Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
There is often a deal of confusion over the appropriateness of borrowing others instruments in a session. Here are my tips for others wishing to borrow one of my instruments. I play mandolin and banjo, but I'm sure that the rules apply equally to other instruments.
Firstly, when is it appropriate to borrow my instrument? The short answer is any time I choose to leave it down e.g. when other players are playing a tune I don't know and I respectfully sit the set out, when I go to the bar, when I go to the loo, etc. Asking my permission is optional and once you have assumed control on one occasion, further permissions are unnecessary. Once you have borrowed my instrument, please don't feel obliged to return it until I actually ask you to. And even then I much prefer if it is returned with a modicum of bad faith and/or reluctance.
It is also extremely appropriate to borrow my instrument after I have played a tune in a setting which you don't favour so that you can show me "how it should be played". This applies particularly when the tune is one of my personal favourites and when I give off vibes of satisfaction at having played it well. Such lessons are invaluable and your kindness will be much appreciated.
I tend to tune GDAE and you may find such conventional tuning a tad stuffy. So please feel free to retune to a method which you prefer. Please don't feel obliged to revert to standard tuning when you have finished playing. There's nothing I like better in the middle of a noisy session than tuning up.
I tend to be rather respectful of my instruments so you'll probably feel they need a bloody good workout when you borrow them. Please feel free to give them a damn good thrashing.
I've spent a good deal of time getting the set-up on my instruments just right. But the set-up may not be to your liking. If this is the case, please let me know just how unplayable my instrument is when you return it (after you have been asked to return it, of course. See above.).
I don't have a lot of spare cash to spend on instruments, so they tend to be budget makes. However, please feel free to point out to me that I've wasted my money and how the Fylde or Gibson or Sobell that you have in the house would have been a much better investment in the long run. This has the added advantage of demonstrating just how much more wealthy you are than I and will, of course, increase my respect for you tenfold.
Abide by these simple rules and you will have made a friend for life!
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
It's even better if you're a whistle or flute player, cos the borrower can then share with you recently acquired strains of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi. That makes life so much more interesting.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Flutists are actually very nice about letting other people play their instrumetns. We're always trying other people's flutes and finding reasons why they're not as good as ours. I've given flute lessons to people with contagious diseases, even. But i (and most flute players i know) would be very unhappy if someone just walked up and picked up the flute without asking. The viruses we share, nothing that a shot of Jameson can't handle.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Aidan, I hope it's because I'm sleepy, but I was well into your post and thinking, "Man, what a generous guy!", before it dawned on me you were being satirical.
So, here's a belated hah!hah!
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Glauber, I'm so glad to hear at least one member of the human race has such a permanently upregulated immune system, that, not only can it deal with whatever microbiological insults nature throws at it, but contrary to the current paradigm, can actually gain an immunological boost by alcohol consumption.
Next you'll be telling me it improves your playing.
(I used to think that as well but only because I couldn't remember all the mistakes I made.)
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Aidan, could we have some ground rules on borrowing CDs and tapes, as I'm not quite sure how I should behave when I get them back in bits, without covers, taped over, if at all.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Domhniaill, the current paradigm is obviously wrong, then.
I find that alcohol not only boosts the immune system and improves my playing, but (when i drink it) it seems to improve everybody else's playing as well!
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Ah, the memories this invoked.
People abducting my instruments is a pet peeve of mine. I learned early to counteract this situation by acquiring as my first personal guitar, a horrific, super-dreadnaught, Yamaha twelve string with an action like an egg slicer. No-one ever borrowed that instrument for more than three seconds. My folks couldn't understand why I wanted that particular model, as it was too big for me and painful to play. However, they were a trumpet player and a singer, and nobody ever asks to borrow those particular instruments.
To keep people away from my flute or whistle when I'm not playing, I simply drape a used looking handkerchief over it, particularly the mouthpiece, wherever it is. They don't know that the handkerchief has been doctored with paint and hot glue. ;)
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
you forgot one rule, aidan:
if you've never been to the session before, make sure to ask to borrow my instrument right when you walk in, without introducting yourself or making small talk first. and if for some strange reason i decline your request, be sure to yell at me and tell me what a stuck-up, inconsiderate jerk i am. that will surely make me realize that the bad experiences i had other times i let people i didn't know play my instrument were undoubtedly my own fault.
