How to behave at a session

[Bloomfield]

The fact that this has come up so often shows that it is an interisting question. I am always looking for a good way of explaining my experience of sessions: They are open, friendly and welcoming, but they are not a free-for-all. What people welcome is interest and sensitivity, more than ability (even a good player can ruin a session). I've been invited into a session of professional in NYC with the words, "we like having beginners, if they don't try to start every set." I chickened out and listened, but that's just me.

In past discussions, I've tried to express this, but I don't think I've ever managed as elegantly and simply as Alan Ng. That's why I posted it.

[IDAwHOa]

I went to a local slow session once to see what it was about. Settled in and sat down, didn't even have an instrument with me. One of the participants chatted me up during a song to find out what I was there for. I got blasted later by the session leader for interupting. :roll:

Never went back.

[Roger O'Keeffe]

Strikes me as a novel and pithy statement of session etiquette.

Nice Cartier-Bressonesque aviator, btw, Peter.

[vomitbunny]

How to misbehave at a session:

• Drink everybody else's booze while they aren't looking.

• Insist on playing the tuba.

• Drink everybody else's booze while they are looking.

• After a good performance say, "That was great fellas, but let's do it again," commence handing out purple ditto-machine copies of an Aaron Copland arrangement, "but this time, let's play it like it's written, shall we?"

• Insist on being in the no-smoking section, then light up a Camel.

• Insist on only using Mel Bay's Backup Traxx.

• Try to insist that your Cooperman, which you bought at Colonial Pawhuska in 1993, is better than the Goldie Overton that the guy who's been looking at you irritatedly all evening is playing, and demand LOUDLY that he trade the Overton for your real instrument.

• Don't take "no" for an answer.

Where are you'r manners.
• Impress others with your flatulence.
• Impress others with your oppinions on religion, politics, and sports.
• Impress others with your playing volume.
• Remember that insulting others always makes yourself look better.
• Many people enjoy being kicked in the shins to keep time.
• Impress others by blowing your nose loudly between tunes, and also impress them with a well worn hankerchief. (sometimes known as a booger vault)

[janice]

For those of you who went to East Durham...Was the Bozo with the Cap an older (55ish) Irish guy with a very red face from too much alcohol? If so-you've had the pleasure of having a session ruined by the *infamous* Kevin Dooley. Many stories abound of the man from every place he's lived in Canada and elsewheres. He leaves a path of session destruction everywhere he's been and is impervious to criticism, suggestions, etc.

Does this description fit?

[ChrisLaughlin]

This thread is awesome.

Chris

[susnfx]

I was once riding in the car of an acquaintance as she drove along a long line of cars waiting for a turn, then pushed/forced her way into the front of the line to the anger of all the people in line behind. She laughed as she made a sarcastic remark about their frustration. I commented that I was certain she would never push her way into line like that at a movie theater. I didn't expect to make a point, but she actually said, "I never thought of it like that."

I think Bloomfield's post is a good one because it might help someone look at a session from another direction, from a participant's point of view. It gives us a frame of reference we might not have considered before - and that's always good.

Susan

[anniemcu]

I like that way of putting it... can get someone to *think* (the real goal) from a different perspective... to relate it to another situation they have experienced ... good one!

[moxy]

For those of you who went to East Durham...Was the Bozo with the Cap an older (55ish) Irish guy with a very red face from too much alcohol? If so-you've had the pleasure of having a session ruined by the *infamous* Kevin Dooley. Many stories abound of the man from every place he's lived in Canada and elsewheres. He leaves a path of session destruction everywhere he's been and is impervious to criticism, suggestions, etc.

Does this description fit?

Yes. Does he play standing up (so as not to be missed, haha) and very loud and obnoxious? Long white beard? And as mentioned, the cap? Repeating "Oh you don't know that one? How about this one?"

Lovely chap.

[mvhplank]

I was at Clarion Folk College their first year and the nice, friendly "slow" jam was wrecked by one of the performer-teachers there that weekend. She kept playing tunes in strange keys that no one knew and the crowd just melted away to find their own small groups to jam in.

