First Time at a session (in Minnesota)

[giedosst]

Hi Chiff and Fipplers!

Ok, coming up on the 22nd is a session at The Spot Pub in Fergus Fall Minnesota. I found out about and and thought it would be a good chance to see some of this wonderful music I've been immersing myself in for the last year or so. I have these tunes down cold on penny whistle:

Inisheer
A Foggy Dew
In The Sally Gardens
Star of The County Down
Dawning of The Day.

I am working on The Silver Spear but I don't have any other fast tunes down yet. I know there is a lot of posts of this, but could you seasoned players give me a few pointers on what to expect and the proper session etiquette?

Thanks!

[boyd]

Hmmm
I'd suggest you take a recording device of some sort so you can (very discreetly) tape or record some of the sets.
Ideally get the tune names of those sets, then that gives you some stuff to learn.
Mentioning to a player that you are interested in the music, that you are learning tunes and that you would love to get a few pointers for the common sets they play might be a good thing.
If you go away with a set of reels and a set of jigs to learn, that could be months of homework for you at this stage.
(after a few years of playing, you will find you can learn tunes much much quicker than that....so don't let the slowness depress you)

Most sessions will predominantly play lots of reels and jigs, and often at a fair lick, too fast for you probably
(although slow sessions can happen and are occasionally fashionable)

there is a chance they will invite you to play your fave rave, and they will back you musically
.....so be prepared!!

also, be prepared to play less well in public than you do in private
its a fact of life that a tune has to be totally automatic, and sub-conscious, if you are to play in front of people,

there is usually some strange psychological alchemistry at play that will conspire to have you screw up when others are listening

Sessions, even if you are just listening, are a good way to get the buzz and enthusiasm to spur you on to keep learning, and to inform you a bit as to WHAT to learn

So enjoy it!!!

Boyd

[Nanohedron]

I have these tunes down cold on penny whistle:

Inisheer
A Foggy Dew
In The Sally Gardens
Star of The County Down
Dawning of The Day.

Didn't know there were trad sessions in Fergus Falls. As to etiquette, there are sessions and there are sessions, and some are more catch-all than others.

Let's say you were attending in Minneapolis: the tunes you have listed are mostly airs from songs, but you'd very seldom - as in practically never - hear them played here in a session setting, where the expectation and focus is primarily on the dance music such as The Silver Spear, and played as a group, and in Irish fashion; for example, we distinguish between Irish playing and Old-Time playing of tunes in common, and an Old-Time player sitting in would be easily known as such: a wandering guest, as it were, but plugging in (somewhat awkwardly, to certain ears) from another tradition. Just as equally, I would be a bit of a fish out of water at an Old-Time session - not only stylistically, but especially with my flute - even if we had the same tunes. Also, while not unheard of, solo playing is for sure not the norm, just in case that's a question. If you wanted to play "Foggy Dew", people would no doubt out of politeness play along and even sagely discuss its lore if they have it, but that's not what local people would normally come to a session for; here they would usually quickly move on to reclaim their session from the air interlude and get back to playing sets of reels, jigs, barndances, marches, what have you.

The session experience can be frustrating to an emerging player when you don't have local ways to work from and you sit in and find it wasn't what you expected or hoped for. But it could be that the Fergus Falls scene is more open to the airs and such; not having been to their sessions, I don't know. An anything-goes openness, especially if it commonly includes solo playing, would not be what I'd call a "standard" ITM session experience as I count it, though, so the etiquette's likely to be different than I'm used to. But, in the States, these things do vary. BTW, I'm not assuming you expect to do any solo playing; I'm just sayin'.

I think the main thing is to introduce yourself, ask if it's okay to sit in (I don't expect you'd be refused, but asking is just good manners), and see how local custom goes about it. Me, I'd just hang out and listen for a while first before I decided to ask to sit in, just in case there isn't a good mutual fit. If there is, go for it, and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDIT: I'm going out on a limb and guessing that a performer I'm loosely acquainted with might possibly be there; he's performed in Fergus Falls before, anyway, and lives not all that far away as these things go in western MN, so it could be a draw for him. On his own, his thing is guitar and song, the old standards that pubgoers often love so well. So, this could be an easygoing session friendly to singing and airs. Just fishin' around, here. You might give the folks at The Spot a call, giedosst, and see what they have to say about what you can expect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RE-EDIT: giedosst, I just called The Spot. Yer man told me he has nothing scheduled for the 22nd of this month, but he mentioned a "Celtic Jam", whatever that is, on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month. The rest of the time it's performances, not sessions (he didn't even know what a session was, which might tell you something). I made doubly sure of the info he was giving me. Dunno how you got your information, but it seems like a good thing I got itchy and checked, so you won't have wasted your time arriving for a session that he says isn't there that day. He also mentioned an open-mike night.

I figure if anyone should know, it ought to be the owner. You should probably make that call yourself anyway, just in case. Maybe he forgot.

[boyd]

It must be pretty hard at times in the states, when the nearest session might be several hours away

You could drive a long way just to find that its not to your taste!