The warmest rosiest glow of all, of course, is reserved for the borrower who breaks a string having given my instrument a "good oul' work-out". It's not their simple lack of apology which impresses so much as their advice, delivered as they hand my battle-damaged instrument back to me, that I should switch to heavier or "better" strings. I love it when people are so free and easy with their advice.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
I, as a borrower of bodhrans, have in the past, been willing to oblige the owner with a redesigned one. My current design classic is known as the "Polo Mint".
This produces a much more subtle tone.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
It reminds me of a session i was at in a local house. The man of the house was trying out my new mandolin, so i decided to make use of the bathroom. On returning the father was making tea and his two year old son was "playing" with my brand spanking new instrument. The terrifying thing was the child thought it was a bodhran and was gladly beating it with his bottle. It took some patient diplomacy to get the mandolin from the child, the hard part was trying to get the milk out from between the frets etc. On top on this the child got hysterical and every body was "look now, you made the child cry". Maybe i'm loosing it but if the child did'nt have the instrument in the first place, he would'nt be crying. What a pack of flutes some people can be.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Flute players must be the nicest people in the world. Who else would freely ask to borrow a hollow stick of wood filled with God knows what sort of gunge and thank the person for the favor?
But hey, some instruments are a bit more personal than others, right?
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Celtic - sorry about that one - you've learned something about little kids, now you won't be repeating that faux pas in a hurry, ie leaving your instrument unattended when there's small children around - although the father should have been on the case a bit more.
Conan - don't take my bodhran comments too seriously. You're a musician anyway, thus know the tunes therefore I assume you can play it rather than just hit it. It's always a problem with these dodgy geezers at sessions. Sometimes radical direct action is the only solution.
Although I do wish I had Uri Geller's power sometimes, when my flute is drown out by cutlery.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
lol Don't worry Domhnaill, I wasn't getting at you! What you said just reminded me of those two chancers.. I'm sure you would have the "dacency" to ask first.
Taking this a stage further, does anyone refuse to lend their instrument as a matter of principle, no matter who the "lendee" (new word) is? And how do people generally take it when you say no? I find that if I don't know the person I can easily fob them off with "Sorry I can't, it's not actually mine. I borrowed this myself"
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
You could always say that the insurance company doesn't allow it. People tend not to argue with that, but then they'll start wondering what exactly is it you're playing!
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Take a dustbin lid with you and play it like a bodhran - everyone will want to borrow it.
A length of curtain rail has already been suggested as an excellent stand-in low whistle.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Ahh Conan, How many times do children come up to me and say - can I play your violin? The cotton Candy Kid was my favorite. I particularly love it when I'm in the middle of a set. One child kept trying to ask me - Mister, Mister, Mister can I play your violin. Mister, Mister - my Mommie said it was OK. I can't say too many words while I'm playing but I can get "NO!" out.
I once saw a guy pick up someone elses Mandolin minus pick. He needed a pick so he picked up a bent bottle cap and was about to strike a huge groove into the instrument. The owner's eyes wided and he cut through the center of the session with a pick and handed it to the wrecking crew. Talk about a nice person. I was thinking that the bent bottle cap would be better off up the guys nose.
I lent my fiddle to another man who said he could play. He never told me that he was a bass player. He put my violin between his legs and started to make very strange sounds. I finally took My fiddle back and said. "Hey! Thats nasty. How am I going to put it under my neck again after it's been under your..
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
At last something on which we all agree !!.
I once (under a lot of pressure) let some one play my Highland Pipes and the first thing the guy did was remove the tape we Pipers use to fine tune intonation.
These days an older and wiser man NO one Blows my pipes though I sometimes blow up the bag so older Pipers who cannot blow any more can play the Chanter.
All the best PP
My experience with this is that ppl simply like to brag about who has played their instrument. 'Well you know Matt Molloy played this flute in San Francisco after a session once & said he really liked it' or 'Billy McComiskey really liked this box the last time he played it.' Ahh.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Or the other direction..."Liz Carroll handed me her fiddle so I could play Absent-minded Old Woman for her," and so on.
