I was wondering if there are any tips or tricks to pairing tunes into a set. I have started to learn sets of tunes that i like from recordings, but sometimes it would be good to figure out how to link tunes into a set.
Are there rules to how reels and jigs are arranged into sets? I know those well seasoned players amoung you are probably thinking you play one tune then you play the next … but are there any bridging devices people use?
Rule 1: it has to sound nice.
Rule 2: see rule 1.
One suggestion, start with a tune in Gmaj and follow it with a tune in Dmaj. The key change to D has a nice effect.
Cool. That’s a good tip, thanks PJ. And I’m guessing the reverse is good too Dmaj to Gmaj?
What sounds good to me, and what I notice is often done by the pros, is to step down to the relative minor for the 2nd tune, or step up one key to the minor. As in G down to Em, or G up to Am (or Amaj). Then you can return to G for a 3rd tune. Sometimes going from a minor to a maj sounds good. Stepping a tune up a maj 3rd is also nice sometimes, like from D to F. Otherwise, like has been said, D to G, G to D, D to A (some polkas go back and forth on this one). D to Em is pretty common, but D to Bm works good too as a relative min. There are some pairs I don’t care for…Martin Hays has a couple that kind of mystify me. It took me a long time before I stopped advancing the CD at that point. I can handle it now. Amazing how he subtly conditioned me! Going from a jig to a reel can be exciting (the tapping foot remains the same tho).
To the frustration of my fellow sessioneers I often group tunes that have much in common. That is they start with similar phrases or have internal “quotes” that they share. It feels like one big, sprawling suite that way. An example of such a set would be:
I buried My Wife/Girl from the Big House/Haul Her Across the Road
I prefer the bigger key-change stuff when playing with accompaniment.
One other trick when grouping 3 (or more) tunes together: start and finish with commonly played tunes but put an unknown or rarely played tune in the middle.
Another one that breaks up the monotony is to play a regular D maj tune and then switch to D mixolydian, like Maid Behind the Bar to Rakish Paddy.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone, very helpful.
Hi, Phil! Long time, no see.
G to D or D to G always works. E minor to G can also be a nice change, as can A minor to G or maybe G, A minor, and D.
For a long time, I deliberately tried to avoid playing other people’s sets of tunes (i.e., from recordings, etc.) and only come up with sets of my own (“They’re my sets, dammit! All mine!”) but some tunes really do just seem to belong together (Seanbhan na gCártaí and Tom Billy’s, for instance, or The Old Bush and Rakish Paddy). I still try to think up novel combinations of tunes, but I’m not so fanatical about it now. The most important thing is that it all sounds good and that you (and hopefully other people) enjoy it.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m reckoning that would be F# the minor 3rd would be F?
Nice inclusion, I’ve been getting my head around that very rhythm change in the past few days…thankfully it’s getting easier 
I deliberately tried to avoid playing other people’s sets of tunes (i.e., from recordings, etc.) and only come up with sets of my own (“They’re my sets, dammit! All mine!”)
Thanks Sporting Pitchfork for your input on this subject.
There is an element of wanting to have some ownership of a set, but its more just about trying to group tunes i like together in a competent way. Its also about demistifing the process I suppose.
Its intresting the idea that some tunes just belong together. Anyone have other classic tune bedfellows?
Also what’s a good example of jig to reel or reel to jig combos?
*edited to protect the innocent. 
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m reckoning that would be F# the minor 3rd would be F?
Yep, That’s right. I wondered if anyone would catch that! I ran it though my head too fast.
Now you’ve spilled the beans…!
Did I just expose supermans identity? SORRY!
Jig-Reel
Leitrim Fancy/Sword in the Hand
But of course, The Bothy Band already dunnit.
Slow reels-to-jigs seem to have a more natural progression to them, IMO.
My favourite jig into a reel clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoeG2-ZKLBQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCoeG2-ZKLBQ
For piping jig into reel though see The Patsy Touhey cylinders:
http://www.itma.ie/digitallibrary/playlist/touhey-patsy/
Not sure if I’ve ever heard any other players from 78s or earlier players change from jig to reel.
Gee, that’s something I haven’t been called in a while…
No worries. There’s a link to my (woefully outdated) webpage in my signature, so it’s not like I’m in the Witness Protection Program or anything…
Gee, that’s something I haven’t been called in a while…
No worries. There’s a link to my (woefully outdated) webpage in my signature, so it’s not like I’m in the Witness Protection Program or anything…
As for jigs to reels, “The Green Fields of America” can be played as both a jig and a reel.