SET

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Michael w6
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Tell us something.: I have played bagpipes for several years. Open heart surgery in 2014 took me out for several months and I have not yet returned. I have begun to pursue the penny whistle instead. I'm looking for advice and friends in this new instrument.

SET

Post by Michael w6 »

I'm a nascent player, having dabbled about for some months. I have a goal to get tunes ready for St. Pat's and ask if I may present them at a local restaurant/brewery. Tunes are:

Danny Boy
South Wind

JIGS: Lilting Banshee, Kesh, Swallowtail, Eavesdropper
POLKAS: Kerry, John Ryan's, Maids of Ardagh (this is tricky so far)
TUNES: Tell Me Ma, Britches Full..., Beggar Man

Suggestions for additions or deletions?

I have six months, I think I can do it.
A moment of carelessness, a lifetime of regret.
A lifetime of carelessness, a moment of regret.
bwat
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Tell us something.: Woodwind and brass player. Interested in jazz and folk music. I'm here for the flute discussions. I really can't think of anything else to report and I have to pad this out to at least 1000 characters.

Re: SET

Post by bwat »

Actually you have five and a half months - the clock is ticking.

Anyway, I couldn’t do that many tunes in that time - less than two weeks per tune. Personally I think that Shannon Heaton woman on youtube is pushing it expecting me to do a tune a month. I’m talking about being really good enough for an audience here. The say a musician needs about 20 hours to learn a tune. That’s one of those ”facts” I read or heard at some time and it stuck. It’s about right for me regardless of music genre (trad, jazz, whatever). Can’t for the life of me find a reference.
Michael w6
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Re: SET

Post by Michael w6 »

@bwat - The clock is always ticking, no? Anyway I have been dabbling around with these tunes for some months so the endeavor is not just beginning. I searched the entry, "How much should one practice?" and there is an astonishing amount of entries. A quick run through had music around an hour a day. Olympic athletes 6 or more hours. I'd suspect one would need some sponsorship to practice anything that much. One music site suggest not more than 3 hours a day and one day off. The suggestions go on and on. There is of course the infamous 10,000 hour rule, or 10 years, to achieve "expert" level. One site states 25 years for "elite international level" performance. There is much said about the quality of practice too. Now that is another subject worth pursuing. Effective practice. These comments are taken from a quick overview of The Bulletproof Musician.
A moment of carelessness, a lifetime of regret.
A lifetime of carelessness, a moment of regret.
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Sedi
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Re: SET

Post by Sedi »

I think that differs very widely. I have seen people learn a tune in a day better than I can play it after two weeks. I try to learn about one a week but for some I need longer. And the problem is--keeping them all fluent, which is much harder for people like me who didn't grow up with that music.
bwat
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Tell us something.: Woodwind and brass player. Interested in jazz and folk music. I'm here for the flute discussions. I really can't think of anything else to report and I have to pad this out to at least 1000 characters.

Re: SET

Post by bwat »

It seems I was wrong with my 20 hour rule of thumb. It takes exactly seven hours and 38 minutes to learn to play a tune on a new instrument: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7uL8eCpSt24
retired
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Re: SET

Post by retired »

Classic !
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Nanohedron
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Re: SET

Post by Nanohedron »

bwat wrote:Personally I think that Shannon Heaton woman on youtube is pushing it expecting me to do a tune a month. I’m talking about being really good enough for an audience here.
It's going to depend on your existing skill set, and on your memory. To some, a month would be more than generous. Once you get to a certain level of playing, presentation (IOW phrasing, ornamentation, variation) pretty much takes on a life of its own, so to my thinking, memorizing the tune's structure is the most important of all. You can't fly without bones.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Tribal musician
Polara Pat
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Re: SET

Post by Polara Pat »

Interesting thread. Are you planning on playing solo or with other players? I find that when I play with an accompanying guitar or accordion that I have a bit of padding for the odd slip up. Playing solo on the other hand...well, less room for obvious error. We do a big St. Paddy's gig at my shop and this year may do a cafe and pub as well. Always a good excuse for good food and drink and force people to awkwardly sing. Good luck with your set list.
Michael w6
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Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I have played bagpipes for several years. Open heart surgery in 2014 took me out for several months and I have not yet returned. I have begun to pursue the penny whistle instead. I'm looking for advice and friends in this new instrument.

Re: SET

Post by Michael w6 »

Thank you for the supportive words. The idea is to play solo, though it is intimidating. This brewery is very laid back and I'd ask to play just for the experience, not for any payment.
A moment of carelessness, a lifetime of regret.
A lifetime of carelessness, a moment of regret.
Polara Pat
Posts: 284
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2017 9:01 pm
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Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: In an effort to ease from lurker to forum member; I'm hoping that this elite gang of whistlers will help this very green player to advance to the next stage. My current stage is slightly below novice and is only permitted in the garage like the dog I am. Oh yah, not a robot.

Re: SET

Post by Polara Pat »

Michael w6 wrote:Thank you for the supportive words. The idea is to play solo, though it is intimidating. This brewery is very laid back and I'd ask to play just for the experience, not for any payment.

I'm sure you'll do swimmingly. Save the beers til after you play though. Trust me
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pancelticpiper
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Re: SET

Post by pancelticpiper »

I worked up several songs (vocal pieces which usually had reel or jig interludes) plus some sets of jigs, of hornpipes, of reels, plus a waltz, in under two weeks for a couple St Patrick's Day gigs last year, sitting in with a trad band.

But I read, so "working up" a piece doesn't mean memorizing it. It means writing out the tunes (with help from The Session!) and writing out the song arrangements in an easy-to-read format.

Just did a concert with that band last week, easy peasy, because I already had a chunk of their repertoire in my book.

If you're a reader then working up enough tunes for St Pat's 2020 should be do-able.
Richard Cook
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