Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Start 'Merry Blacksmith' as the main tune, do it once, get each player in the circle to do a reel of their choice, once, with Merry Blacksmith played once after each solo. Whoever stuffs it up buys the next round. You get about 10 mins+ of music out of that lot, plus a silly amount of beers. Hic. Thank God I left the car behind.
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
ok . ill propose the drinking game merry blcksmith next tuesday at The Bent Mast Pub (in victoria bc in case you happen to be on Vancouver island next week...). I will let you know how it goes......we are a kind bunch of souls full of vim and vigour (piss and vinegar as my mom would say) but known to stop abruptly after tunes, in a strange unresolved manner... the customers are so susprised and puzzled that they fall off their chairs in lost momentum> they dont know whether to clap or to cry. Its downright embarrassing
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
We play one we call the "Crooked Set" which--to paraphrase Professor Tolkien--grew in the session.
Starting out with just the barn dance followed by the schottische, it wound up as
Slow air (An Clar Bog Deil, Port na mPucai, or whatever I can wrestle out of the box on the night)
Lord Mayo
The Gypsy Princess
Maggie McGee's Schottische
Francie Mooney's mazurkas in D and G
at least 3 polkas
Timing for the CD, it takes about 11 minutes. Less in the session when the pints, and thus tempi, are flying.
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
yeah, we had a competition in a session in blazin in beauly last year, where we tried to keep jigs going and went round the circle and everyone had to think of a different jig to play and if you faltered you were out. I think we made it to about 34 in a row. Mind you, it got a bit tedious after half an hour... Canny remember any of the names tho.
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Or you could have the tub thumper do his best imitation of Donnchadh Gough, it will seem like ages anyway : )
Seriously though, just learn a bunch of tunes and practice stringing 'em together on the fly. You have to train yourself to think ahead a little bit while still playing the present tune. Finish the present tune before you start the next one. Sounds easy but it isn't, at least initially; it will take a while before you can do it smoothly and consistently.
Listen to lots of good recordings, go to sessions where big sets are part of the routine, and listen for things that work for you and your ears. Use them as a starting point.
If you play in a ceili band that has arranged sets of 2-3 tunes, try stringing 2 or 3 of these ceili sets together, that's usually fun.
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
One way to get more for your buck is to choose long tunes. e.g. the standard set: Jig Of Slurs/Atholl Highlanders, both 4-part jigs is longish.
Since your wording was "what do you *think* is a good long set..." I'll feel free to post something I haven't actually tried:
Christmas Eve/Cup Of Tea/Foxhunter's Reel
would be a *very* long set, and seems like it would work given the key changes G/Em-D/G and the endings/beginnings as I hear them in my head. Not exactly easy though, I could follow this ok but wouldn't try leading it at my current playing level.
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
I promised I 'd come back to let you know how your merry blacksmith drinking/playing game would go at our sesion, and I was ready to introduce it but a wonderful player dropped in and got us all revved up so we didnt need to do the game. He played a concertina like he was a snake charmer and it was a snake......
Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Anyone? The longest one I've played so far was a set made up by my friend:
CapeBreton Jig
Charlie Hunter
Drummond Castle
Morrison's Jig
Repeating each one twice, I think it was about 5 minutes, but I'd like to do something a tad longer, maybe like 5-8 tunes ish? ^_^;
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by armandale
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Start 'Merry Blacksmith' as the main tune, do it once, get each player in the circle to do a reel of their choice, once, with Merry Blacksmith played once after each solo. Whoever stuffs it up buys the next round. You get about 10 mins+ of music out of that lot, plus a silly amount of beers. Hic. Thank God I left the car behind.
Jim
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Here's a good lononononong set!