On the other hand, sometimes this is just fact. Last year we did a session with a "name" band (who will go unnamed here) after their concert, and people were swapping instruments right and left, and it was great fun, like musical chairs except no one ever got left out.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
A few years ago, when I was a wee lass, I was in a stomping session,fast tunes flying everywhere. I was playing the bodhran with speed and dexterity(!)out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a bloke looking fidgety and sweating profousely(itchy fingers syndrome) he leapt up and snatched my bodhran, straight from my hands and proceeded to play like he should of been at "The last night of the Proms" (Classical, Pomp and Circumstance -Elgar) I'm all for sharing instruments, but not whilst I'M STILL PLAYING IT!
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Apparantly, when you play the harp, you become the equivalant of a costumed character at Disney World in some parent's (and children's) eyes. Some invite their kids to "pluck a string"--without even asking me if it's OK. Sticky fingers and all. Of course I let the nice parents and sweet (non-sticky fingered) well-behaved kids pluck strings and even give them a mini-explanation sometimes, but I don't let the obnoxious parents and the less-well behaved kids touch.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
It's when they hurl pints of beer over my flute that I get upset. Especially when the gent in question offers to buy the owner of the spilt pint another with NO APPOLOGY or even a glance in my direction.
Personally NO ONE borrows my instruments, but beer hurling is a little difficult to avoid in closed quarters.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
My most enjoyable experience was sitting down to practice my small pipes the day after a session and noticing someone had left a pint on my pipe bag during the session and I couldn't remove the stain from the hide!
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Not exactly a borrowing of instrument tale - although your insurance gag did work, trevor - more of later. We had the wierdest of nights at the Woodman tonight, usually the local oasis for The Music. For a start the pub was inordinately quiet. Like only half full. Then sitting next to us were 2 locals, low IQ types, chips on both shoulders, whom I know don't like The Music. For the duration of the time which they sat there they were saying things like 'all this music sounds the same' etc. Fortunately right now I've got a middle ear infection and I could hardly hear a thing, never mind anything these geezers were saying. I just played from memory, doing an Evelyn Glennie impersonation. It psyched them out that their obnoxious comments fell on (unbeknown to them) literally deaf ears. They consequently left before long.
Next up, yer drunken tone-deaf woman singer, attempting 'Spancil Hill', (which is actually my favourite song), and actually drifting from key to key like a lifeboat in a storm, during the 'performance' (and quite a performance it was). It's only half-nine at this point.
Then, yer drunken enthusiast, who's never seen/heard live traditional music, but nevertheless borrows a bodhr
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Amazing! That tone deaf woman singer sure gets about. Also those two who don't like The Music. There were at least 12 of us that night and so we PLAYED LOUD and racous. I think we had five bodrans. Exageration? Well just a bit. That night I didn't mind lending my bodran. I hardly play it now anyway, mostly because of the looks of pain on my fellow musicians. (Even more than when I play me fiddle!)
A friend of mine recounted a story of being in a session with a tea-chest bass player. For those that don't know, a tea-chest bass, when not being played (or when being played, for that matter) looks like a broomstick attached by a piece of string to an unceremonious wooden box, such as might be used as a makeshift table. Anyway, a certain fiddler, interrupting the smoking of a cigarette in order to play a tune, was looking for a place to put his half-smoked, burning cigarette, and deemed the edge of the bass-player's tea-chest a suitable place. Disgusted, the bass player asked the fiddler, "How would you like it if I stubbed my cigarette out on your fiddle?!".
