Ever wanted to strum less when accompanying tunes? Or wondered how to vary your rhythmic accompaniment when the tune players have just started their fourth reel on the spin? In this 90-minute workshop we’ll start off by looking at the basic accompaniment rhythms for different traditional tune types (jigs, reels, polkas etc). We’ll then explore how the strummer can develop and refine their rhythms to create variety and to better reflect the rhythmic structure of individual tunes themselves. By no means a masterclass – more a joint exploration of the possibilities. Open to strummers of all skill levels.

Greg Smith first started accompanying traditional music on his guitar at the age of 10 in Irish folk clubs in Essex. Now, over 50 years later, he still plays in regular sessions, traditional bands, concerts and ceilidhs – playing 6 and 12-string guitars, bass and mandolin.