John Ryan's Plaka
London Bridge
Over the Moore to Maggie
Eagan's
Rakes of Mallow
Seige of Ennis(Rattlin' Bog)
~Ryan
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Irishfiddler06
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
LOL Jim -- that's hilarious! The music as drinking game! ;)
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Just string a dozen or so waltzes and slow airs together. *yawn*
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Then you'll be ready for the finale - a medley of lively SLEEP JIGS! *snore*
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Laughtonb
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Ohhhhhh, Bob...! *looking for something to throw*
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
ok . ill propose the drinking game merry blcksmith next tuesday at The Bent Mast Pub (in victoria bc in case you happen to be on Vancouver island next week...). I will let you know how it goes......we are a kind bunch of souls full of vim and vigour (piss and vinegar as my mom would say) but known to stop abruptly after tunes, in a strange unresolved manner... the customers are so susprised and puzzled that they fall off their chairs in lost momentum> they dont know whether to clap or to cry. Its downright embarrassing
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by vboyd100
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Hey Zina girlie, you're definately missing out on something here. It's relaxing to have a tune while you're drinking
Jim
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Here's a favorite of ours at the Green Briar ... we call it "Jig-a-thon".
- Donnybrook Fair
- Saddle the Pony
- Out on the Ocean
- Da Kesh
If you like this set, let me know and I'll post "Reel-a-rama".
Bill -- Boston
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by bfirla
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
We play one we call the "Crooked Set" which--to paraphrase Professor Tolkien--grew in the session.
Starting out with just the barn dance followed by the schottische, it wound up as
Slow air (An Clar Bog Deil, Port na mPucai, or whatever I can wrestle out of the box on the night)
Lord Mayo
The Gypsy Princess
Maggie McGee's Schottische
Francie Mooney's mazurkas in D and G
at least 3 polkas
Timing for the CD, it takes about 11 minutes. Less in the session when the pints, and thus tempi, are flying.
chris smith
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by coyotebanjo
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Wow, thanks guys, I'll have to try these out, I'm not familiar with some of these ^_^;
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by armandale
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
We have a long set which we refer to as "The Carpal Tunnel Set" which is all just one BIG tune.
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by wvwhistler
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Someone says "reels" and that's us for maybe even 40 or 50 mins
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by llig leahcim
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
yeah, we had a competition in a session in blazin in beauly last year, where we tried to keep jigs going and went round the circle and everyone had to think of a different jig to play and if you faltered you were out. I think we made it to about 34 in a row. Mind you, it got a bit tedious after half an hour... Canny remember any of the names tho.
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by Fionafiddler
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Hmmm ..... music and competition eh ......
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by llig leahcim
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Just get the piper to play a solo in the middle of the set which will give you ample time to have three pints at the bar before you're in again.
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by Joe Quinn
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Hmmm ..... drinking and competition eh ......
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
Or you could have the tub thumper do his best imitation of Donnchadh Gough, it will seem like ages anyway : )
Seriously though, just learn a bunch of tunes and practice stringing 'em together on the fly. You have to train yourself to think ahead a little bit while still playing the present tune. Finish the present tune before you start the next one. Sounds easy but it isn't, at least initially; it will take a while before you can do it smoothly and consistently.
Listen to lots of good recordings, go to sessions where big sets are part of the routine, and listen for things that work for you and your ears. Use them as a starting point.
If you play in a ceili band that has arranged sets of 2-3 tunes, try stringing 2 or 3 of these ceili sets together, that's usually fun.
# Posted on April 6th 2004 by Hanley
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
One way to get more for your buck is to choose long tunes. e.g. the standard set: Jig Of Slurs/Atholl Highlanders, both 4-part jigs is longish.
Since your wording was "what do you *think* is a good long set..." I'll feel free to post something I haven't actually tried:
Christmas Eve/Cup Of Tea/Foxhunter's Reel
would be a *very* long set, and seems like it would work given the key changes G/Em-D/G and the endings/beginnings as I hear them in my head. Not exactly easy though, I could follow this ok but wouldn't try leading it at my current playing level.
# Posted on April 7th 2004 by Test
Re: Hmmm, what do you think is a good l0o0o0ng set to do?
I promised I 'd come back to let you know how your merry blacksmith drinking/playing game would go at our sesion, and I was ready to introduce it but a wonderful player dropped in and got us all revved up so we didnt need to do the game. He played a concertina like he was a snake charmer and it was a snake......
# Posted on April 8th 2004 by vboyd100