I was playing at a wake last autumn. A good friend of mine passed away and we decided it was a good thing to organize music at the wake - with full sound/equipment - as he was a musician. I brought a few of my intruments, one being my nearly new guitar - which I am amazingly attached to. The night went on from around 3pm to 3am (for me at least) and I was trying to keep an eye on all of the instruments and equipment as myself and my boyfriend brought in a lot of stuff for the night. When I or one of my close friends weren't playing it, a few other people asked - which was fine with me. I however, made the very wrong mistake of going to the bathroom. When I got back to the guitar it had been pretty bashed - the solid top was all scratched, two strings were broken just by force, and the bridge seemed to have a new crack. Really hard situation there. I later found out who did it - an aquaintance who had a few - but what can you do at a wake? I mean, one thing I had to realize, after loosing a friend, is that it was only a guitar. But I think I was more upset that someone would do that to a guitar when they know people are being kind enough to bring instruments and equipment - and less upset about the actual damage.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Good to be round Zina - was glad to see the "Cheatin Bastard" given some play over Valentine's Day too. Although I'm much to reserved to have given the song that title myself (aw... kerri...) Was quite a debate at the time over that - would it be acceptable for IT society, will children cry when they hear the name, e-mails with the tune mentioned would get banned and sent back.... The Controversy.
Domhniaill, pretty much done with that now. Guess it's a learning experience - or something like that. Just got an amazing new mandolin (made by Peter Cox) and won't be lending it out unfortunately - unless I'm there at all times (especially because I have resisted getting a pick guard). I guess also, if you never lend out your instruments, as sort of a matter of principle, then that makes for a good excuse. I do that with my favourite whistle.
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Apart from Searais contribution, see my other post ( I seperated them out of consideration), I have not stopped laughing for the last 15 minutes...Tove's tip about the hanky was excellent, and Domhniaill's comment about the bad singer jumping from key to key like a lifeboat in a storm was absolutely priceless...I am still shaking with laughter as I write this. What a great gift a sense of humour is!!!
For those whistle and flute players who get back from the bar to find someone happily playing their instrument without having asked first, it might be worth while keeping a small tube of 'sorvex' in the jacket pocket to nonchalantly apply to the lips during the second or third reel.
An added bonus is that your pint will be safe all night long.
Downside...No amount of explaining will get you a date with the barmaid...
B
Searai,
Playing at your friends wake was a lovely gesture. I don't think many non musicians realise what an effort getting all the gear to a gig actually is, let alone setting it up so it's all safe and not in everyones way etc etc. It is a real shame your guitar got damaged and you were treated with such disrespect.
Maybe each time you see the scratches on the guitar they can be a little reminder that you did the right thing by your late friend. Even though somebody didn't do the right thing by you.
B
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Some years ago, the (then) official bodhran player of a of a long lived Scottish band arrived instrumentless at a Sunday night session. Dunno re the rest of the country but the pawn shops in Scotland don't open on the Sabbath.
Anyway a young female player of very few weeks experience was sitting opposite him and when she went to powder her nose, he asked to borrow her instrument. Knowing no better, and not knowing the chap at all,she agreed. An hour or so later, she plucked up the courage to ask for it back with the immortal line. "Can I have my drum back please? I'm just learning too"
Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
There is often a deal of confusion over the appropriateness of borrowing others instruments in a session. Here are my tips for others wishing to borrow one of my instruments. I play mandolin and banjo, but I'm sure that the rules apply equally to other instruments.
Firstly, when is it appropriate to borrow my instrument? The short answer is any time I choose to leave it down e.g. when other players are playing a tune I don't know and I respectfully sit the set out, when I go to the bar, when I go to the loo, etc. Asking my permission is optional and once you have assumed control on one occasion, further permissions are unnecessary. Once you have borrowed my instrument, please don't feel obliged to return it until I actually ask you to. And even then I much prefer if it is returned with a modicum of bad faith and/or reluctance.
It is also extremely appropriate to borrow my instrument after I have played a tune in a setting which you don't favour so that you can show me "how it should be played". This applies particularly when the tune is one of my personal favourites and when I give off vibes of satisfaction at having played it well. Such lessons are invaluable and your kindness will be much appreciated.
I tend to tune GDAE and you may find such conventional tuning a tad stuffy. So please feel free to retune to a method which you prefer. Please don't feel obliged to revert to standard tuning when you have finished playing. There's nothing I like better in the middle of a noisy session than tuning up.
I tend to be rather respectful of my instruments so you'll probably feel they need a bloody good workout when you borrow them. Please feel free to give them a damn good thrashing.
