Novices instantly recognize that repertoire is required to play in sessions so tunes are often learned at a rate that exceeds the player’s knowledge of the music. It’s similar to popular breeds of dogs, where the ability to procreate can exceed the preservation of desirable genetic traits (this analogy offered to see if it holds water, if it does I may copyright it).
This brings up several questions I have been pondering for some time.
What is a decent acceptable pace for picking up tunes?
When do you feel you really know the tune well enough to start another? Is it when you can play the tune in the basic form or when you can play it with ornamentation? How are tunes approached in Ireland(traditional approach to learning)? Do you learn the melody first then add the ornaments or do you learn the tune with the ornaments and variations?
How much importance do you place on attending sessions for those interested in learning and playing Irish music compared to time studying on your own learning and playing along with Cd’s?
Good to hear from you. Are you going to be making to the flute symposium in Seattle this year. Look forward to seeing and hearing Harry Bradley. He’ll be used to the weather out here. We don’t tan…we rust
I think these are good questions…well at least they’re familiar ones, as I’ve pondered these things too.
By ‘pace’ I assume you mean, how frequently does one learn tunes. After about three years at it now, I find myself going through periods in which I will learn two tunes a week for three weeks and other periods in which I go a month (or more!) without learning anything. Particularly distressing for me - and this has been happening with increasing frequency - is when I hear someone else play a tune (usually a recording) and I say, “hey, that sounds VERY familiar…oh yeah, I learned that one about a month ago.” Learning it and then forgetting it really gets to me. Some tunes basically take me over. I learn them because I hum them all day. These usually take the least amount of time to get down. Occasionally, I pick a tune that i’ve never heard and learn it by sheet music. That takes the most time.
Personally, I sort of view it as having 3 stages of “knowing” a tune. The first stage is when I know it all the way through (without looking at sheet music) at a moderate clip, with a few mistakes, little ornamentation and no pathos. Next, it’s being able to put a little umph into it and watch t.v. at the same time. The 3rd stage is when I’ve added the ornaments I want and can start it at a session. I know only a handful of these.
I attend the local session VERY infrequently because I don’t have the time. I see it as really, really valuable and enjoyable. I find myself quite stinky when I play for even one or two people if it’s been awhile since I’ve played “publicly.” On the other hand, if I manage to go to a lot of sessions my “public” performance S-E-E-M-S to improve (that’s my impression, one never really knows).
Thanks for the questions, I’m curious about others experiences in this regard.
p.s. I’ve starting losing a lot of NAMES of the tunes as well. I used to be totally obsessive about remembering names, but it hurts my head too much now.
Thanks for the response. I found it super helpful and encouraging to hear the process someone with more experience goes thru when learning new tunes.
I can’t read music so what I do is try to learn the simple version of the tune using “L.E. McCullough’s 101 session tunes” by listening to it over and over until I can sing it. Then I slow down a version I like from say Colm O’Donnell and try to fit in the ornaments as he does. It’s a slow process.
The reason I havn’t been attending sessions is I have been (by my own admission) over-focused on quality rather than quantity. I think there is a balance there but If I try to learn every new tune as good as the guys on the albums I will never have enough tunes to play during sessions and I’ll end up listening the whole time. That’s why I was wondering if it’s better to attend sessions or to use the time practicing.
I think I will chill on trying to “Matt Molloy” every tune I learn and try to get a few more under my belt and start going to sessions.
Yes, I’d love to come back to Seattle for the Flute Symposium. Actually, I’d like to make it my annual trip back home to coffee, good beer, rain & wind, and of course some music sanity.
Been back to Seattle a couple of times in the last few months since the weather is so nice–once to see Peter Noy on making a small repair for my Rudall (and ending up ordering a 6-key flute from him); and second, to Byrnie Utz on Union Street to re-block my Borsalino (that got crushed under a Chinese bus)… and the usual trip to buy some CDs from Dusty Strings each time.
That’s what living in Asia does to you. You miss the little things. I’ll try to make it back for the flute gig as well.
Things are great although I’m a little discouraged with my progress. My wife seems to think I’ve made progress. That’s good since she’s the one who has to put up with my practicing.
Since we last talked I got my Copley flute with silver tuning slide. I love it. It’s so expressive and the blackwood is nice.
This symposium this year has a lot of heavy hitters and I’m not sure if I want to miss this one.
Make sure to let us know how that Noy is when you get it.
This symposium this year has a lot of heavy hitters and I’m not sure if I want to miss this one.
I’ve been thinking of trying to make it to the Symposium, if I can get a few days off next April. I grew up in the area (Bremerton) and lived in the U district after high school. It would be great to get some Ivar’s again, actually …
Mary
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