Martin Carthy teaches "The Siege of Delhi"

[@bandicoot5412]

This artist, is a multinational treasure, take heed.

[@friendlybanjoatheist5464]

Martin is a true stylist. Nobody plays like him. Fingerstyle Guitar world should take more notice of his commitment to melody and standing on the shoulders of traditional music giants.

[@lelandmark6042]

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[@lelandmark6042]

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[@lelandmark6042]

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[@mateomyles1773]

@Leland Mark You are welcome :D

[@empiremonkey]

Wow. Marches on a guitar (in the hands of a master like Mr. Carthy) are quite amazing. Haven't heard too many like this.

[@saleclair]

Piping Marches :)

[@fallingstarre]

Thanks for posting this. And thanks to Martin for his generosity - sharing tuning and details of one of his signature tunes ... The irony of such horrendous bloodshed giving rise to such an upbeat tune ...

[@mhm33lp]

Martin Carthy = Musical Genius

[@viking1au]

Great to hear this from Martin. More would be great.

[@DunlapShohl]

It's worth looking for the version he recorded on his album "Because it is There" which has a nifty drum part. And there is tab for this on an instructional DVD he Recorded some years back.

[@CapoeiraPiper]

i just learned this on the bagpipes

[@costa1953]

well done mate ;O) this is the kind of things that makes me happy greetings from italy

[@rirrid5662]

Your a legend 🍀

[@xjester]

Oh my god, ive been looking for this tab for ages

[@thierryloiseau2143]

Verry wonderfull ! LOVE !!!

[@carollizc]

Dunno about the tuning, etc, as I don't play well enough for it to matter, BUT, this is one of my very favourite tunes. I just love the way it swaggers along.

[@mawalls2001]

Well true he doesn't break it down note by note, but near the end where he plays it section by section you can see the fingerpicking structure for the right hand and also follow along with what he's playing on the left as well since it's zoomed in.

[@gilbertwalker3222]

Very underrated player.

[@davytheravy]

Great tune played by a true master of the guitar. And it is definitely in CGCDGA - I learnt this from the video and it does work - honestly! A tip for blahblahblah85 - if you wish to use this tuning then you need another guitar, put heavy gauge strings on it and don't use the guitar for any other tuning - it's the only way, believe me!

[@AmBotanischenGarten]

I happen to agree with you, but once in this tuning I couldn't go to the video--and I've been playing guitar just as long. I would be interested in what register you put this tuning using heavier strings. [e-mail]

[@baljones]

Thanks mart. X

[@stargazer6675]

This is sublime

[@chrisdoddridge4678]

I suggest you read William Dalrymples account of the event, just to get a clearer picture.

[@themachinist1000]

@Blacksquareable Martin uses Heavy Gauge strings for this tuning - which you shouldn't tune up to Standard (unless you really despise your guitar neck and want to destroy it). I play with Medium Gauge and they're OK going down to this tuning, but if you're using ordinary Light Gauge you'll have tuning problems and they'll flop everywhere.

[@AmBotanischenGarten]

What gaugest did you use? [e-mail]

[@ralphd35]

@revolverator Tuning is (low -> high) CGCDGA.

[@MrTanbark]

Martin, nice job! And good on you for telling the truth about the Siege...no sugar-coating John Bull's bloody avarice.

[@samsonito]

Something doesn't sound right to me. He's clearly droning on the E (6th) string which doesn't sound like C but tuned up to G. Does anybody agree? I think the tuning is GGCDGA. He rarely hits the A (5th) string as the tab indicates.

[@Atticusthird]

It could be that he’s muting the 6th with his palm so it’s not sounding even though he’s striking it. When he goes to the IV chord you can possibly hear the low C.

[@Harrier_DuBois]

Unmuted strings will vibrate when you pluck nearby strings. This is itself a low volume drone. I haven't studied this properly though.

[@jamieedgar855]

@@tashrplaysguitar1228 No it isn't. It's CGCDGA.

[@jamieedgar855]

@@tashrplaysguitar1228 I don't clearly hear another G at all. From the tab, "Tuning: CGCDGA" , also "Note: For percussive effect throughout, the thumb striking the open 5th string usually also sounds the 6th string, damped with the heel of the right hand; the open G is prominent." It's more just a thump on that bottom string.

[@petercharles53]

You can play it in concert tuning - G to C - not quite as atmospheric but it is still such a good tune, it works

[@sirwhale28]

When you say "concert tuning" do you mean standard EADGBe? If so, I'd love to know how to play this song, how could I learn?

[@petercharles53]

yes in concert tuning.

[@drownmedia]

This song actually has a John Fahey-like evilness to my ears...

[@deepindercheema]

I was in Delhi last year. I tell ya.. nothing has changed if you look at the matter metaphysically.

