The Music of Ireland

Join Mr. Henry and Mr. Fite on an exciting adventure as they take a hot air balloon to Ireland. We run into Mr. Hairylegs and make a snack run before the big trip. This is part one of a two-part series. Wish us luck as we learn about the music of Ireland! 

 

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(Theme Song): Let the music begin in 3, 2, 1... Learning music, having fun. That’s what we’re gonna do. Mr. Henry, Mr. Fite, exploring along with you. Learning music, having fun. That’s what we’re gonna do. Mr. Henry, Mr. Fite love hanging out with you. The Music Podcast for Kids!

 

Hello and welcome to The Music Podcast for Kids we're your hosts Mr. Henry and Mr. Fite - Music educators extraordinaire! The Music Podcast for Kids is a fun and educational podcast where we learn and explore the best subject ever -  music!  

 

(sound of a hot air balloon)

 

Bill: Ok, just give it a little more, put this strap here...and yup I think we are about ready.  

 

Bruce: Hey Mr. Henry, so umm yeah where did you get this?

 

Bill: Oh yeah I got this on Shaz am azon 

 

Bruce: Wow, I didn't know you could get an entire hot air balloon… 

 

Bill: . Oh, yeah. It was a good deal too. So are you ready? 

 

Bruce: Ready for what? 

 

Bill: Oh come on Mr. Fite, ready for our trip with the hot air balloon. 

 

Bruce: Are you certified to operate this thing? 

 

Bill: . Certified? Well it did come with this certificate that says...congratulations you now own a certified hot air balloon...so yeah..I'm certified...Oh come on, just going up and down is no big deal. Plus I read the manual front to back so no worries. 

 

Bruce: Well, ok..it sure does look fun. 

 

Bill: Hop on in! Ok..let's give a little more juice and up we go! 

 

Bruce: Wow, this is pretty cool. Look at the view! 

 

Bill: Yeah I know and imagine the view when we get to our final destination.

 

Bruce: umm final destination?

 

Bill: Yup, Ireland!

 

Bruce: Ireland!??? But that's a bazillion miles away. 

 

Bill: Yeah I know, it’ll be so awesome to travel across the world with this beautiful view to get to ireland and learn all about irish music. 

 

Bruce: Mr. Henry! How are we going to get all the way across the ocean in this thing! It’s impossible. 

 

Bill: Well if you say it's impossible, then it will be ...so just think positive. We will be fine. 

 

Bruce: Fine? What about food and water??? 

 

Bill: Oh I got a couple boxes of granola bars and I figured it would have to rain eventually so just fill up our cups and whala...water! 

 

Bruce: Oh boy...this is definitely not a good idea. 

 

Bill: But look at that view...how can we turn back now. 

Bruce: Well...Ok...It would be cool to see what's going on with music in Ireland. 

 

Bill: Yeah totally...so uhh any idea what this thing does? 

 

Bruce: I thought you said you read the manual front to back. 

 

Bill: . Did I say front to back? Oh I meant the front and back...kinda skipped all the stuff in the middle. Too many words...

 

Bruce: Too many words…? Too many words…? Oh boy

 

Bill: Well I’m sure we can figure it out. No worries. Here we come Ireland! 

 

And now, the music joke of the day. We love jokes, so if you have a joke, please visit our website themusicpodcastforkids.com to submit your joke. And guess what? It doesn't even have to be a music joke; it can be any joke. We will read and enjoy your joke on the podcast and also let everyone know who it came from and where you are in this great big wonderful music world. 

 

Our joke of the day is... This joke today comes from Georgia. Okay Mr. Fite, why did the banana go to the doctor? Because he wasn't peeling well. This Joke comes from and I hope I’m pronouncing this correctly, Sneya. Why didn’t the turkey cross the street? To prove it wasn’t a chicken

 

Make sure to send in your jokes by visiting our website: themusicpodcastforkids.com. A link to the website can be found in the show notes. 

 

And now, the music word of the day. 