I've spent a good deal of time getting the set-up on my instruments just right. But the set-up may not be to your liking. If this is the case, please let me know just how unplayable my instrument is when you return it (after you have been asked to return it, of course. See above.).
I don't have a lot of spare cash to spend on instruments, so they tend to be budget makes. However, please feel free to point out to me that I've wasted my money and how the Fylde or Gibson or Sobell that you have in the house would have been a much better investment in the long run. This has the added advantage of demonstrating just how much more wealthy you are than I and will, of course, increase my respect for you tenfold.
Abide by these simple rules and you will have made a friend for life!
# Posted on February 12th 2003 by Aidan Crossey
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
In the words of Homer Simpson watching a Seinfeld episode:
"Heh, heh. It's funny because it's true".
# Posted on February 12th 2003 by Jeremy
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
It's even better if you're a whistle or flute player, cos the borrower can then share with you recently acquired strains of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi. That makes life so much more interesting.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Flutists are actually very nice about letting other people play their instrumetns. We're always trying other people's flutes and finding reasons why they're not as good as ours. I've given flute lessons to people with contagious diseases, even. But i (and most flute players i know) would be very unhappy if someone just walked up and picked up the flute without asking. The viruses we share, nothing that a shot of Jameson can't handle.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by glauber
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Aidan, I hope it's because I'm sleepy, but I was well into your post and thinking, "Man, what a generous guy!", before it dawned on me you were being satirical.
So, here's a belated hah!hah!
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by cuchulain54
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Glauber, I'm so glad to hear at least one member of the human race has such a permanently upregulated immune system, that, not only can it deal with whatever microbiological insults nature throws at it, but contrary to the current paradigm, can actually gain an immunological boost by alcohol consumption.
Next you'll be telling me it improves your playing.
(I used to think that as well but only because I couldn't remember all the mistakes I made.)
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Aidan, could we have some ground rules on borrowing CDs and tapes, as I'm not quite sure how I should behave when I get them back in bits, without covers, taped over, if at all.
Cheers for the ironic laughs
Con
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Domhniaill, the current paradigm is obviously wrong, then.
I find that alcohol not only boosts the immune system and improves my playing, but (when i drink it) it seems to improve everybody else's playing as well!
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by glauber
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
I also have noted the last observation!
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Ah, the memories this invoked.
People abducting my instruments is a pet peeve of mine. I learned early to counteract this situation by acquiring as my first personal guitar, a horrific, super-dreadnaught, Yamaha twelve string with an action like an egg slicer. No-one ever borrowed that instrument for more than three seconds. My folks couldn't understand why I wanted that particular model, as it was too big for me and painful to play. However, they were a trumpet player and a singer, and nobody ever asks to borrow those particular instruments.
To keep people away from my flute or whistle when I'm not playing, I simply drape a used looking handkerchief over it, particularly the mouthpiece, wherever it is. They don't know that the handkerchief has been doctored with paint and hot glue. ;)
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Tove
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
you forgot one rule, aidan:
if you've never been to the session before, make sure to ask to borrow my instrument right when you walk in, without introducting yourself or making small talk first. and if for some strange reason i decline your request, be sure to yell at me and tell me what a stuck-up, inconsiderate jerk i am. that will surely make me realize that the bad experiences i had other times i let people i didn't know play my instrument were undoubtedly my own fault.
sarah
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by sarahc
And another thing!
The warmest rosiest glow of all, of course, is reserved for the borrower who breaks a string having given my instrument a "good oul' work-out". It's not their simple lack of apology which impresses so much as their advice, delivered as they hand my battle-damaged instrument back to me, that I should switch to heavier or "better" strings. I love it when people are so free and easy with their advice.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Aidan Crossey
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
I, as a borrower of bodhrans, have in the past, been willing to oblige the owner with a redesigned one. My current design classic is known as the "Polo Mint".
This produces a much more subtle tone.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Domhnaill, I remember two guys "borrowing" my bodhr
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
It reminds me of a session i was at in a local house. The man of the house was trying out my new mandolin, so i decided to make use of the bathroom. On returning the father was making tea and his two year old son was "playing" with my brand spanking new instrument. The terrifying thing was the child thought it was a bodhran and was gladly beating it with his bottle. It took some patient diplomacy to get the mandolin from the child, the hard part was trying to get the milk out from between the frets etc. On top on this the child got hysterical and every body was "look now, you made the child cry". Maybe i'm loosing it but if the child did'nt have the instrument in the first place, he would'nt be crying. What a pack of flutes some people can be.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Celtic1234
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Flocking baskets,the lot of them!
