The Pipe on the Hob (3-Part)

Jig, A Dorian, Traditional Irish

The Pipe on the Hob. 3-Part. Traditional Irish Jig. Image of carved tobacco pipe and fireplace. TrailJams Tune of the Week. Play it together April 10, 2022.

This tune’s title brings to mind a cozy space by the fireplace, with a tobacco pipe tucked away, and maybe an instrument in hand for a bit of tune playing. (A hob is a shelf built into the stonework or bricks of a fireplace.) This three-part tune is one of two distinctly different traditional Irish tunes that have the name “The Pipe on the Hob.” The other “Pipe on the Hob” is a two-part tune. In various collections, both tunes are called “…Number 1” and both are called “…Number 2” — which turns out to be not very helpful.

Recordings

Dots (Music Notation)

As always for traditional tunes, the musical notation and chords do not indicate the “right” way to play the tune, but are a useful reference.

The Pipe on the Hob (3-Part), Jig, A Dorian. Traditional Irish. Arrangement: Jonathan Lay 3/10/2022. Revised 3/24/2022. trailjams.org

About the chords: playing A5 chords in place of the Am chords makes the harmony less dense and gives more latitude for melodic variation. (To play A5 chords, or “A omit 3,” leave the C out of the Am chord.)

Play from the Dots
Slow tempo 70bpm
Moderate tempo 90bpm

Sets

Examples of sets that include this tune.

References and Resources

For those who want to dig deeper, here are some other resources.