Bruce: Before we get to our main subject of the day, Music of Ireland, let’s take a look at the music word of the day: Meter! 

 

Bill: Meter is Music can also be called time signature. 

 

Bruce: Ah yes a time signature..let me just grab my pen here and sign my name..I know you’ve always wanted my autograph Mr. Henry, with being super popular n stuff and...

 

Bill: . No Mr. Fite, I’m not interested in your autograph or signature. 

 

Bruce: Oh whoops..sorry about that. 

 

Bill: I would be interested in Taylor Swift's autograph though... 

 

Bruce: Ok..yeah yeah yeah . 

 

Bill: Right, so anyway...I was saying TIME signature. The time signature or Meter is a collection of numbers found at the beginning of music. There are usually two numbers with one number on top and the other on the bottom. 

 

Bruce: Ah, just like a fraction! 

 

Bill: Well, it does kinda look like a fraction, only fractions have a line that separates the top and bottom number. The meter or time signature does not have that line. 

 

Bruce: Ok, got it, so there are two numbers that are stacked on top of each other.  

 

Bill: . Correct, the bottom number is usually 4, although it can be a different number which is always multiplied by the number 2. 

 

Bruce: Ok, so let me get my calculator out and yes...and hmmm...carry the one… and ok...so 4 times 2 = …….. 8! 

 

Bill: Correct, so the bottom number could be an 8 and other numbers like 16, 32, 64, 128, 256….

 

Bruce: Woah woah woah! 256? 

Bill: . Ok, maybe not 256. The most common numbers on the bottom are 4 and 8. 

 

Bruce: Cool. What about the top number? 

 

Bill: The top number can literally be any number on the planet. 

 

Bruce: Sweet, so like my favorite number? 

 

Bill: Sure Mr. Fite, yes your favorite number can be on the top of our time signature. 

 

Bruce: Wanna know what it is? Huh do ya? Wanna know...waaaaaannnna a know what my favorite number is? 

 

Bill: Oh boy! Yeah fine ok, what's your favorite number? 

 

Bruce: Two million, three hundred and forty six. 

 

Bill: Oh boy…… well ok I didn't see that coming...umm yeah sorry we probably would never see your favorite number as the top number in meter..

 

Bruce: Ah darn.

 

Bill: Yeah typically we see number like 2, 3 and 4 on the top part of our time signature. We do also see 6, and 12 as well!  

 

Bruce: Cool! But not two million, three hundred and forty six. 

 

Bill: No

 

Bruce: Right of course! Ok, so the top number could be 2 and the bottom number could be 4…..  2/4. 

 

Bill: You betcha. And lots of the time, music that is in 2/4 has a marching kinda style to it! 

 

Bruce: Sweet, what about 3 on top and 4 on the bottom? 3.4!

 

Bill: Well sure!  ¾ has a swaying kinda sound to it... like this….. It makes you want to sway back and forth as you listen. 

 

Bruce: And what about 4 on top and 4 on bottom? 

 

Bill: Well Mr. Fite 4/4 is the most popular meter of them all. Basically if you hear music you can bop your head back and forth to, as you listen, or dance to, it’s probably in 4/4. Lots of music we listen to is in the meter of 4/4.  It's so common, that they even call it common time!

 

Bruce: Pretty cool. So, these numbers have a big effect on how the music feels. 

 

Bill: That's a great way to put it Mr. Fite. Yes, if a person is writing music and they want to create a sound that makes people move or feel a certain way, they have to be careful with which meter they choose.  

 

Bruce: Right, just like you said, if a composer wants to write music for a marching band at a parade, they have the option to write the music in 2/4. 

 

Bill: Exactly. And that's the word of the day! 

 

TOGETHER: METER! 

Thank you so much for listening. We hope you are enjoying the show so far. Please subscribe to the podcast to receive the latest episodes and leave a review through iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Also get updates on what we are up to Facebook and Instagram by finding us at Music Podcast for Kids. Links will be found in the show notes. On to the show!

 

Bill: And now the continuation of our awesome hot air balloon trip to Ireland. 