I won't buy her recordings.

M

PS--I have this belief--rational or not--that if you play Quebecois music on the fiddle, you better be able to do les pieds. She can't.

[Redwolf]

I would never, in a million years, have the guts to join in on a session...even if invited (the curse of a basically shy nature and low self-esteem). I can't imagine the kind of people who just bull their way in.

Redwolf

[Azalin]

For those of you who went to East Durham...Was the Bozo with the Cap an older (55ish) Irish guy with a very red face from too much alcohol? If so-you've had the pleasure of having a session ruined by the *infamous* Kevin Dooley. Many stories abound of the man from every place he's lived in Canada and elsewheres. He leaves a path of session destruction everywhere he's been and is impervious to criticism, suggestions, etc.

Does this description fit?

That's him. If I ever see him at a session I'm at, I won't waste any time, will leave with a few people and start another secret session somewhere, it's just impossible to have tunes with this guy, I can't even describe the way he's playing, it's so awful there's no word for it.

[anniemcu]

I think we may not have "officially" set the 'recovery technique', but we usaully have little trouble with session breakers... if someone comes in and does their thing to the point of more one person's frustration, we usually just seem to regroup, refocus and take back off on the original intent... having fun playing together. We've not had to actually "ask" someone to leave yet, and we've never lost too much time to anyone genuinely interfering... but there certainly are those who will not be thoughtful... or simply don't realize their error... having a previously agreedupon technique or cue would be an advantage.

[Nanohedron]

I would never, in a million years, have the guts to join in on a session...even if invited (the curse of a basically shy nature and low self-esteem). I can't imagine the kind of people who just bull their way in.

Redwolf

They're a lot of fun when the going is good. Shy is okay. There's a woman just getting in to playing at sessions; she's been at the whistle for about a year, and has about a dozen tunes or so. Natually she spends a good amount of time listening, but we ask her what she can or would like to play so she gets her time, too. AND we play at speeds appropriate to her level, which is a good exercise for the more experienced players. Most of her sitting-out is later on, and she listens intent on learning. That's the way. She's still a bit nervous, though, and her hands will tremble when she's playing, but that's getting better for her. One time when she was lamenting her shaky fingers, I told her, "Believe me, soon enough you'll get over your nervousness and go on to being perturbed."

How to behave (like a langer) at a session:

-First make sure that you have no real exposure to the music, and care bugger-all for learning it. You can already play your weapon of choice, after all, and anything you do will sound good.

-Lug in a BIG harp late in the session just when the lesser-known tunes are being trotted out, and wedge yourself in so as to cramp others' space.

-Noodle around with seeming aimlessness, ignoring tempo, meter, and key changes. Now and then throw in a florid glissando just because. It all sounds good; it's a harp, after all.

-After slaughtering one set, start into wolfing the food down that's there on the tables. Pile your plate high. Make sure you get the barmaid's attention if they're being lax about your free first pint.

-After sating yourself properly, slaughter more sets. Tell the advanced fiddler that you don't need his advice when he lets you know what polkas are supposed to be about, and move in a huff to another spot.

-Say to another when he offers advice --and politely adding that you can take it or leave it-- that you'll leave it.

-Slaughter more sets.

-Leave in a state of indignation at the lack of democracy in such a shower of hacks.

(true story)

[BrassBlower]

Another true story, even though it was at a folk/gospel session, not a trad session:

1. Roll your eyes when the keyboardist starts a tune in E-flat, despite having a capo clamped to the headstock of your guitar.

2. Never pass your turn to the next person.

3. Never pick another person to start when your turn comes (or if you do, always pick the session leader).

4. Insist on doing a song because several poilte, well-meaning people have told you you have a "nice voice", and they would never lie to you.

5. Start a tune you wrote on your own and expect everyone to fall in and follow you.

5a. Re-start that tune in a different key because it doesn't quite fit your singing voice (as if any key would fit) (See #4).

6. Express genuine concern for the session leader, who suddenly "is not feeling well" and "must go home and get some rest".