Traditional Irish singing

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Traditional Irish singing is the singing of traditional songs in the native styles such as sean nós. Though some people consider sean nós to particularly refer to singing in the Irish language, the term 'traditional singing' is more universally understood to encompass singing in any language, as well as lilting.

Some of the characteristics of traditional Irish songs might be

• Solo singing
• Unaccompanied
• Unamplified
• The audience is focused on the singing

In contrast, Irish ballad singing might be thought of as differing in several respects, even if it is also sometimes referred to as 'traditional'.

• Ballad singing is almost always accompanied by musical instruments.
• It is most often a group activity, not solo singing.
• It is performed typically in public areas, the singing is usually amplified, and the performance might be secondary (e.g. as background music in a pub).