OT ,do trad musicians have more fun.

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 3:22 pm

My daughter is showing interest in playing the flute and has asked for lessons. Thing is, is that she is not sure if she wants to take lessons with a traditional Irish teacher and learn to play trad or to play other music which I take to mean some kind of art music or something.
I'm trying to steer her in the direction of trad as she plays the whistle a little, as its my opinion that when she gets older and if she is still playing, that trad musicians have more fun as in sessions and have more opertunities when travelling as all you need is to find an Irish pub to make contact with local Irish musicians and all that comes with it.

Am I right in thinking that trad musicians have more fun and is a better way of meeting and making friends especially when travelling

RORY
PS to the Mod-- You may be of the opinion that this topic would be better on the trad forum , but as this is the only forum that I regularly visit , I would know and respect the opinions of the contributors of this forum more, thanks.

Peter Duggan · Post by **Peter Duggan** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 3:58 pm

rorybbellows wrote:Am I right in thinking that trad musicians have more fun and is a better way of meeting and making friends especially when travelling

No. Music is music and all music can open doors/be fun to share.

Jäger · Post by **Jäger** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 4:20 pm

I think you may be right, but you seem to forget the biggest advantage of trad music. The fortunes that stand to be made from it, unlike classical music or such.

Ceann Cromtha · Post by **Ceann Cromtha** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:56 pm

There are literally hundreds of dollars to be made in Irish traditional music..., HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS!!!

An Draighean · Post by **An Draighean** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:32 pm

"Fun" is pretty subjective to the person, i.e. your daughter. It needs to be fun for her or she won't practice and progress.

Travel, it depends on where I guess. I love ITM and have for a long time, but as a young man working and living all over the world (including Ulster, Alaska, the western U.S., etc.) I found that my 5-string banjo, guitar, and harmonica were welcome everywhere I went (didn't go to any trad sessions back then though).

Peewit · Post by **Peewit** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:34 pm

Rory,

Here's my take on this - it may or may not apply to your daughter. I played flute starting at age 9 with a private teacher, in bands and orchestras as I was growing up. I majored in music in college. As an adult I've done a bit of professional work but mostly community orchestras and small ensembles (chamber music). It's fun, but when you're being paid, it's also work, and in some ways less fun. It can be really stressful. As an amateur, there aren't always opportunities to play.

Six years ago I discovered Irish trad music. I bought a simple system keyless flute and several whistles. Currently due to shoulder and hand problems I don't play my lovely silver Boehm system flute at all, but my wooden flute is lighter - and trad is the music I want to play. It IS more fun, and easier to meet people when I travel, and to enjoy at home in sessions. I love the challenge and freedom of playing by ear after being tied to printed music for so long. I love going to summer trad schools and festivals, and playing with my local friendly crowd the rest of the time.

That's my experience, anyway. I don't regret my classical music upbringing, but now I prefer the whole trad life... and wish I had discovered it about 30 years sooner!

Tunborough · Post by **Tunborough** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:59 am

You may want to look around to see what opportunities she'd have to play, particularly with peers. Peewit mentions bands and orchestras. Around here, we have several youth bands, orchestras, chamber music programs, etc., within reach, but not many trad sessions and none that I know of for young people.

For another opinion, I asked my teenage daughter what her advice would be, trad or classical. She said, "Classical," with a smile that said, isn't the answer obvious.

benwalker · Post by **benwalker** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:03 am

No... Not this one

CHasR · Post by **CHasR** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:21 am

both are fun!

Is it realistic option to get her involved in classical AND Trad?

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 4:55 am

Thanks for the advice and opinions . We've decided the best solution at the moment would be for her to attend the classical school lessions for awhile, just to get the basics of the instrument and decide later what kind of music she wants to play.
Of course if I have anything to do with it ,it'll be trad.

RORY

Post by **benhall.1** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:03 am

Out of interest, I've played both classical and trad on fiddle since I was 8. Good way to go, I reckon.

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:37 pm

benhall.1 wrote:Out of interest, I've played both classical and trad on fiddle since I was 8. Good way to go, I reckon.

I've heard it said that you cant play both, in that classically trained musicians just cant get the trad thing. A case in point would be James Galway . Sure hes a great whistle player and can certainly play the tunes but there is something about them thats not quite right

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIl0DD0Ta0

RORY

benwalker · Post by **benwalker** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 1:19 pm

I find the JG link posted very disturbing .... Like green beer

Post by **benhall.1** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:35 pm

rorybbellows wrote:
benhall.1 wrote:Out of interest, I've played both classical and trad on fiddle since I was 8. Good way to go, I reckon.
I've heard it said that you cant play both, in that classically trained musicians just cant get the trad thing. A case in point would be James Galway . Sure hes a great whistle player and can certainly play the tunes but there is something about them thats not quite right

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIl0DD0Ta0

RORY

Truth to tell, I don't much care for his playing whether it's classical or trad.

I don't think it's true that you can't play both. I do, however, think I'm a bit unusual in having done both right from the start, and kept at it. In that case, I can't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to play both. If we ever bump into each other, you can make your own mind up.

I know of at least one top class trad musician who did something similar, so it's not unheard of. I think where it does sometimes go wrong is where you have the type of classical musician who just jumps straight into trad, assuming that, because they have such wonderful 'technique', they'll automatically be able to play anything, which ain't the case, of course.

andymay · Post by **andymay** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:42 pm

True enough that JG clip is pretty scary, but i can't help wonder if the people who suggest it's impossible to do both well aren't too great at either.

Maybe this is a better example -

http://source.pipers.ie/Media.aspx?medi ... goryId=861

Lovely playing from these 2, yet Aoife is a great classical player too. Maybe you can do both well?

Good luck to your daughter anyway Rory - hope she gets a lot of fun out of whatever she chooses.

Cheers
A

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