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Flute players must be the nicest people in the world. Who else would freely ask to borrow a hollow stick of wood filled with God knows what sort of gunge and thank the person for the favor?
But hey, some instruments are a bit more personal than others, right?
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Caoimghgin
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Yeah, the groin harp, for example.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by glauber
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
and the, er, um, porcelain tuba, if you get my drift.....
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Will Harmon
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Celtic - sorry about that one - you've learned something about little kids, now you won't be repeating that faux pas in a hurry, ie leaving your instrument unattended when there's small children around - although the father should have been on the case a bit more.
Conan - don't take my bodhran comments too seriously. You're a musician anyway, thus know the tunes therefore I assume you can play it rather than just hit it. It's always a problem with these dodgy geezers at sessions. Sometimes radical direct action is the only solution.
Although I do wish I had Uri Geller's power sometimes, when my flute is drown out by cutlery.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
lol Don't worry Domhnaill, I wasn't getting at you! What you said just reminded me of those two chancers.. I'm sure you would have the "dacency" to ask first.
Taking this a stage further, does anyone refuse to lend their instrument as a matter of principle, no matter who the "lendee" (new word) is? And how do people generally take it when you say no? I find that if I don't know the person I can easily fob them off with "Sorry I can't, it's not actually mine. I borrowed this myself"
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
You could always say that the insurance company doesn't allow it. People tend not to argue with that, but then they'll start wondering what exactly is it you're playing!
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Take a dustbin lid with you and play it like a bodhran - everyone will want to borrow it.
A length of curtain rail has already been suggested as an excellent stand-in low whistle.
# Posted on February 13th 2003 by geoffwright
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Ahh Conan, How many times do children come up to me and say - can I play your violin? The cotton Candy Kid was my favorite. I particularly love it when I'm in the middle of a set. One child kept trying to ask me - Mister, Mister, Mister can I play your violin. Mister, Mister - my Mommie said it was OK. I can't say too many words while I'm playing but I can get "NO!" out.
I once saw a guy pick up someone elses Mandolin minus pick. He needed a pick so he picked up a bent bottle cap and was about to strike a huge groove into the instrument. The owner's eyes wided and he cut through the center of the session with a pick and handed it to the wrecking crew. Talk about a nice person. I was thinking that the bent bottle cap would be better off up the guys nose.
I lent my fiddle to another man who said he could play. He never told me that he was a bass player. He put my violin between his legs and started to make very strange sounds. I finally took My fiddle back and said. "Hey! Thats nasty. How am I going to put it under my neck again after it's been under your..
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Mark Cordova
Instruments you shouldn't borrow
The butt trumpet
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by glauber
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
At last something on which we all agree !!.
I once (under a lot of pressure) let some one play my Highland Pipes and the first thing the guy did was remove the tape we Pipers use to fine tune intonation.
These days an older and wiser man NO one Blows my pipes though I sometimes blow up the bag so older Pipers who cannot blow any more can play the Chanter.
All the best PP
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Pied Piper
Name dropping
My experience with this is that ppl simply like to brag about who has played their instrument. 'Well you know Matt Molloy played this flute in San Francisco after a session once & said he really liked it' or 'Billy McComiskey really liked this box the last time he played it.' Ahh.
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by emily_bmore
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Or the other direction..."Liz Carroll handed me her fiddle so I could play Absent-minded Old Woman for her," and so on.
On the other hand, sometimes this is just fact. Last year we did a session with a "name" band (who will go unnamed here) after their concert, and people were swapping instruments right and left, and it was great fun, like musical chairs except no one ever got left out.
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Will Harmon
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Eamonn Cotter played my flute once and said it was a good one!
