Jeggy wrote:
Where does one start interacting with others in ITM?
There are a host of ways, but the necessary element is the willingness to communicate. In my case (pre-internet for me, and definitely pre-social media) it was a chance encounter at a small concert that directed me to a beginner's session. But it wouldn't have happened if I'd just kept to myself. At the time I didn't even know there was such a thing as sessions; I was just smitten with the music and had a crap flute, and was trying to learn on my own from recordings. In my enthusiasm I talked with anyone who seemed likely, even with a couple of the performers at the bar during breaks - nothing goal-oriented, just idle talk - and in the course of it all was a local fellow - a dancer, IIRC - who, upon learning that I was trying to learn this music myself, pointed the way to perdition.
Jeggy wrote:
Theres a local ish session near me in mid ulster but not sure yet what it is.
You won't know until you go and find out for yourself. If it's at a pub, you have the advantage of simply opting to sit out as a punter and observe until you get a sense of the thing.
Jeggy wrote:
I'd much prefer something in a more private, supportive and forgiving environment. I think I'm actually half decent with some encouragement and practice.
I'm a fan of private sessions myself. If you're on social media, that might be a good place to start. Or if you know any musicians, you could ask them if they know of any private sessions of the kind you have in mind; introductions would probably be in order first.
PB+J wrote:
I've been to a few around here and they range from welcoming and fun to grim and off-putting.
Or a mixture of both. Sometimes it's not so much climate as it is the random individuals involved. The best you can do is be polite and aware of your surroundings. The higher the overall standard of musicianship, the less surprising it should be that there will be someone to sniff at your presence until you've "proven" yourself. That said, the beginner's slow session I started out with was a somewhat daunting thing, because it soon became clear that they were in a rut, and they liked it that way. New tunes were met with disapproval, and they chased advancing players out of the nest; the only thing missing was the pitchforks and torches. It can sometimes be a bit of a job to find the right environment for your needs, but the main thing is that once you have contacts, it's a lot easier to learn what else is out there. Fortunately in the Twin Cities, public ITM sessions tend to be welcoming, but we've had our share of self-entitled stinkers sit in from time to time, so understandably there's always a bit of initial, low-key caution about the total stranger.