Someone sometime told me that I just said everything with the whistle.
Another time somebody told me that I was a mean fiddler, even though I was playing the whistle.
Funny you should ask. Just two days ago I got an email from a sailor who is at sea on an aircraft carrier. He says he used to go see my (then) regular Friday-night gig at a local spot (I live near a U.S. navy base) and was inspired to learn to play the fiddle. So right now he's at sea, with a Mel Bay beginner fiddle book and DVD, taking his first baby steps. And emailing me for tips on how to go about it.
The next night I went to my usual Wednesday night session, and scored a free whistle (a Tony Dixon--very nice!), out of the blue from a session mate who is trying to quit. (Just kidding. He got a new whistle that he likes so much better, he's giving away most of his other whistles.)
So I guess my karma must be pretty good lately.
Sorry if all that sounds corny/twee/sappy... it's a true story. And you asked.
the best compliment I ever got, worth millions to me, is seeing my Mom close her eyes, smle, and sway back and forth as I played my grandfather's newly-restored fiddle for her (it was her Dad's, then hers as a child)
An oft-told tale.
We were playing for a street party on a summer's evening, in London. The evening air is never as warm as people like to think, especially if you're out in it for four hours playing. Our flautist particularly was struggling, as her metal flute was cooling ( under ) her fingers, making it very uncomfortable to play.
As we were packing up an elderly gentleman approached and complimented her on her playing. She asked if he played, and he said, previously he had been an orchestral player but was now retired. She asked his name, and nearly fell through the floor when she realised it was his playing that had inspired her to take up the flute as a child !
Playing with a flute player in The Crane in Galway, old boy comes up to us after we played his request of The West Wind and says "I hope ye never die."
After I'd only been playing for a few years, was attending a large festival. A nice midday session broke out, with a very respected piper/pipe maker/fiddler/piano player in attendance, playing piano. I started a set, the last tune of which I suppose isn't well known, as only my flautist pal and the abovementioned piper/fiddler/piano player. Afterwards, he came up to me and said how much he enjoyed my playing in the session earlier. I was quite pleased. We've since played together many more times, to my great enjoyment. A few simple words can do so much to encourage an enthusiastic beginner, so I do my best to go out of my way to compliment those who deserve it.
It's a tie. Once, my flute teacher had me play something she had instructed me to learn. After I played it, she exhaled rather than spoke, "Bravo!"
The other was at a festival, a musician who was about to go onstage to play leaned over me and said, "You add a touch of grace to every instrument you play."
...incidentally, I met the same chap in a session a few years later and he asked me if I would record with him. He's a cracking player, but a trifle fickle.
From my five and a half year old niece, whose mom was watching a youtube video I'd sent her of Martin Hayes:
"Is that TD&M playing?"
Kid's my biggest fan - she lives on the other side of the continent, and on her last birthday, I sent her a recording of me playing Happy Birthday. My niece, whom I've never known to sit still or quietly for more than a few seconds at a time, was silent for the duration of the tune, and when it ended, she whispered, "Wow. Can I hear that again?"
And from a Real Live Musician - incidentally, a fiddler from one of my favourite bands, though I didn't recognize her on sight and so didn't know who she was until after the session was over: "You don't live in town, do you?"
"No," I replied.
"I didn't think so," she said, "because you've obviously been playing for a long time, so figure I would have met you before if you were from around here."
Walking into a session in the northwest of Scotland that I had not been to for a while and the musos there, who I respect immensely and who are all much better than I am, being really happy to see me.
"Whistle guy you ROCK!" shouted by a group of college girls....granted they were easy to impress, and that was not my intention and I don't believe my playing merits much in the way of compliments but it was nice....Anytime anyone enjoys music I'm playing is very special and surprising, because, mainly, I do it for my own satisfaction.
One for courage: some 15 years ago - still a bit of a beginner - I sat in in a session in Vaughn's in Kilfenora, after attending another session two days before, strictly as a listener.
- Tommy Peoples: 'Didn't I see you a few days ago at Linnane's?'
- "Yeah, I was just listening, I 've now decided it is time to bring my instrument and try to join"
- TP: 'Good man!'.
The kind of encourageing generosity that most top players show.
SilverSpear - "Walking into a session .... that I had not been to for a while and the musos there, who I respect immensely and who are all much better than I am, being really happy to see me" - exactly! "...where's your guitar?"
Many, many years ago, as a poor college student playing very regularly with *much* better (and older) musicians, I was playing a small private session with some chaps from the Boys of the Lough. I had only a whistle and a copperman bidhran to my name, then.
One of the Boys said it was some of the best bodhran playing he'd heard this side of the pond. You could have knocked me over with a feather. . . for a month!
when my mum still (occasionally) tells me ''you can make that guitar talk John''
. . . of course i can't, but there's something really reassuring about how i feel about the instrument when mum says that, which always catches me unaware, and is a difficult one to convey in words
I came from Cincinnati to Ireland, and ended up playing box in a pub in Kerry. A man called Jimmy Doyle told me I was a "garsun". I've been floating ever since.