(he made it, i asked him on the phone what he thought of it, and he said it was a good one)
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by glauber
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
A few years ago, when I was a wee lass, I was in a stomping session,fast tunes flying everywhere. I was playing the bodhran with speed and dexterity(!)out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a bloke looking fidgety and sweating profousely(itchy fingers syndrome) he leapt up and snatched my bodhran, straight from my hands and proceeded to play like he should of been at "The last night of the Proms" (Classical, Pomp and Circumstance -Elgar) I'm all for sharing instruments, but not whilst I'M STILL PLAYING IT!
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Becky
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
My god. Whatever did you do? I hope you snatched it back. Totally rude of him.
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Apparantly, when you play the harp, you become the equivalant of a costumed character at Disney World in some parent's (and children's) eyes. Some invite their kids to "pluck a string"--without even asking me if it's OK. Sticky fingers and all. Of course I let the nice parents and sweet (non-sticky fingered) well-behaved kids pluck strings and even give them a mini-explanation sometimes, but I don't let the obnoxious parents and the less-well behaved kids touch.
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Andee
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Don't forget the insurance ploy I mentioned earlier, it's useful and really does work.
# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
It's when they hurl pints of beer over my flute that I get upset. Especially when the gent in question offers to buy the owner of the spilt pint another with NO APPOLOGY or even a glance in my direction.
Personally NO ONE borrows my instruments, but beer hurling is a little difficult to avoid in closed quarters.
# Posted on February 16th 2003 by Fiiddle R
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
My most enjoyable experience was sitting down to practice my small pipes the day after a session and noticing someone had left a pint on my pipe bag during the session and I couldn't remove the stain from the hide!
# Posted on February 16th 2003 by borderpiper
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Hicabufy, he did you a favour. Now you have the battle scars to show, withouth having to go through the pain of inflicting them!
Susie, that's called collateral damage. They're probably aiming at the bodhran.
# Posted on February 16th 2003 by glauber
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Not exactly a borrowing of instrument tale - although your insurance gag did work, trevor - more of later. We had the wierdest of nights at the Woodman tonight, usually the local oasis for The Music. For a start the pub was inordinately quiet. Like only half full. Then sitting next to us were 2 locals, low IQ types, chips on both shoulders, whom I know don't like The Music. For the duration of the time which they sat there they were saying things like 'all this music sounds the same' etc. Fortunately right now I've got a middle ear infection and I could hardly hear a thing, never mind anything these geezers were saying. I just played from memory, doing an Evelyn Glennie impersonation. It psyched them out that their obnoxious comments fell on (unbeknown to them) literally deaf ears. They consequently left before long.
Next up, yer drunken tone-deaf woman singer, attempting 'Spancil Hill', (which is actually my favourite song), and actually drifting from key to key like a lifeboat in a storm, during the 'performance' (and quite a performance it was). It's only half-nine at this point.
Then, yer drunken enthusiast, who's never seen/heard live traditional music, but nevertheless borrows a bodhr
# Posted on February 16th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
> This is the God's honest truth.
> Was it a full moon tonight or what?
Yes!
Bob
# Posted on February 16th 2003 by Laughtonb
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Amazing! That tone deaf woman singer sure gets about. Also those two who don't like The Music. There were at least 12 of us that night and so we PLAYED LOUD and racous. I think we had five bodrans. Exageration? Well just a bit. That night I didn't mind lending my bodran. I hardly play it now anyway, mostly because of the looks of pain on my fellow musicians. (Even more than when I play me fiddle!)
Like the bit about the insurance, trevor.
# Posted on February 16th 2003 by Fiiddle R
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Conan, if you ever lend me a CD, you can trust me not to tape over it - and you'll get it back in at least one piece, if not more.
# Posted on February 17th 2003 by CreadurMawnOrganig
A friend of mine recounted a story of being in a session with a tea-chest bass player. For those that don't know, a tea-chest bass, when not being played (or when being played, for that matter) looks like a broomstick attached by a piece of string to an unceremonious wooden box, such as might be used as a makeshift table. Anyway, a certain fiddler, interrupting the smoking of a cigarette in order to play a tune, was looking for a place to put his half-smoked, burning cigarette, and deemed the edge of the bass-player's tea-chest a suitable place. Disgusted, the bass player asked the fiddler, "How would you like it if I stubbed my cigarette out on your fiddle?!".
