Resources

External traditional music sites and collections.

Trad Tune Explorer builds on the work of many outstanding traditional music projects. Below is a curated list of respected tune collections, tools and educational institutions.

Tune Databases

Large online collections of traditional tunes and ABC notation.

The Session

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Community-driven collection of Irish traditional tunes with ABC, recordings and tune discussions.

Paul Hardy’s Tune Books

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A large curated ABC collection widely used in UK and European sessions.

TradChords

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A growing collection of traditional tunes with chord charts and session-friendly layouts. Focused on practical accompaniment for guitar and other chordal instruments.

FolkTuneFinder

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Joe Wass's feature-rich tune search engine with ABC melodic pattern search — great for tracking down a tune when you only know a fragment of the melody.

ABC Tune Search

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Pete Strickler's full-featured tune search engine with powerful ABC notation querying across a broad traditional repertoire.

Henrik Norbeck's ABC Tunes

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A vast freely downloadable ABC collection spanning traditional Irish and Swedish repertoire — one of the most comprehensive single-author tune libraries around.

Schoenfeldinger Tune Library

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Werner Schoenfeldinger's tune library, enhanced with direct "open in ABC Transcription Tools" edit links using the app's developer share link feature — a real-world example of the integration in action.

Education & Learning

Structured learning platforms for traditional Irish music.

O’Neill’s Academy of Irish Music (OAIM)

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Online academy offering courses and tutor-supported learning paths.

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann

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The leading global organisation promoting Irish traditional music, with classes, branches and competitions worldwide.

Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA)

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A major archive of recordings, manuscripts and historical resources dedicated to Irish traditional music.

Irish Music School of Chicago

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Structured online and in-person courses in traditional Irish music, serving students internationally.

Tools

Online tools for working with ABC notation, transcribing, and exploring traditional music.

ABC Notation Tools (abctools)

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A collection of ABC editors, converters and playback tools. Essential utilities for working with ABC notation.

Cross-platform ABC editor with playback, MIDI export and engraving support. Popular among traditional musicians.

JavaScript library for rendering and playing ABC notation in the browser. Used by many modern web-based tune platforms.

Device that gives visual hints to the student whilst learning to play mandolin/tenor banjo and whistle/flute, allowing them to slow down and repeat just a short phrase.

ABC Notation Standard

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Chris Walshaw's reference site for the ABC notation format — the definitive home of the standard, with the full specification and a searchable tune index.

Community

Long-running online communities for traditional and folk musicians.

Mudcat Café

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One of the internet's oldest folk music communities, with a vast searchable archive of folk song lyrics, origins, and discussions spanning decades.

Chiff & Fipple

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The long-established hub for tin whistle and flute players, with active forums covering tunes, technique, instruments and sessions.