The Mary Bergin Whistle Tutor

[Christophe]

I totally agree on Grey Larsen's notation system for ornamentations, I find it clear, unambiguous and non-intrusive. A simple sample of one page of M. Bergin's tutor on her website to show which system she's chosen would be helpful. These tutors don't seem unexpensive at 50 - 60 euros/$ each volume, but let's face it, how many times did we spent more than 50 $ on a supposed high end whistle we've been disappointed with and that sleeps in a drawer ....

[Mikethebook]

Good idea. In fact I wrote to Mary to make that same suggestion . . . and also to provide more information about what each book covers. My finances are limited and I don't know whether to go for Book1 or Book2.

[Steve Bliven]

I, for one, would rather have the bare-bones notation and have the freedom to place ornamentation where it feels right right for me.

My personal wishes are somewhat different based on what I see as a great difference between a tune book and a tutorial, both in content and intent.

It's easy enough to find a bare-bones notation for hundreds, if not thousands, of tunes. When I purchase a tutorial I'm looking more for "here's how I play that tune" with all the various techniques included (breathing, ornamentation, phrasing, whatever). Once I get a sense of how Mr./Ms. Expert plays the tune, I'm free to adopt or reject whatever elements I choose and create my own arrangement.

Grey Larsen, in his books, provides this level of detail in his transcriptions as do Conal O'Grada and June McCormack in their flute tutorials. On the other hand, "The Joanie Madden Tunebook" is mostly tunes with a limited amount of ornamentation included.

What I personally find particularly frustrating are "tutorials" that provide only bare bones and are accompanied by a CD with the tune played at speed with full ornamentation. Given my limited skills, I have to listen/re-listen/re-listen to the CD (and generally slow it down) and then go back and annotate the bare bones tune book with what I thought I heard to figure out how the author/player is shaping the tune. (I know, if only I could learn by ear from someone playing at speed..... ) I accept that most good players never play the tune the same way twice, but still, in a tutorial I'm hoping to get a better sense of their approach to and techniques used in playing the tune.

Enough of my ranting....

Best wishes.

Steve

[NicoMoreno]

If you really want to have a tune notated exactly the way someone (such as Mary Bergin) plays it, you won't be able to use Grey Larson's symbols, since many great players do not play cuts and taps the same way in every situation. So even here you're still getting an approximation and a compromise... which is what the barebones versions are about anyway.

Get yourselves a copy of the Seamus Ennis tome and you'll realize having all the details written out is not something you'd want in a tutorial.

That said, I agree that suggestions are a good thing, so I'd want to see some suggested cuts, taps, and breathing places. Eventually the tutorial should show you how to build those cuts and taps into rolls, crans, and whatever else you want to call them, sir.

[Mr.Gumby]

I, for one, would rather have the bare-bones notation and have the freedom to place ornamentation where it feels right right for me.

You don't want to buy a tutorial then do you? It's the function of a tutorial to teach you what the ornamentation is doing in a tune and why it's there at all. How to deal with (internal) rhythms, variation and all that. If you want a bare bone version, buy a tune book or download any old ABC collection from the web. They're different ends to different means.

[ytliek]

Book tutorials, on-line tutorials, etc. can only do so much. An in-person workshop is another matter. Take the workshop. I thought that was the purpose of the workshop.

Mary Bergin is scheduled for the Catskills Irish Arts Week 7/15-7/20/2013 with a book launch.
http://catskillsirishartsweek.com/

BTW, even if you had the notation with everything included and in whatever format... do you really think you can play it like MB or any of the others? Style and personality have to enter into the technique/execution game here. Just saying.

[Mikethebook]

Wow! Catskills looks great . . . but its certainly put me in my place!!! Looking at the workshops and the grading, I come under basic level: "You have been playing traditional Irish music for two years or less, have little experience playing in sessions, are largely self-taught, and know a handful of tunes." And here was me thinking I was at an intermediate level! Maybe I should start with Mary's Book 2 even if I'm going over some familiar ground. I can get my wife to get me Book 2 for Christmas! I wish there were sessions where I live . . . but there aren't.

[NicoMoreno]

The Catskills is great, it's a really great week and a lot of fun. That said, I'd say the levels are a little ambitious, if anything. The description for intermediate always struck me as a better description for a beginner (especially when it described me!), but the one that really makes me scratch my head is the idea that you could be a competent session leader, while only being comfortable with 100 tunes.

[Mr.Gumby]

Better check Scoil Samradh Willie Clancy. it's the daddy of them all and a bit nearer for you. (not the website willieclancyfestival, which is not the school's official website)

[StevieJ]

Wow! Catskills looks great . . . but its certainly put me in my place!!! Looking at the workshops and the grading, I come under basic level: "You have been playing traditional Irish music for two years or less, have little experience playing in sessions, are largely self-taught, and know a handful of tunes." And here was me thinking I was at an intermediate level! Maybe I should start with Mary's Book 2 even if I'm going over some familiar ground. I can get my wife to get me Book 2 for Christmas! I wish there were sessions where I live . . . but there aren't.

I took Mary's advanced class in the Catskills many years ago, and I'd say that with two or three exceptions, everybody in the class met the basic description you have just given - except that some of them could have been at it for many years.

So I'm sure you'd be quite safe in an intermediate class there!

[ytliek]

Better check Scoil Samradh Willie Clancy. it's the daddy of them all

Daddy...

And the children... I mean circuit... I love reading the bios, photos, and info even if cannot attend.
CIAW...
http://catskillsirishartsweek.com/
Swannanoa's Celtic Week 7/14-7/20/2013
https://www.swangathering.com/
Augusta... July 21-26, 2013
http://augustaheritagecenter.org/irishceltic/

Any others? But don't want thread drifting.

Summer vacation anyone?

(It would be nice if C&F had another sticky listing the schools.)

[Mikethebook]

Thanks StevieJ. Nice to know. Perhaps wouldn't hurt me to go through Mary's Book1 first though!

I would LOVE to go to the Willie Clancy but its a long way from the North of Scotland and way outside my budget right now. Maybe one day. For now, Mary Bergin's books will have to do.

[Mr.Gumby]

Any others? But don't want thread drifting.

Bucketloads of them.

South Sligo Summer School in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, Joe Mooney in Drumshambo, Co Leitrim, the O'Carolan thing in Keadue for the harpers, Scoil Acla in Achill island, the other one in Louisburgh, Co Mayo, Cheoil an Earraigh in Ballyferriter, Co Kerry, Frankie Kennedy in the winter in Donegal, Scoile Eigse for the competitive crowd, the Morrison one and any amount of others. Most ffestivals throw in a few classes as well, Tulla, Feakle and the rest of them The bandwagon is creaking at the seams. A few years ago there was a poster up for weekend of workshops where they had forgotten to print a location, don't think that one lasted.

[farmerjones]

Ah, misread the title. I thought she was going on tour!

[Thomaston]

I, for one, would rather have the bare-bones notation and have the freedom to place ornamentation where it feels right right for me.

You don't want to buy a tutorial then do you? It's the function of a tutorial to teach you what the ornamentation is doing in a tune and why it's there at all. How to deal with (internal) rhythms, variation and all that. If you want a bare bone version, buy a tune book or download any old ABC collection from the web. They're different ends to different means.

You are correct. I was sleepy and not thinking about the different purposes between tunebooks and tutorials. So it would be more correct to say I wouldn't want ornamentation guides in a tunebook.