Your first session

[Whistling Willie]

Hi everyone,just wondering how everybody felt before thier first session,and indeed after it.Mine was about a month ago on a trip to Belgium of all places.There was a bit of a festival on and I had brought my whistle just incase,I actually didn't really intend to play it but brought it out with me anyway.There was fiddle,guitar,pipes,mandolin and bodhran all playing away in a bar.After a few pints of the black stuff I plucked up the courage to get the whistle out,but I sat on a bar stool and slowly joined in,after a tune or two I was invited to come and sit down with the rest of them,so any tunes I knew I joined in and played away
I can honestly say that I was made to feel more than welcome,and it turned out to be one of the best nights I have ever had.Theres no stopping me now I even played in O'Donohues bar in Dublin last friday night Can't wait till my next one

[lollycross]

I was petrified before hand and when they played I only know 3 of the tunes, but the "leader" brought me the sheet music the next week
so I could learn them all and then I was addicted and didn't
want to miss one week. There are 8 to 10 violins at this particular
session so even tho it took MONTHS to keep up with the reels, no
one much could hear me anyway.
Great fun!
Lolly

[irishduffy]

Lets just say it is amazing how quiet and soft you can play trying not to draw attention.

[BrassBlower]

True, most session leaders try to be accommodating, but my first session didn't go so well. I was in one where there were three or four people who fancied themselves as singers and songwriters, started tunes they "wrote themselves", expected all of us to follow along, and would start the tune over in a different key when they discovered it didn't fit their voice (i.e. they didn't rehearse). After that day, the session leader took a "permanent vacation" and I had to find a new session. I can't say that I blame him!

Just don't be one of these people and you should be OK.

[dubhlinn]

A lovely idea for a thread Willie,fair play to ye.

Twas early ,early all in the Spring of 1972 when a young boy of fifteen summers (and three years of classical training) took his fiddle to the aforesaidmentioned O'Donohues Pub and sat down on that never forgotten Sunday morning with that rare and motley crew of rogues who made up the session in those days.
Armed with a repertoire consisting of everything recorded by The Dubliners(up to that point),a smattering of Sean Mcguire/Chieftains staples and a battered Generation D plus a few things from O'Neils that caught his ear he was invited to sit down beside the fiddler in residence and join in.Has luck would have it all the tunes played were known by him and he was soon made very welcome and even invited to take a solo. Discretely pinching himself to make sure this was not a dream,he launched into " The Knights of St. Patrick,The Pipers Chair and Bill Hartes Jig" - a popular Dubliners selection.He could not really hear himself playing ,such was the effect of people listening ,actually LISTENING to his playing. When it came around to Bill Hartes Jig the rest of the session joined in-another fiddle,a banjo a button-key box and a guitar. No composer or Concert Violinist could ever have known this surge of emotion and trancendental bliss that overcame him at that moment(or so,in his fifteen year old soul,he thought). If there was a God,or a Heaven on earth, this was it.
Afterwards ,there was a free drink or two from the owner,Paddy O'Donohue,rest his soul and a compliment on his bowing technique( the poor innocent thought that all fiddlers were classicly trained,bless him.)
And then ,in what seemed like a light bulb going out,it was over.Time was called.In those days Sunday morning hours were 12:30 until 14:00.
Away home with our hero but in the words of one of his own heros,
" all had changed,changed utterly
A terrible beauty was born"

Happy days,

My first session.

Slan,
D.

[Whistling Willie]

Great story Dubhlinn,last friday was the first time that I have been in O'donohues,but from what I can gather,it hasn't changed at all over the years....apart from the smoking ban

[jhonan]

Great story Dubhlinn,last friday was the first time that I have been in O'donohues,but from what I can gather,it hasn't changed at all over the years....apart from the smoking ban

And there I was wandering around the quays last Friday night looking for a pub with a session in it...! Ended up in the Chancery Inn (I think it's called) near Smithfield.

[dubhlinn]

Thanks Willie,
In those days there was no "upstairs" in O'D.s Paddy and Mary lived there. It was just the bar and the back room with all the pictures

hi jhonan,
The Chancery(hughes) has always been a meeting place for set-dancers and the nearby "Merchant" off Church St. bridge used to be a great place for the real thing but when i was there last Sept.
it was awful- a tourist trap -on saturday night anyway! If "In Dublin" is still in print(a listings mag) check that out .
Avoid at all costs"Darkie Kellys" near Christchurch, I was therev before the Merchant and even the yanks were leaving.The worst P.A. in the history of Christendom and a two piece band that really should have known better,
Happy Huntin'
Slan,
D.

[jhonan]

Avoid at all costs"Darkie Kellys" near Christchurch, I was therev before the Merchant and even the yanks were leaving.The worst P.A. in the history of Christendom and a two piece band that really should have known better,
Happy Huntin'
Slan,
D.

