Acoustic)

It's a state of mind. man.  Like cosmically, man, were all linked yeah?  Hair, man, yeah? Like it'a a state of mmmm,  hair man.  if we had long hair man, we'd never have wars... we wouldn't want to mess our hair.  Man....

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50 Reply by patrickthered

(6 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Thanks guys!  i did think that would be the answer, so at least now I know.  Thanks again

Pat

Go to forum: Acoustic