 

Bruce: Ok, Mr Henry I think I’m getting tired of the “which animal is that cloud” game. 

 

Bill: Oh Ok, how about which music instrument is that cloud game? I bet we see some instruments from Ireland. 

 

Bruce: Oh, well...ok...I guess. Lets see...oh that instrument looks like the….. tin whistle.!  

 

Bill:  Tin whistle? 

 

Bruce: Yeah the tin whistle is a type of flute, kinda like the recorder.  

 

Bill: Ah the recorder, lots of kids learn to play the recorder in school.  

 

Bruce: Sure do!  The tin whistle is sometimes called the penny whistle. 

 

Bill: Ah gotcha. Yeah so the penny whistle must have been made out of pennies? 

 

Bruce: No, not made out of pennies. It's called a penny whistle because back then, it only cost a penny to buy. It was considered more of a toy played by kids, but eventually became a big part of music form Ireland.  

 

Bill: Cool! 

 

Bruce: Yeah, the penny or tin whistle is made out of rolled tin sheet or brass. It has six holes in the front for your fingers to cover, which creates different notes when you blow into it. 

 

Bill: Wait a second...I saw one of those penny whistles in my attic the other day and grabbed it and placed it…. Ahh here it is. 

 

Bruce: What a second, you have a penny whistle in your bag? 

 

Bill: Yup, I guess I do. Which is awesome, cause i’m itching to play it. 

 

Bruce: Well let's hear it. 

 

Bill: . Ok, here is the sound of the penny whistle. 

 

Bruce: Pretty cool. The penny whistle was used in traditional music from Ireland which we also call Celtic Music. 

 

Bill: Pretty cool. You know Mr. Fite, I’m getting kinda hungry. Best to stop before we start our ‘over the ocean’ part of the trip.

 

Bruce: Yeah, that sounds good….(to himself) still not really sure how we will make it over the entire ocean but...

 

Bill: Oh, look there is a burger stop! I’ll get us close. 

 

Bruce: Well Ok Mr. Henry, just be careful.  

 

Bill: Ok, just a little here, and a little there. And throw out the sand anchor…. (hurls and…) Hairy: (singing) dum da dum dum…

Bruce: Mr. Hairy Legs look out! 

 

Bill: Oh no...look out Mr. Hairyleeeeeeegs!  (hits Mr. Hairy legs)

 

Bruce: Mr. Hairy Legs are you ok? 

 

Hairy: Oh Hey Mr. Henry and Mr Fite, yup I’m ok. No problem at all...

 

Bill: . Woah sorry Mr. Hairylegs. Ok Mr. Fite I will go pick up some food.

 

Bruce: Sounds great Mr. Henry. I’ll take the biggest burger they have! 

 

Hairy: So, what y'all doing in a hot air balloon? 

 

Bruce: Oh, you know, we are heading to...well...umm... Ireland.  

 

Hairy: You're buying an island? 

 

Bruce: (says loudly) No, no we are going to Ireland, to learn more about irish music. 

 

Hairy: Oh Ireland, I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland. 

 

Bruce: Yeah, did you know a popular drum used in Irish Music is the bodhran? (bow-run) (as in bow and arrow) 

 

Hairy: Did you say to shoot a bow and then run? 

 

Bruce: No, no the bow-ran is a type of drum. It’s a flat drum that you hold on its side with one hand while the other hand holds a stick with two beaters on both ends of the stick. You can make some sweet beats!  

 

Hairy: Wow, that sounds like a hoot n annie good time. 

 

Bill: Alrighty then, got some food and ready to roll. 

 

Bruce: Ah great, I'm starving. Well we best get on our way Mr. Hairylegs. 

 

Hairy: Have a great trip! 

 

Bruce: Thanks! 

 

Bill: Yeah thanks Mr. Hairy Legs, oh and sorry again for smacking ya with the sand anchor… whoops...yeah...

 

Bruce: So how many more days until we reach Ireland…

 

Bill: Well let me look at the hot air balloon app I downloaded...looks like… hmmm it says no map available for this long of a trip…? 

