Chiff and Fipple Forums

If youve seen any certain of my other post you know that I have said that I do well enough on the slow Tunes. And by those I mean things like Danny Boy; When Irish Eyes Are Smiling; Loch Lomond; Scarborough Fair; The Minstrel Boy; Men of Harlech; Will Ye No Cone Back Again and the like so on and so forth.

But I think it's time I pick it up a little bit. So, are there any "starter jigs" (for lack of a better term) that you can recommend? Maybe three or four you can think of that I can look over and pick what might work for me .

Actually, doesn't even have to be a jig. Maybe some other Scottish or Irish tune or tunes that are good for improving one's skills in that direction.
Thanks

I would suggest first and foremost you pick tunes you know well to hear. It makes learning so much more easy. Any old jig will do, really, within reason. But do pick tunes you know and like.

Don't overlook slip jigs, Taimse in Arrears, Hardiman the fiddler, Drops of Brandy (and many others like them) work nicely. Polkas or marches (Battle of Aughrim, Return from Fingal) can get you going. But it really depends on the type of music you want to play and what you already know.

I'd go back thru some of the beginner threads listing tutorials or YouTube videos and find some tunes you like. "Starter Jigs" ?

Last ego jig I learned was the Swallowtail and there may even be a tutorial on OAIM but like pretty much everyone said already, you need to know the tune already or immerse yourself in a few variations of the tune your after. It will really help to get the right rhythm.

I have to agree with Mr. Gumby here.

If you have a tune stuck in your head, it's so much easier to learn than one you're learning 'cold'.

I'm not much of an ear learner, but I have a number of tunes under my belt that I completely learned by ear after hearing them about a million times in session and never bothering to look up the sheet music to commit to learning them. On occasion, the session will play a tune, and I'll think I know it, play it through, only to realize that I've never really 'learned' it formally, but because I've heard it so many times, it just comes out.

Most of us can pick out kids' tunes, holiday tunes, etc, by ear easily because we know them so well internally.

Others have given some suggestions for finding tunes if you don't have any you know well in your head, so my suggestion is if you aren't really familiar with any of the music, get yourself some CD's, or go on youtube and find some tunes you like and get them well and stuck in your brain