First Time at a session (in Minnesota)

[MTGuru]

You really are a pompous ass aren't you!

Maybe. I'm also the forum moderator.

If I were you, I'd focus less on sparring with me, and more on the good, concrete suggestions and comments you've gotten from people on this thread - recording the session, Barry Foy's book, Foinn Seisiun, choosing tunes to learn, etc.

You might keep in mind that session etiquette is not all that different from Chiffboard etiquette. And calling your session leader a pompous ass is probably not your ticket to session success.

Good luck ...

[Whitmores75087]

Boyd, some good comments there.
I'm not fond of sessions because I don't like being forced to learn tunes just because the session plays them. I guess I'm an oddball, but I play what I like.
I also find that when there are several melody players, some racing and some reaching, you end up with a disjointed cacophony. So, going to the session just to hear and enjoy the music is not an option either. I'd like to see a session where the melody part passes around and all the others listen and enjoy. The accompaniment players would get to play all night. And as for the fellowship of like minds, it's not there. The sessions in our area seem for the most part to be battlefields of BS. That's a generalization and, as you know, all generalizations are untrue.

[boyd]

Yep

You just have to go along and see.
No amount of prep or preen will ready you, as each session is different.

And sometimes a little sessioning is nice, but too much will give you a headache or make you sick.

For me, small amounts are fine.
Boyd

[Aanvil]

You really are a pompous ass aren't you!

Sounds like you could use a exercise or two in humility yourself!

You have no idea what a huge mistake you are making... no idea.

You might want to consider throwing a little water on the miles upon miles of bridges you just set fire to.



I came to this music a few years ago with a Classical and minor Jazz background.

Take all of that and put it away for now along with your ego.

You'll have a rough time understanding whats going on with this music if you don't.

Its not at all about learning a few tunes... or learning a few hundred.


Is this the way you interact with your fellow Jazz players?

Its no wonder you find conflict.

[Aanvil]

You know... The Pompous Ass sounds like it should be one of those real fancy hornpipes ala... umm... like The Mathematician .

I'll expect to hear a new tune come next session Mr. Guru.

[Azalin]

You really are a pompous ass aren't you!

I've been reading this entertaining thread for the first time (I'd have bought popcorns if I had known!) and what comes out of it is pretty you insulting other people. I think the fact thay you've been playing music for so many years is going to be your worse ennemy (like it is now), your ego is so inflated that you believe everything people say is condescending and/or criticism.

If you really want to try to blend in a session trying to be in harmony with fellow musicians, you're in for a rough start if you go there with the same attitude.

I'm not sure how Guru managed to keep his cool, but he deserves a big applause!

[boyd]

And now.......
Some constructive thoughts, for the melting pot/musical debate that I think this thread offers once you subtract all the Y chromosomes and testosterone from it

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I've been rehearsing tunes for a performance, ones we all belt out happily at sessions, I guess...and it has been an interesting experience.
We have recorded ourselves digitally and played the tunes back.

It is surprising how often it can sound dissonant.

Although we have similar versions of hundreds of tunes, we only sound "good" when we are playing the same notes at the same time, so we might be playing away at a tune and then "Ouch, what was that?" when we hit a bar that we each do differently.

So even when I know a standard tune setting, from a reliable source, that fits with a recording or a session that I have access to, when I go to play with new musicians, I find they often play a slightly different version.

In a loud session, it matters little, as the subtlety of the music is totally lost in the cacophony

But if there are only 2 or 3 players, my notes will stand out as being different, and if they don't harmonise with what the regulars are playing....ouch!!!

Or if the speed I like to play the tune at is not the same as them....ouch!

Or if they play a tune that sounds like the tune I know but is in fact a closely related but different tune...ouch!

Or if they play a variation 3rd time through...and I don't know cos I've never been to that session b4....ouch!

Interestingly, the ITM player I play with mostly is in a jazz band (clarinet) as well as a ceilidh band...... he would be the first to say how hard ITM is to get a grip on, whereas in jazz he has freedom to improvise.
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Boyd

[Blaydo]

I have to say thanks a million giedosst for the most entertaining thread I've seen on Chiff and Fipple for months. I had sort of stopped reading the threads here because they were getting monotonous, always the same boring stuff coming up over and over again.

You will be sure to let us all know how you get on tomorrow night with your 5 tunes, Silver Spear random set, years of Jazz training, expectations and ego, won't you?

[Denny]

I'm afraid that giedosst has joined the spoon







and as we know, there is no spoon

[deisman]

I'd recommend you get out and go to as many sessions as you can - they all are different - some you will like more than others for the personalities who attend, some more for the music they play. IMO session playing is the best way to develop your chops and learn how to mix it up with different folks. Nuth'n like a hot session to lift the chairs off the floor. Wish there were more than the 2 we have in Indy.

Best,

Deisman

[NicoMoreno]

You know, speaking as a sometimes-session-leader, and based solely on this thread, I can say unequivocally that I would welcome MTGuru and indeed be quite happy to have him show up to play tunes. But, I would seriously hope that giedosst never comes to my session! With an attitude like that, plus only knowing half-a-dozen tunes (I'm assuming he might have learned another by now!), plus the expectations he no doubt has from jazz, well, I can't help but think it would be a complete disaster.

Now, in real life, I bet giedosst isn't such a defensive, self-centered jerk, just like I know that MTGuru isn't as kind, patient, helpful, polite, encouraging, and downright informative as he has been towards giedosst in this thread. Wait a minute, actually MTGuru probably is just like that in real life! Hmm... that doesn't bode well for giedosst.

Giedosst: High time to take a re-read at the thread, especially MTGuru's posts, and to apologize!