 

Bruce: What? Oh boy...

 

Bill: Oh, I’m sure my signal is just weak is all..once we get back up there it’ll kick back in...no worries… here we go!!! 

 

Just Chattin’

 

So Bruce we talked about Ireland today, and have you ever been to Ireland? No, I've never been. My wife's mother and grandmother went. They’re big horse people so they actually rode on horseback across all of Ireland basically. So they started in one town they get on a couple of horses , ride to the next town and get on a couple of different horses or maybe sometimes the same one, meet the locals and have a meal or so and then they would sleep there and then they’d ride to the next. It was pretty cool that they put in a lifetime chance. Yeah it's kind of like a hot air balloon. How about you, have you been there?  Actually I yes I've been to Ireland. Yeah and uh beautiful country. It was so cool yeah it was so it was so just was really beautiful like everywhere you looked like it was really beautiful. And so what we did is we did kind of a similar thing we traveled across the country we were doing like Castle hopping. Like a castle tour was really neat and yes oh we oh yeah we started and where do we start it started in I can't remember now we're where we started specifically. But we were on the east side and then I think we've made our way over to the West right yeah I didn't actually think it came back so but. So yeah it was it was a lot of fun and we got to we are driving and it was my wife and I we went and we decided that my wife would be the one to drive and cuz I think we felt like maybe I was better with navigation, but I think it was ultimately because I was a little scared. It was a little weird to get used to. But Annmarie she did such a great job with it. She she picked it up pretty quick there was a little would always be her fault unless I told her to go the wrong way. So yeah it was there was one little episode where maybe we are going down the wrong side of the road, but we quickly figured it out,  so I thought we were a good team getting through ahead and she said I think I'm getting used to this. So pretty neat and the car was Tiny right? Oh yeah so in the United States we are used to bigger cars and I tell you if you took one of our big cars over there you're not getting through. There were sometimes when it was a two-way street right but there's I don't know how they do it because wow we were really like even in a small car you were really close to likes like a Stonebridge yeah yeah so I guess you just take your turn but for some of them it was like not sure what we do here,  so that that was interesting. That was in more of like the country side of it. And I wasn't like that but yeah it was it was really cool a place. And then musically there was a lot of street musicians especially when we went to Galway and a lot of street musicians which was really cool. And one of the experiences we had we just went into a a restaurant and there was a band there but they weren’t like plugged in or anything. They just have their traditional acoustic instruments violins and acoustic guitars and they just kind of sat down in the middle as if they were just guests at the restaurant. Right and they had their instruments and they would just play. And it was it was like you were sitting at your table and eating your meal and you know the table next to was where all the musicians just Jammin away just like hanging out yet like not everybody's on the same same level kind of thing yeah yeah I thought that was really cool so it was yeah I was need to cuz you like really feel the instrument. Yeah yeah so yeah that was the experience musically in Ireland and then now so it was a fun trip. So if any of you ever have a chance to go definitely go it's cool to check out other cultures. And you know I mean it was it's a nice one for Americans to go over too cuz they speak English there so you don’t have to worry too much about that. Cool. 

Time to wrap it up folks! Thank you so much for tuning in to the Music Podcast for Kids. We hope you enjoy the show, and most importantly, learned something cool today about music. Remember to send in your jokes or even a topic in music you would like us to discuss by visiting our website themusicpodcastforkids.com. If you are interested in awesome educational and fun songs for kids to listen and sing along with, please visit brucefite.com. Music is available to download with iTunes, CD Baby, and Facebook streaming platforms like Spotify and Amazon Radio. Links will be found in the show notes. If you are interested in learning how to play the piano with a fun and engaging curriculum geared toward kids, please subscribe to Mr. Henry's YouTube channel called Mr. Henry's Music World. Links would be found in the show notes. Please visit iTunes to leave a review of the podcast and also share the podcast with friends, relatives, aliens, whoever! Again we thank you so much for tuning in!