What a great instrument/forum/society

[Carey]

I know this is preaching to the choir, but ain't C&F just the greatest thing? I mean the people, of course, and the way the internet has made it possible for so many from so far to be so close - almost like sitting in a pub. (I said ALMOST!)

I haven't posted a lot, but I read a lot, and learn alot. So thanks for that.

I want to report on my first visit to a "session" because I know a lot of you can relate. Fortunately I stumbled into a good one. Anyway here's the tale, with some background so you appreciate it properly ...

Christmas - I decide to make a whistle out of some PVC laying in the garage. I find Guido's Low Tech instructions and make something that makes sound. Cool! I gave about five away over the holidays.

Jan-Feb - I make a few more, they are getting better. I'm getting to play a little. Nothing I'd want to inflict on a human, but the dogs don't seem to mind.

I read some posts here about sessions and wondered if there are any around. I find a monthy one about an hour away, and a weekly one 15 minutes away. I e-mail some locals and meet some players at an Irish Festival. Sounds like fun.

(So, now you know how close to the very start of my whistle playing I am.)

Mar - I do a recon visit and have dinner with the wife at the pub/resturant while the session is happening. Horrors!! they are sitting on a small stage in the corner of the dining room! Right in plain view and everyone can hear! I brought a whistle just in case, but jeese these folks play well. Oh well, I'll go say hello. Didn't stay cuz the wife had things to do, but at least I saw what it was about.

So, what to do? I've only got about six tunes total, and only two or three I'd play for my wife, never mind strangers. I stop playing when the mail comes so the mail lady doesn't hear me. That my confidence level. I've tried playing along with tunes on the computer and found that I get lost when trying to listen and play at the same time.

Should I inflict myself on these nice people? Oh what the heck, what's the worst that can happen? There's gotta be a first time right? May as well be early on so expectations are suitably low.

Feeling a little like I'm going to the dentist or something I walk into the pub as they are just getting out the instruments. There were four - a whistle/flute player, a manolin and misc other stuff I don't know the names of player, a guitar and manolin player, and a fiddle and guitar player. So I introduce myself and although I feel a bit out of my league pull up a stool. I mean I've seen three of the four on stage before!

Everyone was very welcoming and ... I'm not sure how to describe it ... non-threatening? I felt right at home. It was amaizing. I didn't even take my whistle out for the first hour, I just sat among them soaking it all up while they had fun playing for/with each other. They played stuff they knew well and stuff they messed up a bit. It was all good fun.

Finally I couldn't help but contribute something, so I borrowed a hard mandolin case and supplied some percussion. (All those years of drumming on the steering wheel paid off.)

After about and hour of that, I decided I brought the whistle so let's have a go. Nobody knew my tune (Snowy Path) but I gave it a shot and after a few bars they joined in. Which of course imediatly put me off my game. But I started again and after two or three more goes managed to get most of the way thru it. Not well mind you, but I had played WITH them. Another hour or so of manolin case percussion (no other drums showed up that night) and it was time to go. I asked what tunes to learn for next week and they named a couple.

I actually smiled all the way home. What great fun with such nice people. And it all started with a section of PVC on the garage floor and Guido. (Thanks again Guido for the site.) And C&F gave me the insight and information to search out a session, not to mention lots of other useful info. So thanks to y'all here too.

Sorry for a long post, but I thought some might like to be reminded of the first time they dropped in on a session. And if you have one you can get to and have not gone, by all means get there!

Cheers!

[FJohnSharp]

You just described the raison d'etre for the whole blasted thing. Thanks.

[shadeclan]

Man, do I sympathize with your confidence level. Congratulations on breaking through your comfort zone.

With your years of practice at steering wheel drumming, maybe you should go one step up from that and look at bodhrans.

[anniemcu]

Glad you risked it... great results! You are now on the path to ... well... interesting things.

I'm especially glad you found a group of nice folks who encouraged you. That makes a lot of difference!!

[Carey]

With your years of practice at steering wheel drumming, maybe you should go one step up from that and look at bodhrans.