I've played for such a long time now that I have learned to depend on my own judgement rather than the compliment from the occational punter. I never expect compliments, but still, a complement at the right time can be great a reward in itself:
As in the wee hours as I was heading home for bed after a long session an old man grabbed my arm, smiled and said "fair play!".
Next day/session a young aspiring and co-musician who I had never met before complimented "You are veery good". This came out of the blue and sparked inspiration for more sessions to come...
It is nice and reassuring to know that you - on top of having great fun - also are contributing to the music picture.
I took a Looong road trip to a session in New Haven, Connecticut (I live in Providence, RI) hosted by a very fine fiddle player named Joe Gearhardt. He had never heard me play guitar before, but after the session was over, he commented that he enjoyed my backing very much, that it sounded like I was Irish. (considering I was born here, and that Scottish is as close as my family tree gets to Ireland, and what an exceptional musician this man is, I took this as high praise, indeed!)
"Play that thing louder, will you!" - Peter Horan
"You've a great feel for the music" - not llig, anyway!
"Ah -Rocky, how are you - pint of Guinness coming up" Gary O'Donnell, Baily's Corner, Tralee
What's the best compliment you've ever got?
What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Someone sometime told me that I just said everything with the whistle.
Another time somebody told me that I was a mean fiddler, even though I was playing the whistle.
Any stories?
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Gallowglass
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"Where are you from?"
"Poland"
"Yeah, I can hear you don't know much about this music"
Four years ago, Milltown Malbay.
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Janek
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"Hey, I love your recorder thing. It is a great kid instrument."
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by pipersgrip
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"Don't get discouraged. Your playing is really much, much better than it sounds."
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by ayedbl
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"Steve, I like you, I really do. But your s h i t stinks. Nothing personal!"
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Steve Shaw
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Funny you should ask. Just two days ago I got an email from a sailor who is at sea on an aircraft carrier. He says he used to go see my (then) regular Friday-night gig at a local spot (I live near a U.S. navy base) and was inspired to learn to play the fiddle. So right now he's at sea, with a Mel Bay beginner fiddle book and DVD, taking his first baby steps. And emailing me for tips on how to go about it.
The next night I went to my usual Wednesday night session, and scored a free whistle (a Tony Dixon--very nice!), out of the blue from a session mate who is trying to quit. (Just kidding. He got a new whistle that he likes so much better, he's giving away most of his other whistles.)
So I guess my karma must be pretty good lately.
Sorry if all that sounds corny/twee/sappy... it's a true story. And you asked.
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by John Galt
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
the best compliment I ever got, worth millions to me, is seeing my Mom close her eyes, smle, and sway back and forth as I played my grandfather's newly-restored fiddle for her (it was her Dad's, then hers as a child)
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
That is a good one Greg.
I made my uncle cry when I played "The Parting of Friends".
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by pipersgrip
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
An oft-told tale.
We were playing for a street party on a summer's evening, in London. The evening air is never as warm as people like to think, especially if you're out in it for four hours playing. Our flautist particularly was struggling, as her metal flute was cooling ( under ) her fingers, making it very uncomfortable to play.
As we were packing up an elderly gentleman approached and complimented her on her playing. She asked if he played, and he said, previously he had been an orchestral player but was now retired. She asked his name, and nearly fell through the floor when she realised it was his playing that had inspired her to take up the flute as a child !
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
My mentor/teacher saying "You're getting good". He doesn't compliment easily.
Only wished I agreed with him. He also says I'm too hard on myself.
Mary
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Antikhntr
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Playing with a flute player in The Crane in Galway, old boy comes up to us after we played his request of The West Wind and says "I hope ye never die."
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Chrishty
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
After I'd only been playing for a few years, was attending a large festival. A nice midday session broke out, with a very respected piper/pipe maker/fiddler/piano player in attendance, playing piano. I started a set, the last tune of which I suppose isn't well known, as only my flautist pal and the abovementioned piper/fiddler/piano player. Afterwards, he came up to me and said how much he enjoyed my playing in the session earlier. I was quite pleased. We've since played together many more times, to my great enjoyment. A few simple words can do so much to encourage an enthusiastic beginner, so I do my best to go out of my way to compliment those who deserve it.
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Splendid Isolation
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"What part of the country are ye from ?"
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Kenny
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
It's a tie. Once, my flute teacher had me play something she had instructed me to learn. After I played it, she exhaled rather than spoke, "Bravo!"
The other was at a festival, a musician who was about to go onstage to play leaned over me and said, "You add a touch of grace to every instrument you play."
But some days are definitely better than others.
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Ailin
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
A guy came up to us one night in Dolans in Limerick when I was playing a gig with Danny Foley, a very fine Limerick fiddle player.
The guy said "I hate the sound of the fiddle, but you guys sound great. Do ye use different tuning or something?"
Danny doesn't mince his words (a musician's musician). He says "You've probably just been listening to s h i t fiddlers"
Nearly fell off my chair....
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by tradshark
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"That's the best se x I ever had"
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Linsey Doyle
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"You know every f!/&*n tune off every f!/&*n record, but you can't f!/&*n play them!".
...You should hear one of his insults.
