im off to the Chemic in Leeds with my whistle tonight (taking the harper as its nice and quiet).
please send any advice / tips / good luck wishes. 
relax, enjoy and good luck!
Having recently started at sessions I know the excitementâŚ
relax (if you can!) enjoy (it will be over to soon) and good luck.
If the folk at your session are as supportive as those at mine then you are in for a great time.
Great for you! Have fun, relax, and enjoy yourself. Do be mndfull of the sessionâs etiquette, and stick with the beer and not the whiskey. Drunks donât make a good first impression. (You asked for real advice, right? )
I would suggest worrying less about how many tunes you know, and focus on listening and absorbing, asking folks about tunes and tunes lists, etc. But, of course join in when you know a tune. Oh, and you will discover there are many variations of a tune, or many different names for the same tune. Then, over then next month or two, practice, attend more sessions, practice, listen to alot of ITM at home, and by your 4th or 5th session you will be jammin on a dozen tunes or more and leading a few tunes here and there. I have enjoyed playing along at home with the BBC radio âVirtual Sessionâ immensely (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/sessions/swf/folkmenu.html) . It features the likes of Michael McGoldrick on flute and John McCasker on fiddle and presents about 20 sets of different style tunes, many of which are commonly played at our local sessions. And, it gives you some sets you can lead at session.
Enjoy the session and enjoy a pint while youâre at it!
And if youâre about to chunder, aim for the banjo player. 
Yes. Apart from anything else, they have a ready-made receptacle, and youâd probably improve the sound. The same applies to any bodhrĂĄns you see knocking about.
BTW, speaking of bodhrĂĄns, itâs customary for first-timers at any session to try out the bodhrĂĄn. Just reach over and grab it. No-one will mind. This instrument is normally played with a Stanley knife. Youâll be expected to take your own. I guarantee that, if you observer this ritual, you will be welcomed into the session with open arms, and youâll never need to buy a pint again.
Donât be hatinâ on the drummers, now. 
Heaven forfend. I donât hate 'em. Just donât understand why they have to bang the things at the same time as musicians are trying to play some tunes.
Good luck, donât get too nervous, donât drink too much. Be friendly and introduce yourself to the people, even the ones that look mean.
Hereâs the thing. Respect wins massive amounts of brownie points. In fact, I reckon itâs all thatâs required.
Go along, have fun and keep going back. It gets better and better. I donât know about other people, but I canât live without music, and I get a lot of my music - and my fun - from sessions.
Actually, thatâs not quite right - I do know about other people and their attitude to sessions. 
Bring a pen and notebook or a small recording device. Ask questions and leave your preconceived notions at home. Listen to traditional music at home and compare it to the session so that youâll know if youâre learning from the right people.
Important: donât record anything without asking.
(Phill - youâre different. Youâre special. You just record away, as much as you like. )
we have one of those in the house, i insist on pronouncing it âbod-ronâ to wind up my kind-of-irish flatmate and her boyfriend from dublin. Im from belfast myself and i dont think they like Lambegs in sessions⌠unless your missing a table 
Ive had a go on it, finikey little drum, i may try and get better at it, but there is more help available for whistlers
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions so far. I cant say im too nervous; i am accustomed to making a fool of myself by now
Hey I asked afterwards didnt I 
? And you guys were having far too much fun for me to stop you and ask⌠It was the best version of Danny Boy I ever heard 
Its OK everybody, I lied, it wasnt Danny Boy. 
Nah. It was âWhen Irish Eyes Are Smilingâ
i survived!!!
that was supurb fun!
about 5 songs i know, but i played (poorley and quiely) in them all, got sliiiightly drunk, got a massive list of tunes to learn for next week now.
The other whistler showed me up totally, a better player (to be expected) on cheaper whistles (somthing i should know the name of, but dont, and somthing which looked like a re-badged fedog), which made me feel like a right burk!
The harper performed very well, a bit quiet in the low register (which is why i bought it to be fair)⌠tended to⌠get⌠erm.. gummed up a bit oftin, but thats probably me over-blowing it.
The shaw low D was very nice worked well with the other wistle, worked less well with the flautist.
I tounged farr to much, should i feel ashamed? How do i cut down on it? how do you do the stop in the throat?
I would not recommend a glottal stop as a solution at all. Tonguing is a very useful skill in whistling but you need to learn to control it. Different whistlers use it more or less depending on their styles so perhaps you should do some listening. You also need to learn to control the intonation of your whistle using your breathing (your throat should never be constricted). I donât believe glottal stops really have much of a place in Irish music (though Iâm sure someone might challenge that). I doubt youâd find the technique in any reputable tutor.
Best,
Johnny
Congrats on your first session and glad you enjoyed it. Sessions can be great fun, very educational in many respects, and literally a big part of your life if you practice the ârules of session etiquetteâ. One of the wonderful benefits is making new acquaintences and forming friendships. Keep an eye on that other whistler and other experienced players who may show up. Watch, listen, and ask questionsâŚin moderation. You can learn a lot from more experienced players and youâll be able to tell whoâs approachable and who isnât. Hopefully theyâre like the players in our local sessions who are friendly, open, and more than willing to share their knowledge.
May this only be the beginning of a fun and valuable experience for you. Keep us informed how youâre getting on.
âŚand just for the record Chris you did a grand job in the etiquette and the playing. Like a duck to water. Ignore most of the advice above and weâll see you next week. Aaargh⌠more whistle competitionâŚ
cheaper whistles (somthing i should know the name of, but dont, and somthing which looked like a re-badged fedog), which made me feel like a right burk!
Top marks for first session knowledge there! - a brass Sindt and a Cillian OâBriain tweaked fedog⌠the only Burke is a shiny aluminium one (almost unplayed and surplus to requirement, make me an offer)
PS. handy hint: donât forget to remove the cleaning brush, itâll be louder