Fair point.
# Posted on February 17th 2003 by CreadurMawnOrganig
And when the worst happens...
I was playing at a wake last autumn. A good friend of mine passed away and we decided it was a good thing to organize music at the wake - with full sound/equipment - as he was a musician. I brought a few of my intruments, one being my nearly new guitar - which I am amazingly attached to. The night went on from around 3pm to 3am (for me at least) and I was trying to keep an eye on all of the instruments and equipment as myself and my boyfriend brought in a lot of stuff for the night. When I or one of my close friends weren't playing it, a few other people asked - which was fine with me. I however, made the very wrong mistake of going to the bathroom. When I got back to the guitar it had been pretty bashed - the solid top was all scratched, two strings were broken just by force, and the bridge seemed to have a new crack. Really hard situation there. I later found out who did it - an aquaintance who had a few - but what can you do at a wake? I mean, one thing I had to realize, after loosing a friend, is that it was only a guitar. But I think I was more upset that someone would do that to a guitar when they know people are being kind enough to bring instruments and equipment - and less upset about the actual damage.
what kind of person does that?
# Posted on February 17th 2003 by searai
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Seara
# Posted on February 17th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Seara
# Posted on February 17th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Small World! We have the tea chest player here too David. Cloning is on the increase it seems.
# Posted on February 17th 2003 by Fiiddle R
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
The TCP actually lives in Bristol.
# Posted on February 17th 2003 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Good to be round Zina - was glad to see the "Cheatin Bastard" given some play over Valentine's Day too. Although I'm much to reserved to have given the song that title myself (aw... kerri...) Was quite a debate at the time over that - would it be acceptable for IT society, will children cry when they hear the name, e-mails with the tune mentioned would get banned and sent back.... The Controversy.
Domhniaill, pretty much done with that now. Guess it's a learning experience - or something like that. Just got an amazing new mandolin (made by Peter Cox) and won't be lending it out unfortunately - unless I'm there at all times (especially because I have resisted getting a pick guard). I guess also, if you never lend out your instruments, as sort of a matter of principle, then that makes for a good excuse. I do that with my favourite whistle.
# Posted on February 20th 2003 by searai
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Apart from Searais contribution, see my other post ( I seperated them out of consideration), I have not stopped laughing for the last 15 minutes...Tove's tip about the hanky was excellent, and Domhniaill's comment about the bad singer jumping from key to key like a lifeboat in a storm was absolutely priceless...I am still shaking with laughter as I write this. What a great gift a sense of humour is!!!
For those whistle and flute players who get back from the bar to find someone happily playing their instrument without having asked first, it might be worth while keeping a small tube of 'sorvex' in the jacket pocket to nonchalantly apply to the lips during the second or third reel.
An added bonus is that your pint will be safe all night long.
Downside...No amount of explaining will get you a date with the barmaid...
B
# Posted on March 19th 2003 by bacchus
Searai,
Playing at your friends wake was a lovely gesture. I don't think many non musicians realise what an effort getting all the gear to a gig actually is, let alone setting it up so it's all safe and not in everyones way etc etc. It is a real shame your guitar got damaged and you were treated with such disrespect.
Maybe each time you see the scratches on the guitar they can be a little reminder that you did the right thing by your late friend. Even though somebody didn't do the right thing by you.
B
# Posted on March 19th 2003 by bacchus
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Harking back to inappropriate borrowing, I was playing bodhr
# Posted on January 28th 2004 by triantan
Re: Borrowing instruments at sessions - some ground rules
Some years ago, the (then) official bodhran player of a of a long lived Scottish band arrived instrumentless at a Sunday night session. Dunno re the rest of the country but the pawn shops in Scotland don't open on the Sabbath.
Anyway a young female player of very few weeks experience was sitting opposite him and when she went to powder her nose, he asked to borrow her instrument. Knowing no better, and not knowing the chap at all,she agreed. An hour or so later, she plucked up the courage to ask for it back with the immortal line. "Can I have my drum back please? I'm just learning too"
# Posted on March 10th 2004 by onyirtodd