THE INSTRUMENTS PLAYED BY BOYS OF THE LOUGH

FLUTE: Cathal's flute is a simple system instrument as opposed to the modern Boehm system favoured by classical and contemporary players. In the modern system, notes are made by depressing keys, whereas in the simple system the main scale (D) is played by covering and uncovering holes with the ball of the finger. (Accidentals are played with keys). By its very nature, this instrument is much more suitable for playing the decorations so important in traditional music - the rolls, the slides and other grace notes.

PENNY WHISTLE: Basically the same fingering as the flute but it has no keys. (Accidentals are played by half-covering the holes). Nor is it blown transversely like the flute. In this case the note is made by blowing into a fipple mouthpiece.

CONCERTINA: These small instruments have a range of three and a half octaves. Dave plays the English concertina. These models play the same note whether the bellows are pushed or pulled when a key is pressed. (The Anglo-German plays a different note on pushing and pulling). Dave plays instruments from both famous makers Wheatstone and Lachenal.

FIDDLE: Since the 1700s the fiddle has been pre-eminent in traditional music throughout the British Isles. Shetland is an area where the tradition is very strong and full of vitality. For those who ask, there is no difference between a fiddle and violin - it is purely a matter of two different approaches to playing technique.

MANDOLINE: Dave's instrument was made by Stefan Sobell of Hexham, Northumberland, who has gained world renown for his mandolines, citterns and guitars. Typically his mandolines feature a wider fingerboard, better tone balance and more volume than the standard type.

GUITAR: This instrument has the same kind of pedigree in Irish and Scottish traditional music as it does in the USA, its portability and versatility having given rise to its great popularity among musicians who travel.

CITTERN: A long-necked instrument with four pairs of strings containing elements of tenor banjo, mandoline and Portuguese guitar, this instrument was built by Stefan Sobell of Hexham. It supercedes an earlier form of long-necked mandoline designed by Dave. Various tunings are used, with the aim of giving different drone notes to accompany the melody.

BUTTON ACCORDION: This diatonic instrument has long been held in great regard in the traditional music of many cultures. Different arrangements of notes for the right hand lead to different styles of playing even within the same tradition. Nowhere is this more so than in Irish music. Very high quality modern instruments are now coming from French and Italian manufacturers, to be played across Europe. The Boys have featured the button-accordion in their recordings and concerts since the mid 1970s.