AuLoS303 wrote:
I was quite surprised today to find that quite a few members of a Facebook tin whistle group didn't know what ITM was! I must admit I only know it because of the guys on here. I came to whistle late. Like 3 or 4 years ago.
Why would they automatically know what "ITM" is supposed to mean? The vast majority of musicians never go anywhere near music forums where this abbreviation sometimes comes up.
Personally, I find it a rather pointless abbreviation. Is it an attempt at creating some sort of jargon? If "ITM", then why not ETM, STM, WTM, FTM, BTM, ATM etc? And which one would be which? STM - Scottish or Scandinavian?
"I play ITM" is not a thing that anyone would ever say.
Something that doesn't get a lot of mention or recognition in popular culture, in cliches about traditional/folk music, is that there is a lot of English traditional music being played on tin whistles, and much it ain't a million miles away from the styles of playing Irish music. That's one of the reasons that there are so many manufacturers of tin whistles in England. This is not a revelation to most experienced players, English or Irish.
It's difficult giving advice to strangers over the web. We all have different ideas of what it means to be a musician. For me, traditional/folk music means being part of a community, and I don't mean a message board. It's people who you play the music with, playing for dancers, people who are involved in different aspects of the tradition.
Maybe it's because that's how I've experienced traditional music all my life. Family and a community of musicians, singers, dancers etc. It gives a purpose for learning the music, an incentive, and a framework for what is considered "right." Some people seem to claim that folk music is "anything goes", no rules; but that is not true. I feel it's difficult to understand that means if you remain entirely outside of the tradition.
To learn a traditional music, Irish, English, Scottish, whatever, I always say that you need to learn how to listen. And to learn what to listen to. Also, find the sessions, the clubs, the concerts, the musicians and listen to and watch them. Also, this is dance music (other than airs and songs), and its character is set by dance. The phrasing, rhythm, lift and all that comes from dance. You really ought to know something of the dances to understand how the music works.
If your aim is to sit at home, play a few tunes and entertain yourself, then fine. Really, I mean this, of course no-one is telling you what you can do. You may enjoy that very much, and some people might even end up sounding kind of "traditional" by following recordings and Youtube instructions.
If your aim is to be involved in a traditional art, in a musical tradition, then personally I feel it means much, much more than that, and brings greater rewards.