Currently i have the urge to learn as many tunes as i can, but is this a good idea?
Should i just learn say 10 or so and stick to practising only them? or try to cram as many in as i can?
i’ve only been playing for 6 weeks, so…what do you all think? does the urge to learn as much as you can fade over time??
I believe Jack Coen said, “Learn at most one or two tunes a week. Any more than that and you’re not learning them completely.”
That said, I think the answer to your question is, depends. Some people are parallel learners, some are serial learners. I tend toward serial. I like to be working on several tunes at a time, but I spend a lot more than a week on each one. I just got a book on inter-library loan of the complete Playford tunes. I’m playing through the whole book to see which tunes I really like. I’m about 60-80 tunes into it, and have discovered that I really like about 1/4 of them or more. I’ll probably focus on four or five initially.
Hi chas, I’ve never heard of this Playford book before. Just found a link to an interesting page http://www.standingstones.com/playford.html There’s an abc file to download. I’ve just had a go at a couple of tunes and they’re definitely something a bit different.
I think it really depends what level you’re at: If you’re already at a high playing level, with an excellent command of proper feel, phrasing and ornamentation, then you could learn as many tunes as you had time for, and you’d know well enough when you could play them well.
OTH, when you’re pretty new to the music, I think one is far better off concentrating on learning one tune really well, before moving on to the next. Certainly while playing and improving the tunes you already play.
That’s been my experience anyway; I went through a period where I learned a number of tunes, and could play them by wrote, but they just never sounded or felt quite right, even though the notes where there. It’s all too easy to memorize the series of notes, that make up a tune, and then move on, without ever really getting the proper nuances of phrasing, rhythm, apropriate ornamentation, breath, and playing in time. There are all too many examples of this on clips and snips - no offense intended to anyone, as this has been pointed out by far better players than myself, on numerous occasions.
Take the time to learn one tune well, REALLY well. Get some help with this, from someone experienced in ITM if at all possible. I can’t stress this highly enough. If this not possible, for whatever reason, you must rely on critical listening - record your playing, and compare it to that of good players, well respected players. Don’t worry about the speed difference, I gaurantee that if you are really playing a tune well, that tune will sound fantastic even at the slowest tempo - It will still have drive and lift, it will make others want to tap their feet, and the tune will sound “right” regardless of the tempo.
Now, I’m off to practice, and rather slowly, in fact.
Loren
Nope. Or at least, I’m working on my seventh year of this stuff now, and I still find myself frequently wanting to learn everything under the sun, and learning tunes in batches. (I’ve learned two tunes in the last 30 hours, and did major work trying to finish off the learning of two other new tunes earlier in the week.)
There are a lot of issues determining which is the best way to go for you. (Assuming we’re talking ITM…) Listening to a lot of different good performers will be your best influence toward eventually sounding right. Having said that, drilling a tune to death is the only way I know to get it down. Learning a lot of different tunes will get you practicing different finger patterns, which you’ll have to get to eventually. The more tunes you learn, the easier the next tune will be, whether by reading music or picking up by ear.
I tend to learn new stuff in batches, sometimes big batches. Then, I back off and practice for awhile with no new stuff. Then, I get restless for new stuff again. New stuff keeps my attitude fresh and enthusiastic. (If you get bored with playing, learn a new tune!!)
I’d be reluctant to suggest, as a beginner, sticking to a small number of tunes. You probably stand more chance of reinforcing a bad habit. I think you might start to understand phrasing sooner by learning more tunes. By all means, learn a jig and a slide and feel the difference. Same for reels versus hornpipes. That will give you a better feel for rhythms. When I started learning whistle (mainly learning by ear from early Chieftains recordings) I found reels killer difficult and discovered in retrospect I had chosen some particularly difficult reels. There are easy ones out there. Session tune collections are a good source if you’re not sure. Plus, I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t sound like the Chieftains. (Still can’t figure out why I still don’t…) Guess you need the right backup. 
Tony
I thought this was worth repeating. I can’t stress enough the “record your playing” part. I often sound fine to myself, then when I listen to a recording of my playing I think it’s just totally devoid of any lift.
I sort of relax and let it come to me - there times when I am in “Tune Aquistion Mode” and learn a large group of new stuff, and then I slow down for a few weeks and go back and REALLY learn the tunes I have aquired. Actually for me there is a multi phase type of thing: You learn it and then you “really” learn it. Then as you live with a tune for a longer period of time you find the subtetlies and and specialness of the tune. Some become more special than others, at least for me.
I say, as long as you’re learning and moving, don’t try to put yourself on a rigid schedule - all of us have a “to learn” list, I think!.
I’ve found that learning two tunes at the same time is very helpful. You definitely want to spent as much time as you can with each individual tune, get to know it intimately and listen to the music as much as you can. After a while of learning, though, I tend to fall into a rut… maybe I just start thinking about it too much or something. I have found that once I get the tune down to memory and I’m playing it somewhat well it helps me to leave it alone completely and go on to a different tune. Then when I come back to it later (I’m talking within the same day, I don’t mean to leave it alone for weeks or anything) then I feel a little more refreshed and not as stiff from playing the same notes over and over again. I may be alone in this technique but it works for me… hope it helps someone else.
I think it´s better to play one tunes really well than ten tunes badly. On the other hand I´ve known people practicing on the same ten tunes for years - you have to move on too, don´t get stuck!
I think its about finding your level or your capacity. It´s like running, swimming or practicing ping pong. Me, I´m fine with running a couple of miles two or three times a week, but a friend of mine can easily run five miles five times a week.
What you can´t play slowly you can´t play fast. Learn slowly and then gradualy accelerate the speed of the piece you´re learning.
I´ve been slightly influenced by martial arts and yoga when practicing music. Find your inner peace, concentrate on doing just one thing, do it right, pratice slowly untill you know all the movements, feel the whistle as if it was a part of your own body, try to be in the moment, enjoy that moment and shut everything else out.
The needs of the many outwiegh the needs of the few.
instead of learning a bunch of tunes indiscrimantly - look to learning tunes that work on different techniques.
Don’t concentrate on a group of jigs that are all pretty much the same tempo, the same runs and trills, the same essential notes. Sure, learn a jig, but learn a slow tune that you have to concentrate on phrasing with. Learn a tune that stay primarily in the lower register - one that is primarily in the upper - one that jumps back and forth. Work on a song that has linear runs, and on one that goes in thirds.
When we teach (mountain dulcimer) we NEVER teach repetoire, although we may use a particular tune because it showcases the technique we are wanting to get across. We almost always teach technique, so the student can then use it to learn the tunes they want to play.
The other advice I always give is to PLAY. Don’t feel that you have to “sit down for a half hour and practice” for it to be a learning experience. Keep your instrument handy, and whenever you have a bit of free time - when something is loading on your computer, when a commercial is on the TV, when you are stuck in traffic - PLAY. It doesn’t have to even be a song, noodle around and get familiar with the instrument. It doesn’t have to be scheduled - five minutes may be just as important as a half hour.
And listen to music. Have CDs going all the time. Immerse yourself in what you want to play. Get it in your head, so it can go in your heart - THEN it can come out of your hands.
You didn’t say whether you go to or have an active session nearby. If you do, it may be best to concentrate more on what they currently play.