Actually I was thinking about that. Would look better to the diner's than a "guitar" case. I was hoping one would turn up at the session and I could ask silly questions. Maybe next time.

But seeing "bodhran" and "steering wheel" in the same sentence gives me an idea. Remember that Vermont (an possilbly other) law prohibiting playing an instrument while driving? What could they say about a goat skin wheel cover? Most modern cars beep when they are about out of gas and who needs a speedo anyway? CD player would still be visible.

[anniemcu]

... What could they say about a goat skin wheel cover? Most modern cars beep when they are about out of gas and who needs a speedo anyway? CD player would still be visible.

[swizzlestick]

But seeing "bodhran" and "steering wheel" in the same sentence gives me an idea. Remember that Vermont (an possilbly other) law prohibiting playing an instrument while driving? What could they say about a goat skin wheel cover? Most modern cars beep when they are about out of gas and who needs a speedo anyway? CD player would still be visible. big grin

You obviously are a bit of a tinker. Patent this and make a few! It may become a fad and help to support your whistle habit. (Don't have one yet? Only a matter of time, I am sure.)

[Carey]

Patent this and make a few! It may become a fad and help to support your whistle habit. (Don't have one yet? Only a matter of time, I am sure.)

I'm afraid the only one who would make any money on it would be the trial lawyers.

My whistle habit is well formed, but I've made more than I've bought, so it's not been too costly to date. My most fun comes from making a new key. I've got a display rack that's starting to look like a pipe organ. I must admit to needing a water whistle tho. I've considered the pusuit of the ones I've seen become available, but managed to resist so far.

[izzarina]

Wow...this has got to be my favorite post of the day! Thanks, Carey!

[crookedtune]

I've been involved in oldtime music sessions (they say 'jams') for many years, but when mine recently dried up, I was very fortunate to find there was a new Irish session starting up in our local Irish-themed pub. I took that opportunity to move from strings to flute and whistle (which I played already, but not really in an ITM style). I'm currently retooling stylistically, and working hard to learn a whole batch of new tunes. This happens to be a very beginner-friendly session with great people. It's very exciting and challenging, and I'm very lucky to have such easy access to a good pub-based session. Woohooo!

[BigDavy]

Man, do I sympathize with your confidence level. Congratulations on breaking through your comfort zone.

With your years of practice at steering wheel drumming, maybe you should go one step up from that and look at bodhrans.

Why not try a bodhran. if you like percussion, it is the weapon of choice for an irish session

Talk to RobBBQ, he is the forum's bodhran maker. My drum of his is a well made and nice sounding drum.

David

[pipersgrip]

i like to go there occasionally to look up music and other stuff.

[lordofthestrings]

Man, I love sessions! I'm at a bit of a disadvantage, though. Being there only one real place within an hour of my residance with a regular session, and myself being the youngest there by 40 years or more. I seriously almost made the regular rhythm guitarist wet himself the first time I played "alexander's hornpipe" on the whistle. I feel relatively accepted, but most of the guys (and gals) don't know my repitour, and I tend to end up leading something incorperating "lark in the morning" or "the kesh".

[Guidus]

There's a missing item: "I'd love to, but sessions are outlawed in my country".

I live in Italy, where basically you can't play music in public places unless you pay some money, fill in forms, ask for permission first, and so on and on. For example, to play at a sessions musicians are required to pay 40-something Euro. Bureaucracy excluded, of course.

I'm not making anything of this up. If you think Italy is a very backwards country, you're absolutely right.

[Carey]

Good Grief! What's up with that? Maybe a law aimed at pan handlers gone wild? Or the musician's union loby shutting down free players? Do you have to close your windows to practice?

I bet most sessions here in the US ask the proprietor first and are welcomed as free entertainment. Not to mention the players buy several pints over the evening.

Well then, maybe I should invite you an any other players to Florida for a holiday and we'll find two or three sessions to join in the week you are here, and play on the beach for sunset too!

Consider the invitation made.