OK, here's a question. What kind of strange birds are slow reels? I just posted Eddie Moloney's Favorite/The Drogheda Lasses in the tunes section. Frankie Kennedy played that very slowly with a hornpipe dotted feel (but slower than hornpipes). But it is listed as a reel. Does anyone know a fast version of that tune? Are there other fast reels that are sometimes played slow? Or are slow reels always slow? What are some other slow reels?
An example of a nice slow reel, played evenly ie not 'hornpiped' is the Dunmore Lassies (or Lasses - can't remember!). It doesn't sound good fast, better to play it slow and fill it with nice ornamentation, variation, and accompaniment.
I guess the deal is this. Reels for dance accompaniment are supposed to be played at about 120 bpm, where (as written) the half note is the beat. So quarters are played at 240 bpm.
But when you're not playing for dancers, anything goes! And lots of reels sound really nice played slowly! Reels tend to be line oriented, rather than melodic - like a bebop solo - their beauty is how they slip through the scales, climb up and down arpeggios, and drive with those 2-or-3 note repetitive rhythmic patterns. And it's entirely appropriate to savor a cool reel slowly.
Having said that, I also advocate learning to play reels at up to 120 bpm - just in case you have to accompany a dancer. Plus it gives you more tempo options. Just make sure you insist on the same level of playing you get when playing slower. My way of thinking about it is this: for a given tune, there is this "comfortable" tempo, where you can get the notes right, play with the right rhythmic feel, breathe in appropriate places, throw in ornaments in cool places, and even vary it somewhat from verse to verse. The idea is not so much to be able to play fast as it is to increase that comfortable tempo.
So I want to have the ability to play Dunmore Lasses at at least 120 bpm. And once I have this ability, I'll chose to play it at about 85bpm. Because GoldenKeyboard is right - it does sound kinda dorky played that fast.
In answer to Bloomfield's original question, a slow reel is a reel played slowly. In general, reels are intended to be played fast, as dance music. But it so happens that some of them sound just as good or better slowed down. A few may have been composed as slow tunes and later speeded up (e.g. The Sunset, by Frankie Kennedy, played as a fast reel by Cathal McConnell).
This summer, in Feakle, Co. Clare, I was playing some tunes with a bouzouki and fiddle player from Limerick. For some reason - probably sheer exhaustion after the festival - we were playing unusually slowly. Whatever pace we started a tune at, it somehow always ended up crawling along. It was some of the best music I have ever played. Even the most upbeat of reels sounded great. It's amazing how much you miss in a tune if you rush it.
Slow Reels
Slow Reels
OK, here's a question. What kind of strange birds are slow reels? I just posted Eddie Moloney's Favorite/The Drogheda Lasses in the tunes section. Frankie Kennedy played that very slowly with a hornpipe dotted feel (but slower than hornpipes). But it is listed as a reel. Does anyone know a fast version of that tune? Are there other fast reels that are sometimes played slow? Or are slow reels always slow? What are some other slow reels?
Puzzled in New England
# Posted on October 12th 2001 by Bloomfield
Re: Slow Reels
An example of a nice slow reel, played evenly ie not 'hornpiped' is the Dunmore Lassies (or Lasses - can't remember!). It doesn't sound good fast, better to play it slow and fill it with nice ornamentation, variation, and accompaniment.
Should find it in JC tune finder.
# Posted on October 12th 2001 by GoldenKeyboard
Re: Slow Reels
I guess the deal is this. Reels for dance accompaniment are supposed to be played at about 120 bpm, where (as written) the half note is the beat. So quarters are played at 240 bpm.
But when you're not playing for dancers, anything goes! And lots of reels sound really nice played slowly! Reels tend to be line oriented, rather than melodic - like a bebop solo - their beauty is how they slip through the scales, climb up and down arpeggios, and drive with those 2-or-3 note repetitive rhythmic patterns. And it's entirely appropriate to savor a cool reel slowly.
Having said that, I also advocate learning to play reels at up to 120 bpm - just in case you have to accompany a dancer. Plus it gives you more tempo options. Just make sure you insist on the same level of playing you get when playing slower. My way of thinking about it is this: for a given tune, there is this "comfortable" tempo, where you can get the notes right, play with the right rhythmic feel, breathe in appropriate places, throw in ornaments in cool places, and even vary it somewhat from verse to verse. The idea is not so much to be able to play fast as it is to increase that comfortable tempo.
So I want to have the ability to play Dunmore Lasses at at least 120 bpm. And once I have this ability, I'll chose to play it at about 85bpm. Because GoldenKeyboard is right - it does sound kinda dorky played that fast.
# Posted on October 12th 2001 by jomac
Re: Slow Reels
In answer to Bloomfield's original question, a slow reel is a reel played slowly. In general, reels are intended to be played fast, as dance music. But it so happens that some of them sound just as good or better slowed down. A few may have been composed as slow tunes and later speeded up (e.g. The Sunset, by Frankie Kennedy, played as a fast reel by Cathal McConnell).
This summer, in Feakle, Co. Clare, I was playing some tunes with a bouzouki and fiddle player from Limerick. For some reason - probably sheer exhaustion after the festival - we were playing unusually slowly. Whatever pace we started a tune at, it somehow always ended up crawling along. It was some of the best music I have ever played. Even the most upbeat of reels sounded great. It's amazing how much you miss in a tune if you rush it.
# Posted on October 12th 2001 by CreadurMawnOrganig