A lot of the sessions near me are 30 mins away, and its easy to sit down by the fire and say "too far, not going"
(others are closer)

Personally, I'm not that fond of sessions....theyre all playing Scottish stuff over here for some strange reason

At the end of the day, finding 1 or 2 other musicians of similar ability, tastes, sensibility and social skills (or should that be "personal hygiene"??) is about all any of us would ever need.
You try sitting in a session that has 20 participants lol
Even 10 is way too many

Those who want to play in a large group setting should really join a band IMHO

The likes of Paddy Keenan or Mick O'Brien or whoever will be far happier playing with 1 or 2 other musicians.....

if its good enough for them.......

so maybe you need to find one or two folk near you that are into the same music
and visit them for a coffee and a few informal tunes every couple of weeks

I bet you get far more from that than you do from a 90miles-an-hour session.......I know I did at the same stage (and still do)

Boyd

http://www.youtube.com/user/clachnastro ... 7KaCnU2m1w
http://www.youtube.com/user/clachnastro ... f4owevPi6Q

[Nanohedron]

It must be pretty hard at times in the states, when the nearest session might be several hours away

You could drive a long way just to find that its not to your taste!

Yeah, we're pretty lucky here in the Twin Cities, having sessions close to hand.

At the end of the day, finding 1 or 2 other musicians of similar ability, tastes, sensibility and social skills (or should that be "personal hygiene"??) is about all any of us would ever need.

That's what I prefer, now, myself; small and intimate. About four all told for a total, max.

You try sitting in a session that has 20 participants lol

Try something like thirty, which is the unholy monster we had one Christmastime. It's probably a local record, and it was insane. Insane. There was no room left worth grabbing (I recall seating was easily five deep, maybe more, and making it near-impossible for punters to get by to the john), so a fiddler and I climbed atop the back of a padded bench and played from behind a partition with our heads, shoulders and instruments just showing over its top, all for laughs and to underscore how unmanageably huge the session was. Everyone cracked up and a couple or so took photos with their phones, but none turned out well. They still talk about it. You do what you can, and make lemonade when session life hands you lemons.

Once it gets upwards of 20 - usually during holidays - I don't last all that long. Much as I enjoy my friends, I don't endure crowds well unless I'm getting paid.

[Denny]

At the end of the day, finding 1 or 2 other musicians of similar ability, tastes, sensibility and social skills (or should that be "personal hygiene"??) is about all any of us would ever need.

That's what I prefer, now, myself; small and intimate. About four all told for a total, max.

[Tommy]

I have these tunes down cold on penny whistle:

Inisheer
A Foggy Dew
In The Sally Gardens
Star of The County Down
Dawning of The Day.

Didn't know there were trad sessions in Fergus Falls. As to etiquette, there are sessions and there are sessions, and some are more catch-all than others.

Let's say you were attending in Minneapolis:

Let's say Fergus Falls. Might be differant than one of the big Twin Cities.

[Nanohedron]

Let's say Fergus Falls. Might be differant than one of the big Twin Cities.

And I did get around to that, now, didn't I. But if you didn't notice that, maybe you got tripped up by a size thing and forgot to keep reading through. Right back atcha with the poking.

To describe what goes on in my locale is only an example (and examples were asked for). For what it's worth, it's not an uncommon one, either. If you think I was making assumptions, prescriptions, or being vaunty, I would like to see where.

[s1m0n]

Remember, if anyone starts giving you the stink-eye, smack em with the lutefisk and RUN! Those Minewegians don't fool around. If you can't find the lutefisk, I'm told the real hardcore places up there keep a finely-tuned two-hander cross-cut saw hidden under the banquette, for when the trouble starts. First guy to get it out wins.

[giedosst]

Oh man Nanohedron

Thanks a million you did save me a hour drive! Looks like I will have to catch the "Celtic Jam" on the 5th of November! In the mean time, this should give me plenty of time to get "The Silver Spear" up to snuff, or at least a decent speed! Now I've been listing to ALOT of differnt albums, from all of Mary Bergin's albums, Joannie Madden's "Songs of the Irish Whistle: , Joe Mckenna's "The Irish Low Whistle" and Michael McGoldrick's "Wired" and it seems like reels, jigs and many of the same types of tunes are grouped into three. Is this how tunes are played at sessions? I ask also because the virtual session (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/fol ... kmenu.html) always has them clumped into three! If this is how these tunes are played could you guys recommend two other tunes to go with the Silver Spear!

Thanks man! The next time I get away from Detroit Lakes and find my way to the Citites I'll have to stop by a real session and soak it in, along with a few glasses of Stout!

Thanks again Nanohedron!

[MTGuru]

giedosst, You should probably revise or delete the session listing you posted on TheSession, which is either incorrect or incomplete.

http://www.thesession.org/sessions/display/2458

In general, it's not a good idea to publicize a session unless you're the organizer, or an actual participant and you're sure of the details. Thanks!

[MacNeil]

You try sitting in a session that has 20 participants lol

Try something like thirty, which is the unholy monster we had one Christmastime.

Try ninety-three, at the Olympia Summer Session in (I believe) 2005. To be honest, this was a "try for a world record of people playing Drowsy Maggie together" event. I was one of the ninety-three...I guess. At any rate, I remember pounding out the guitar chords to something which sounded vaguely like that tune at one point in the evening.

[BigDavy]

Personally, I'm not that fond of sessions....theyre all playing Scottish stuff over here for some strange reason

Hi boyd

Scottish stuff sounds nice on uilleann pipes too you know , better than some of the Irish stuff IMO..

David

[giedosst]

giedosst, You should probably revise or delete the session listing you posted on TheSession, which is either incorrect or incomplete.

http://www.thesession.org/sessions/display/2458

In general, it's not a good idea to publicize a session unless you're the organizer, or an actual participant and you're sure of the details. Thanks!

Geez sorry i was just trying top get it on the map, lighten up!

[Denny]

+1 for Youthful Enthusiasm

-3 for Etiquette


+1 fer the next post