Idle Curiosity - What are you working on?

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 6:07 pm

Hi Sara, I too have had trouble with Sheebeg Sheemore, which is frustrating because it's such a simple tune.

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 6:57 pm

Surprised to see this thread reappear! I'm playing with show tunes. It was a great surprise to listen to Finian's Rainbow last week, and realize that I was in Killibegs, Kilkelly and Kildare. Also working on an air called Killarney. I guess I'm into K's this week.

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 7:16 pm

I'm working on cuts and rolls, not by themselves (the value of which may be questionable), but within the context of tunes.

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 8:59 pm

I am actually "working" on Drowsy Maggie, Ferny Hill, Gravel Walk and the crans in Fraher's Jig. For me those require "work".

I'm also playing around on tunes off the new CTL CD,Dunmore Lasses(as a slow tune on Low D-then faster on another whistle, Kid on the Mountain, a whole bunch of medival tunes for our Christmas revelry at church this winter, and Billy in the Lowground(an old time tune I grew up listening to the old timers play) which really plays well on whistle.

I usually practice the "working tunes" first, slip into the playing around tunes or old favorites for a break and finish up on the working tunes again.

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 9:38 pm

Actually working on "unknown title" reels. Will need assistance from this board to find out about the titles later on... I hate not knowing titles, but there's no magic when you get your tunes from session minidisc...

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 9:47 pm

I'm presently working on my bowing technique, intonation, shifts, and speed.

JP

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Sun Aug 18, 2002 9:53 pm

On 2002-08-18 19:13, susnfx wrote:
Working on a couple of tunes from the Salt Lake session (you know, celtophile said we had to "practice, practice" folks ) especially John Ryan's. But for the past week I've been working on my first "by ear only" song ever - the gorgeous Waves of Kilkee.

Susan, where did you hear Waves of Kilkee? I've never heard it, and I'd like to.

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 6:47 am

Joanie Madden played Waves of Kilkee in their concert here in the spring. It's a tune she wrote (or rather co-wrote) and is on the Cherish the Ladies CD "At Home" - along with some other nice stuff.
Susan

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 6:57 am

On 2002-08-18 17:19, colomon wrote:
Martin, how can you work on Skylark and St Anne's at the same time? Doesn't keeping the two separate hurt your head? And I learned Convenience (using your notation) CABB (ie play the parts in the same order but end with the doubled part with all the octave jumps).

Today I worked on "The Four Kisses", "Free Payne's Tune", and "Can't Stop Corney". (Can't remember working on anything else, though I did play "Bluebird" a couple of times along with a recording.)

Heh heh, yes it did! I still don't have these two learnt properly. The reason I tried to learn both was that St Anne's was first given to me as The Skylark (in a mandolin tutorial book) and it was Peter Laban who told me there was another tune of the same name. So my Skylark I turned into St Anne's and I tried to learn the real Skylark. Both are worthy reels!

Right now I'm doing The Ash Plant & Siobhan O'Donnell's. For some reason the B part of the latter is giving me real timing problems, it feels like I'm getting a couple of beats out after 4 bars, and I can't seem to get it comfortable. If I ever get these two right, I'll try to add Fleur de Mandragore; as that's in A there's a bit of G# in there which means learning half-holing at speed. Stiil, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

I also have a whole bunch of hornpipes that I got reasonably good at on the mandolin, and I now want to get right on the whistle; The Honeysuckle, Alexander's Hornpipe, Dermott Grogan's, The Ruby Hornpipe, The Pleasures of Hope, Byrne's Hornpipe, Rick's Rambles, goll, so many half-learnt tunes, guess who gets bored before he gets any good?

The Convenience I learnt on the mando, which is much easier than the whistle with all those jumps. Maybe it's time to give the convenience another airing...

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 7:13 am

I'm starting to work on my Christmas songs so they'll be ready to go by the day after Thanksgiving!

aderyn_du · Post by **aderyn_du** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 7:17 am

I'm working on Dunmore Lasses, Harvest Home, The Boys of Bluehill, Planxty Irwin, and trying to improve my timing on Cup Of Tea and Lark In The Morning.

A whistler's work is never done...

Andrea ~*~

Jo C · Post by **Jo C** » Mon Aug 19, 2002 8:51 am

Fraher's jig, Bucks of oranmore, Killavel Reel, Foxhunter's reel & Banish Misfortune. Oh, and a jig under the name of Siobhan O'Donnel's, though it has lots of names.
Jo.