Fortunately, I have a friend who has done most of the hunting for me. Devitts on Georges Street (lower camden street) on a Saturday night, and the Cobblestone in Smithfield on a Monday night (and some other nights during the week) are pretty good places.... Thanks for the advice on the other spots by the way, it's not easy to find good sessions here in Dublin!

p.s. apologies whistling willie for taking this thread slightly o.t.!

[Wanderer]

I can sum up my first session experience in a word..."overwhelmed".

The first session I attended regularly was a Houston session that had a large number of professional and high-calibre musicians in attendance. The session was 20-something years old, and many of the musicians had been going to it for most of that time. This Weds-night session was held on a stage at a local pub, so it wasn't very easy to chat with anyone.

I knew sixty-something tunes at the time, probably only half of them Irish. I thought the odds were good that they'd play *something* I knew. I was wrong It was probably 3 sessions before they played something I knew (harvest home). Even these days, some years later, I still don't know half of the tunes some of those guys know. Maybe not even a quarter.

That first night, I'd asked one of the musicians (who was on a break) if the session had sheet music, or even just at tune list of the "common" stuff. I was given the brush off and told that not only did they not have such a list, but that no one really knew the tune names anyway..that they "played whatever". The folks at that session were never very welcoming to new folks.

For a greenie like myself, that was very intimidating news. And later, I found to be untrue. At a less-formal Sunday session, I must have demonstrated some small ability (or at least the ability to not be frightened off) because once when I was away in the restroom, a packet of sheet music for the "common tunes" appeared at my seat. I found out later it was put there by the guy who'd brushed me off before.

In any case, I'm glad I stuck with it, even if the atmosphere never was as friendly as the Dallas sessions I now go to...I'm a firm believer in the power of a good session to really help refine your playing. That said, I'm much happier at a friendlier session.

[colomon]

That first night, I'd asked one of the musicians (who was on a break) if the session had sheet music, or even just at tune list of the "common" stuff. I was given the brush off and told that not only did they not have such a list, but that no one really knew the tune names anyway..that they "played whatever". The folks at that session were never very welcoming to new folks.

While I can't speak to the friendliness of your session, but I think any longstanding session of good players is unlikely to be able to list what they play, much less produce sheet music for it.

Certainly at a typical session around these parts, I can play maybe a third of the tunes, and inevitably at a session I'll play at least 3 or 4 tunes that I cannot name. I shudder to think what it will be like when I've had another 15 years to pick up tunes by osmosis.

Besides, if the session has good players and has been going on for 20+ years, there are probably 500-1000 tunes that get played there on a regular basis. So even if someone had gone through the enormous job of making a decent list, it['s not clear how practical it would be to give it to someone... where do you start?

[ChrisLaughlin]

My first session was in the Winter of 1997 in Utica, NY.

Arriving at that session was the beginning of a joyful journey that I hope will continue for the rest of my life and beyond.

In 1995, as a junior in highschool I dated a beautiful German exchange student. She was into, of all things, Scottish music, and loaned my Silly Wizard's Best Of album. I fell in love with it immediately. I was totally, completely enamored with the music, even more so than with her. When we eventually broke up I kept the Silly Wizard CD.

I began my first year at Hamilton College (near Utica, NY) in Autumn of 1997 and soon began dating a Scottish girl who was doing a year exchange at the school. She was an amazing harp player and singer, the traditional Scottish style. I'd go over to her room and listen to her play and sing for hours at a time... I thought I was in heaven.

One night I was supposed to studying for my psychology exam and needed some way to procrastinate. I opened my desk drawer and discovered a little Clarke tin-whistle that my mom had given me for Christmas the winter before. I picked it up, thought to myself "This thing looks simple. I bet I could play this," and began picking out songs I knew. For several months I didn't even realize it went above the first octave, but I liked the sound and it was a nice distraction from schoolwork.

One day I decided there must be more to whistle than one octave and the noodling I was doing, so I searched the internet and found Chiff and Fipple. Woah!!! I think I was kind of stunned, not so much impressed but more amazed that there was an entire website for this simple little instrument. It was pretty hilarious. Dale had some recommended recordings - Mary Bergin and Joannie Madden. I bought both Mary Bergin and Joannie Madden albums off Amazon, just for kicks. A week later they arrived. I opened the Mary Bergin CD and put in the player..... "Holy $#17!!!" I exclaimed as my jaw hit the floor. It was a total revelation to me. Next I ordered the Geraldine Cottor whistle tutor, which didn't help me very much, and then the Clarke tutor, which helped a little more.