[@edwardnigma3775]

As in it's still under colonial control?

[@gmtdiato]

I would think that Martin [MBE] knows what he's doing by now!

[@AmbientBeat99]

Martin can well afford to keep replacing his Martin necks! Superb playing and tutoring.

[@eyeball226]

I agree, you'd have to use a custom set of strings pretty much. A B-string on the first and so on. You'd probably break the guitar if you tuned that set to normal.

[@blahblahblah85]

i tried 2 tune my guitar 2 cgcdga like he said but i broke 2 e strings. bang!! Any sugestions? At least he always inspires me 2 try new stuff,,good-on-ya Martin :)

[@228ANDY]

This is great !!!

[@mawalls2001]

Definitely strange. I agree the bottom string is G but when he plays the strings at the very beginning to outline what they are it's the tuning he says, but then all of a sudden the bottom string changes to G? Did he retune that string in that split second? :)

[@tomokra]

If you still are interested after all this time, the bottom string is C, but it is muted. The next string, G, is muted a little less. You strike the C with the thumbpick so that the G rings out (and the C doesn't ring out). Seems strange at first but you can pick it up fairly easily. It gives you that extra "thwack" in the bass.

[@AmBotanischenGarten]

Watch a piper play it here on YT, it is a simple tune.

[@eyeball226]

Wait... were you tuning the E strings UP? The 6th is tuned DOWN to C and the 1st is tuned down to A. You'd pretty much have to use a B string on the first because a high E won't tune that low. But yeah, it's the A you get on the second fret of the G string, not the 5th fret of the high E.

[@revolverator]

could one of you fine gentlemen or ladies please clear this up for me and tell me what tuning is actually being used? I'm just getting more and more confused... Brilliant tune!

[@AmBotanischenGarten]

ONE strum across the open strings would be very helpful. I'm not ready to ruin a 1944 neck!

[@eyeball226]

My god, the high 'E' on that set is more like a B string gauge.

[@Blacksquareable]

But he does play stuff in normal tunings as well doesn't he? I've tried the open tunings a few times but it's a complete nightmare. My guitars just hate it and go completely out of tune.

[@gtr1359]

Something wrong there. the bottom string is definitely "G"

[@tomokra]

Bottom string is C but he's palm muting it. He whacks the bottom string with the thumb pick enough that the next string -- G -- rings out.

[@maxwellfan55]

Was that a snipe at pipers, if so what does he know? I play guitar and pipes, quite well. I can confirm properly performed piping is infinitely more challenging that picking 6 strings in open tunings on guitar, and takes much, much longer to perfect even after formal training. So learn from that Martin.

[@tomokra]

Wow, a cranky, know-it-all bagpiper. Can't think of a more delightful combination.

[@maxwellfan55]

@@tomokra I've met Martin Carthy many times, seen him perform, been an admirer of his playing and technique since his remarkable debut album in the mid 1960's. Yes, I play guitar, pipes and other instruments, but that's up to you to decide. Despite your cynical comment, I've never, ever thought of myself as a know-it-all musician, quite the opposite. A lot of ignorant people mock the pipes because they have no concept of the instrument, or the dedication required to learn, sight-read and perform. They want to appear funny and you're just another unfunny candidate. Yawn. Only you're the one folks laugh at, but not in a good way. So pipers of all ages right down to boys and girls who want to make something of their lives get sick of facile comments like yours. Carthy was wrong on two counts. This isn't a tune pipers learn when starting, he's just guessing because he has no idea. Very much like you. Having displayed his ignorance, his next condescending comment is to imagine this is an easy tune for pipers, then self-congratulating himself by telling us his guitar arrangement isn't. He then pokes political sarcasm at British colonial history, well he would because he's a pretend socialist, whereas he should stick to guitar technique, especially on a tuition video. So, like you it's all pretty tiresome. Hope that's grumpy enough. You can go now.

[@brianfinley6798]

I have no idea what this tuning is...when he says cgcdga...is that starting low strings to high strings? How can you tune a high E up to A without it breaking? Or a B string to G? WTF??? I love this guy, but sweet jesus...has he tuned everything down an entire octave? Two octaves? This makes NO FUCKING SENSE...

[@frankiesbankielotsofbrandy7704]

You gotta go lower. Always tune it down when in doubt

[@bill7016]

The siege of Delhi was disgraceful, but so was the murder of the 200 innocent British women and children at Cawnpore several months before.

[@maxwellfan55]

Too right. But Carthy was/is very political, blinded, and appears rather proud of offering us his little lecture rather than sticking to the music instruction in this case.

[@MrTaylorN]

I thought this was a lesson? Nice music but I didn't really learn anything... Also why doesn't he say any notes or what chords he's playing OR EVEN TELL US WHAT SCALE THAT WAS AT THE BEGINNING...man...