Chiff and Fipple Forums

Thanks for all your comments and thoughts. They all help someone like me from down under with no access to real ITM musicians and who has to rely on the Web to learn.
Cheers

JTU wrote:Thanks for all your comments and thoughts. They all help someone like me from down under with no access to real ITM musicians and who has to rely on the Web to learn.
Cheers

Down under? Are you out in the sticks? I only ask because there are loads of musicians playing ITM in Sydney and Melbourne, for instance.

Regional Victoria and travelling to Melbourne on a regular basis is not really appealing. Thanks

JTU wrote:Regional Victoria and travelling to Melbourne on a regular basis is not really appealing. Thanks

Ah well. Just a thought. It is difficult, I know, if you live a long way away from the music. I am fortunate enough to have some music available locally to me, but even so, I need to go to Ireland as often as I can, to get my fix of better music.

I found in particular the tune analysis page http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/index.html incredibly instructive.

I don't think you should look at it as more than a gentle encouragement to listen closely and to seek out and listen to recognised traditional players, playing in different styles in their natural setting. But that's about it. Nothing more, nothing less.

JTU wrote:Thanks for all your comments and thoughts. They all help someone like me from down under with no access to real ITM musicians and who has to rely on the Web to learn.
Cheers

The Web is such a crapshoot when it comes to quality. Might I suggest investing in CDs from recognized exemplars?

With a library of thousands of tunes, of all tune types, Irish music is bound to have a few duds. But generally, most tunes, including jigs, have plenty of melodic interest. (Except Wedding Jig. I find almost nothing redeeming about that tune).

IMO, just because reels have more notes per measure doesn't mean they are more melodic, just more dense, and thus more frantic. Jigs have more breathing room when played right. It took me awhile to appreciate jigs when I first started, but now I adore them. A few lessons with good teachers has helped me immensely with both appreciation and technique.

awildman wrote:... just more dense, and thus more frantic.

Oh, maybe that's what JTU meant: "frantic" in terms of melodically busy. Well, he'll have to enlighten us.

By the by, JTU, if you have Skype access, lessons are a thing via that platform.

I'm no teacher, just an average player, but I'd be happy to share my knowledge of jigs with you if you can do a video call, and our schedules can mesh. PM or email me.

Oh, maybe that's what JTU meant: "frantic" in terms of melodically busy. Well, he'll have to enlighten us.

To understand what I meant you have to appreciate that my desire to learn music and my ability to play music are poles apart. I haven’t been born with natural music ability. However I love music of all sorts. ITM resonates with me. I am 62 and until I picked up a whistle I had not played a musical instrument since I smacked together two wooden sticks in grade one. So what I was trying to get across with “frantic” was that after the playing of jigs reach a certain speed they just become too “busy” for my inexperienced musical ear to properly discern the melody. That’s why I said was turning to other jigs generally played at a slower speed ( at least on the net). This may have come across as if I was having a go at Irish jigs and players - it wasn’t meant to. It was more a winge about my lack of ability. I do appreciate that I have to listen to better players on CD’s etc rather that running the gauntlet of the web all the time.

By the way Awildman your generous offer is greatly appreciated. I’m not sure I have the confidence to do that yet but I will bear it in mind.
Cheers to all.

Postscript- this site seems to have been hacked. There are highly inflammable messages in support of fascism appearing at the end of various posts at least on my computer.

JTU wrote:Postscript- this site seems to have been hacked. There are highly inflammable messages in support of fascism appearing at the end of various posts at least on my computer.

Ah, that would be Mr.Gumby and his recent signature. And no, its intent is actually anti-Fascist if you read it carefully. I was wondering when this issue might turn up.

While we prohibit explicit political content in posts, we do allow, to an extent, more leeway with members' signatures. While Mr.Gumby's new siggy is most unwieldy and, as we have just seen, unfortunately open to misinterpretation, it nevertheless falls within the parameters of what we deem acceptable, even if it does assault the eye. If it were actually in blatant support of Fascism we would instead judge that a line was crossed, and act accordingly; despite all the liberty we traditionally allow with signature lines, neither are they altogether sacrosanct, and sometimes the mods must make judgment calls and intervene. But at this point, to remove it strictly on the basis of its being political, or on the basis of its being blaringly huge, would be moderatorial overreach - although I'd be lying if I said the sense of being pounded at didn't make me wince. As mods, we too are very bound by rules. While it is true that we make them, we also follow them, and once set, it takes something special for us to make alterations or additions to them; where there is wiggle-room, we must interpret. This case doesn't quite seem yet to qualify for either an intervention or a rule change. We do hope, however, that Mr.Gumby might see fit to pare it down to something less megalithic, and more immediately clear to the casual reader. I'm sure he wouldn't want to be mistaken again - and again - for what he is not.

Lest anyone be so cute as to point out that an anti-Fascist stance is just as political as a Fascist one, I have only this to say: Don't be disingenuous. If Fascists were running this show, you'd sure as hell know it.

Now, let's all get back on track, shall we? JTU's tapping us for our advice and input.

There are highly inflammable messages in support of fascism appearing at the end of various posts at least on my computer

I didn't think anyone with even minimal comprehensive reading skills would take Michael Rosen's poem as a message in support of facism. let alone 'highly inflammable'.


It was there for the day only, as a gentle reminder to mark the 80th anniversary of the start of WW2, you know, the one that killed 85 million people. A reminder how these things creep up. Not grossly out of order, given the state of the world.

I did realise the image in the signature route was a bit invasive but a more low key thread on the pub was promptly shut down.

As you were.

Mr.Gumby wrote:

There are highly inflammable messages in support of fascism appearing at the end of various posts at least on my computer

I didn't think anyone with even minimal comprehensive reading skills would take Michael Rosen's poem as a message in support of facism. let alone 'highly inflammable'.


It was there for the day only, as a gentle reminder to mark the 80th anniversary of the start of WW2, you know, the one that killed 85 million people. A reminder how these things creep up. Not grossly out of order, given the state of the world.

I did realise the image in the signature route was a bit invasive but a more low key thread on the pub was promptly shut down.

As you were.

Seemed very clearly antifascist to me

My bad. Didn’t read it properly, saw the subject matter and assumed the worst as it wasn’t the subject matter I expected to see on the site. I’ll pay more attention in the future. Sorry for the confusion.
JTU

Not to worry. It wouldn't be standard fare although there are occasions that warrant a little blip, because, between the jigs and the reels, we don't live in a bubble. It was for the day that's in it, as they say.

Let's leave it at that and get back to jigs.




[Add:]

As the quote of the poem I put in my post above (as a clarification for those who missed it before) promptly disappeared: anyone who wants to know what the fuss is about can look here at Michael Rosen's blog.