Eventually, making little progress, I broke down.... "There must be someone teaching this instrument around here!" With a little searching I discovered that there was a Comhaltas session just down the road. I gave the contact number a call and spoke to a gentleman named Jim O'Looney. I said that I played tin-whistle and was looking for lessons. He said there was nobody around giving lessons, but that I ought to come on down for the session. I hardly knew what a session was, but I decided to give it a go. That fateful winter night I arrived at a little house in downtown Utica, knocked on the door and was greeted by a kind old man who introduced himself as Jim O'Looney. He led me into the kitchen and offered me a chair at the table. I sat and was introduced to two fiddle players with hands the sizes of baseball gloves. They smiled and welcomed me in, but it was clear they were sizing me up - "So you play whistle, eh?", one of the asked. "Yup," I replied. "Alright, give us a tune," said Jim as he strapped on his Paulo Soprani button accordion. Nervously, I picked up the whistle and squeaked my way through the most hideous version of the Balleydesmond Polka I've ever heard. When I finished the guys just nodded and said, "Here's a reel... see if you can pick it up." I think they played Cooley's, followed by Swinging on the Gate and the Peelers Jacket. I sure didn't learn those tunes that night, but it was the first set of reels I would learn.

Over the next three and a half years I went over to Jim's every Thursday night and listened and played. At college I practiced obsessively and listened even more. I was horrible but I loved the music like I'd loved little else ever before. Jim and the gang were unceasingly kind and encouraging, despite my squeaky tone, my horrible rhythm, always playing too fast or two slow, playing tunes from Davy Spillane and River Dance albums that I thought were cool (those days are long since over).... I don't know how they put up with me. Slowly, slowly, I began to listen to the right stuff. I found the old music. I learned to listen to Jim's playing with respect and admiration and began to understand it's beauty and wisdom. Slowly, slowly, with a lot of practice, even more listening, and tremendous love for the music, I began to learn how to play. More important than practicing, more important than listening, more important than loving, I think, was learning to respect the music and the people playing it. In the beginning the music was about me... "Hey, look what I can do! Kesh Jig!!!"... but after a while I learned that the music was not about me, that it would be just as well off without me (maybe better off), but that I needed it deeply, that I may not have been a part of it, but it was a part of me.

I started going over to Jim's after classes and sitting with him, listening to his tunes and stories. He played Sliabh Luachra music in the old, old style... polkas, slides, barndances... all at just the right pace for set dancers... never flashy, never grabbing attention.... all for the tune and the dancers. It was hard. I wanted to sound like Mike McGoldrick, not some old accordion player from Kerry, but day by day I learned to appreciate Jim's music for what it is, the pure drop. Water from the well. Now nothing quenches my thirst like that pure water. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a little Gatorade, a coffee or even a can of Coke... but when I need something to soothe my soul, the pure drop is the thing. That's how my journey began and it brings me more joy, beauty and love every day. Every day I play I feel more and more like I'm just beginning....

Chris

[eskin]

I had an awful start at my first session, nearly 10 years ago:

I had been playing mandola for about a year with our local Mandolin Orchestra, and one day my wife Linda took me to the local Irish pub to listen to a session for my birthday. As I watched and listened, I kept thinking "I can do that...".

The next week I showed up for the first time with a stack of music books and my big black music stand, and lasted about 10 minutes before slinking out completely embarassed. I came back the next week, and left the books at home.

Hard to believe that was 10 years and 500 tunes ago...

I sold the mandola, bought an octave mandolin, then a tenor banjo, and started playing the whistle. The whistle led to the flute (I had been a classical flutist until college), and the flute led to the Uilleann pipes. These days its mostly Uilleann pipes, mandolin, and whistle.

Cheers,

Michael

[Wanderer]

While I can't speak to the friendliness of your session, but I think any longstanding session of good players is unlikely to be able to list what they play, much less produce sheet music for it.

Certainly at a typical session around these parts, I can play maybe a third of the tunes, and inevitably at a session I'll play at least 3 or 4 tunes that I cannot name. I shudder to think what it will be like when I've had another 15 years to pick up tunes by osmosis.

Besides, if the session has good players and has been going on for 20+ years, there are probably 500-1000 tunes that get played there on a regular basis. So even if someone had gone through the enormous job of making a decent list, it['s not clear how practical it would be to give it to someone... where do you start?

You have some valid points. The Houston session did have a huge repertoire of music to draw from. Even after playing there a few years, I would sometimes not know a single tune all evening (unless I started it myself, of course).

Not everyone knew the all of tune names, of course. But I never heard a tune that at least someone didn't know the name of, once I was 'part' of the session, rather than just someone sitting on the sidelines trying to find a way in.

There was also, indeed, a "list'. It wasn't necessarily tunes you'd hear every session. But you'd hear them often enough...and could count on everyone pretty much knowing them. Once you were "in" you got the "list". (shrug) Just the way it was done... though not necessarily how I'd do it.

[lollycross]

I think if we go to a session, being able to play at that particular one or not, and keep returning, and keep returning and keep returning, that
eventually all will know we are serious and help us learn their set of tunes
and hopefully eventually after a few years, make some nice friends!
I DID!!!!
Lolly