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
...incidentally, I met the same chap in a session a few years later and he asked me if I would record with him. He's a cracking player, but a trifle fickle.
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"Your flute playing is really nice. I hope to see you here again."
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by Glass of Beer
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
From an English woman at a small festival:
"You sound just like one of the bog people"
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by WireHarp
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
From my five and a half year old niece, whose mom was watching a youtube video I'd sent her of Martin Hayes:
"Is that TD&M playing?"
Kid's my biggest fan - she lives on the other side of the continent, and on her last birthday, I sent her a recording of me playing Happy Birthday. My niece, whom I've never known to sit still or quietly for more than a few seconds at a time, was silent for the duration of the tune, and when it ended, she whispered, "Wow. Can I hear that again?"
And from a Real Live Musician - incidentally, a fiddler from one of my favourite bands, though I didn't recognize her on sight and so didn't know who she was until after the session was over: "You don't live in town, do you?"
"No," I replied.
"I didn't think so," she said, "because you've obviously been playing for a long time, so figure I would have met you before if you were from around here."
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by Tall, Dark, and Mysterious
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Walking into a session in the northwest of Scotland that I had not been to for a while and the musos there, who I respect immensely and who are all much better than I am, being really happy to see me.
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by DrSilverSpear
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"Whistle guy you ROCK!" shouted by a group of college girls....granted they were easy to impress, and that was not my intention and I don't believe my playing merits much in the way of compliments but it was nice....Anytime anyone enjoys music I'm playing is very special and surprising, because, mainly, I do it for my own satisfaction.
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by shanty
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Driving with my 4 year-old son in the car.
Tara Diamond comes on the CD player.
Son says, "This person on the radio plays just like you, Daddy."
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by browndog
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"You have a very good ear." From teacher.
"Play the concertina!" "What do you want me to play?" " A" In session.
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by snorre
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Can you play that tune that goes up at the start?
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by geoffwright
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
One for courage: some 15 years ago - still a bit of a beginner - I sat in in a session in Vaughn's in Kilfenora, after attending another session two days before, strictly as a listener.
- Tommy Peoples: 'Didn't I see you a few days ago at Linnane's?'
- "Yeah, I was just listening, I 've now decided it is time to bring my instrument and try to join"
- TP: 'Good man!'.
The kind of encourageing generosity that most top players show.
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by Henk Bos
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"I really like what you're trying to do there!"
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by jwvansteenwyk
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
SilverSpear - "Walking into a session .... that I had not been to for a while and the musos there, who I respect immensely and who are all much better than I am, being really happy to see me" - exactly! "...where's your guitar?"
# Posted on April 11th 2009 by tomw
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Many, many years ago, as a poor college student playing very regularly with *much* better (and older) musicians, I was playing a small private session with some chaps from the Boys of the Lough. I had only a whistle and a copperman bidhran to my name, then.
One of the Boys said it was some of the best bodhran playing he'd heard this side of the pond. You could have knocked me over with a feather. . . for a month!
# Posted on April 12th 2009 by sampy
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
when my mum still (occasionally) tells me ''you can make that guitar talk John''
. . . of course i can't, but there's something really reassuring about how i feel about the instrument when mum says that, which always catches me unaware, and is a difficult one to convey in words
# Posted on April 12th 2009 by lisaniska
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
I came from Cincinnati to Ireland, and ended up playing box in a pub in Kerry. A man called Jimmy Doyle told me I was a "garsun". I've been floating ever since.
# Posted on April 12th 2009 by Zazzaliss
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Anytime I gate crash a session and the regulars buy me a beer or two from their tab.
# Posted on April 12th 2009 by Solidmahog
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
I've played for such a long time now that I have learned to depend on my own judgement rather than the compliment from the occational punter. I never expect compliments, but still, a complement at the right time can be great a reward in itself:
As in the wee hours as I was heading home for bed after a long session an old man grabbed my arm, smiled and said "fair play!".
Next day/session a young aspiring and co-musician who I had never met before complimented "You are veery good". This came out of the blue and sparked inspiration for more sessions to come...
It is nice and reassuring to know that you - on top of having great fun - also are contributing to the music picture.
# Posted on April 13th 2009 by FiddleTramp
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
I took a Looong road trip to a session in New Haven, Connecticut (I live in Providence, RI) hosted by a very fine fiddle player named Joe Gearhardt. He had never heard me play guitar before, but after the session was over, he commented that he enjoyed my backing very much, that it sounded like I was Irish. (considering I was born here, and that Scottish is as close as my family tree gets to Ireland, and what an exceptional musician this man is, I took this as high praise, indeed!)
# Posted on April 13th 2009 by jaychoons
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
"Play that thing louder, will you!" - Peter Horan
"You've a great feel for the music" - not llig, anyway!
"Ah -Rocky, how are you - pint of Guinness coming up" Gary O'Donnell, Baily's Corner, Tralee
# Posted on April 13th 2009 by RockyRoader
Re: What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Best compliment: You've the most beautiful voice I've ever heard.
Worst insult: You've the worst voice I've ever heard.
# Posted on April 18th 2009 by Corey Murphy