I birthed a new tune...

[Peter Duggan]

IMO if you accidentally write a jig reminiscent of an old tune then you're probably on the right track.

And I just can't see why you'd want to write tunes that sound like a thousand others, which is probably the main reason why I write so few. So IMHO if you 'accidentally write a jig reminiscent of an old tune' then you've probably unknowingly dredged up/rehashed something you'd heard and forgotten or possibly even been unlucky enough to spontaneously recreate something you've never heard. Whereas the best trad composers still tend to have an uncanny knack of sounding like themselves. It's possible to sound both distinctive and within your tradition... just not at all easy! And even the best may end up with a mixed bag of successes, overstepped boundaries and also-rans (the latter just as likely from being too conventional as too radical).

[monkey587]

I just can't see why you'd want to write tunes that sound like a thousand others

That isn't what I said, now, is it? If you can write a tune that sounds like it could be a trad Irish tune, that means you've got an ear for what a trad Irish tune sounds like.

Whereas the best trad composers...

... all had to start somewhere.

[Akiba]

I came up with this tune spontaneously and liked it. It's really that simple. It fit how I wanted to play and seemed complete and fun. It is an expression of joy which I think much of Irish music is. I have no intention of being the next Vincent Broderick or Ed Reavy. The tune reminds me of some tunes I've learned and have heard from Michael McGoldrick, i.e. his spin on Irish themes (that's why I named it "McGoldie's"). I'll keep playing it (or not) because I like it and it's fun, a tune that for me is better than Boys of the Town.

[MarkP]

a tune that for me is better than Boys of the Town.

that's fighting talk alright

[homain]

Great stuff, Jason