So you get to your session and drag the instrument out of the bag/case, and check it's "near enough in tune for this sort of stuff", and then get going on the first tune of the night.
Do you leap into something pretty damn' impressive, or do you start off on a warmer-upper to get the old fingers into action? Do you go for an old favourite (even The Old Favourite), or slip in a newie for people to digest?
I usually start with a couple of nice swingy reels like the shaskeen or something like that. Set of three maybe and usually in G which helps everyone to get their tuning right.
I usually need to drink three glasses of whisky before I myself start a set.
Bridie visited Tokyo and had some tunes with us around a couple of months ago. When she asked me to start a tune in the beginning of the session, I said "No, I'm not drunk enough." Then she shouted "That's my line!"
We always start off with something simple and well known, usually jigs, like Lark in the Morning or Banish Misfortune. That blows out the cobwebs and prepares us for the evening.
I remember someone insisting on starting with "Banish Misfortune" for superstitious reasons.
Starters always seem to be easy jigs, though some bad people started off with Sheehan's Reel once, and I nearly pulled a pinkie muscle in the B part. Always warm up with some gentle stuff....
Def something simple. If it's just the usual suspects, then it's Belles of Tipperary/Jackie Coleman's/Bunker Hill, because at this point we can play it in our sleep. If it's not, then whatever we feel like stringing together that's common and easy. Oh, and reels, almost always.
Depends on how I've been sounding lately. if I'm on top of it, I'll start with something challenging, but if I've been mucking up a lot I'll fall back on a good-old-reliable like The Frost is All Over or The Connaughtman's Rambles.
Usually at home, though, I warm up with something by Carolan because if I don't my husband will poke his head around the doorsill and wistfully ask if I was going to play anything by Carolan this time?
I would like to like to warm up with Banish but a lot of the Early Learners don't know it so we find Lark in the Morning is a good starter - easy with lots of parts.
If the Early Learners don't want to play initially, I will warm up with some tunes not played in the session to see what their reaction is.
Warming up
Warming up
So you get to your session and drag the instrument out of the bag/case, and check it's "near enough in tune for this sort of stuff", and then get going on the first tune of the night.
Do you leap into something pretty damn' impressive, or do you start off on a warmer-upper to get the old fingers into action? Do you go for an old favourite (even The Old Favourite), or slip in a newie for people to digest?
Discuss or ignore as appropriate.
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Warming up
(Looks the other way, trying to ignore....)
Nah. My solution is simple. I let someone else start up a set.
:~{}
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by Rudall the time
Re: Warming up
I usually start with a couple of nice swingy reels like the shaskeen or something like that. Set of three maybe and usually in G which helps everyone to get their tuning right.
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by breandan
Re: Warming up
I usually need to play two or three sets before I get into the playing
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by Cath
Re: Warming up
I usually need to drink three glasses of whisky before I myself start a set.
Bridie visited Tokyo and had some tunes with us around a couple of months ago. When she asked me to start a tune in the beginning of the session, I said "No, I'm not drunk enough." Then she shouted "That's my line!"
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by slainte
Re: Warming up
We always start off with something simple and well known, usually jigs, like Lark in the Morning or Banish Misfortune. That blows out the cobwebs and prepares us for the evening.
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by AlBrown
Re: Warming up
I remember someone insisting on starting with "Banish Misfortune" for superstitious reasons.
Starters always seem to be easy jigs, though some bad people started off with Sheehan's Reel once, and I nearly pulled a pinkie muscle in the B part. Always warm up with some gentle stuff....
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by grego
Re: Warming up
Def something simple. If it's just the usual suspects, then it's Belles of Tipperary/Jackie Coleman's/Bunker Hill, because at this point we can play it in our sleep. If it's not, then whatever we feel like stringing together that's common and easy. Oh, and reels, almost always.
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: Warming up
Depends on how I've been sounding lately. if I'm on top of it, I'll start with something challenging, but if I've been mucking up a lot I'll fall back on a good-old-reliable like The Frost is All Over or The Connaughtman's Rambles.
Usually at home, though, I warm up with something by Carolan because if I don't my husband will poke his head around the doorsill and wistfully ask if I was going to play anything by Carolan this time?
# Posted on August 19th 2005 by sara g
Re: Warming up
I would like to like to warm up with Banish but a lot of the Early Learners don't know it so we find Lark in the Morning is a good starter - easy with lots of parts.
If the Early Learners don't want to play initially, I will warm up with some tunes not played in the session to see what their reaction is.
# Posted on August 22nd 2005 by geoffwright
Warming Up
I would and like to start off wth Sheehan's Reel. Or Miss McLeod's.
-dogma
# Posted on August 23rd 2005 by dogmageek