I took a sabbatical from sessioning, actually playing, for almost three years ( I won't bore you with the details. ) The penultimate bottom line is....... after returning playing two months ago, and might I add incessantly daily for sometimes up to 10/12 hours, the tunes are now rapidly returning. Such is the intensity I'm actually dreaming tunes but the most frustrating aspect is muddling tunes up, i.e. when playing a particular tune I tend to drift into another, this normally happens in the second eight bars. My question is.....am I trying to cram so much into a short period of time, has anybody else experienced this ?
The bottom line is......I drifted into this reel last night and there's a couple of bars frustrating me. A name on the tune will probably help me, so I welcome all suggestions. My "ABC" is not spot on but try this.......
Cheers what?!!?, I had a look at your link. I recognise the tune as "Bean an ti ar lar" but the version of the tune I picked up ( De Dannan late 70's) is slightly different and it is definitely a "c natural"
The bones of the tune are in your link so I'll work my way around that. Many thanks again.
Cheers for that info Kenny. Interesting discussion as to the availibility of the album. BTW did you ever cross paths with a Glaswegian box player Lawrence Mc Elhinney ? He's a good friend of mine and I've lost contact since I came to the US three years ago. I'd like to get in touch again.
After I had been playing for about five years, I stopped playing for somewhat longer once (like 16 years or so), and that definitely happened to me. When I started again I had all the tunes muddled (The Flowing Bowl into O'Rourke's Wild Irishman, The Copperplates - start in one, end up in the other, Tom Billy's into Kid on the Mountain, Over the Oceans into Saddle the Pony, memories of bits of Paddy Ryan's Dream and and and and etc. etc.), but gee it was exciting recognising the old tunes when they jumped out flying as I listened at the sessions. It was a great all consuming selfish time. I too used to spend those kinds of hours playing my heart out and lovin' it till I HAD to get a paying job, Balance, they call it.
Juggle, I call it. Try to juggle commitments to still fit in the music and not go too far backward. I'm not prepared to give up the music totally again. Can't wait till I retire and have enough time, but seeing as I only started working when everyone else is retiring, I guess I'll be juggling for a while yet.
I've known Lawrence for a long time,Strathfoyle, a great box-player. Haven't seen him since a year past January, and I'm sorry, I don't know how to contact him these days. As far as I know, he's still in Glasgow. I think there's a Fleadh in Glasgow next month. If I get down there, I'll look out for him, or ask around. All the best.
Old Scraper : I'm having a whale of a time recalling all the "old" tunes as well as learning new ones. I'm not looking forward to returning to work when the bank balance dwindles
Kenny: I'd much appreciate that. I'll email you my details in a while.
Just noticed that 'The McElhinney Family' are playing the 'Folk in the Park' festival at the Ulster American Folk Park.
I wonder if that's Lawrence & his Dad, who lives in Derry, plus others?
As Mrs Pt & myself are also playing there that weekend, if it is them, I'll get contact details for you.
Hi Ptarmigan, I don't think it is them. I was speaking to his dad yesterday and he didn't mention that. He tells me that Lawrence is doing very little playing at the moment due to work committments.
Well done Strath, it can be hard starting back again after a long break (mine was for four and a half years).
Keep up the good work, believe me I sympathise.
By the wy Diarmuid said to tell Kevin hello, although I think that message is a few weeks old by now. Sorry.
Maria x
Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Guys and gals,
I took a sabbatical from sessioning, actually playing, for almost three years ( I won't bore you with the details. ) The penultimate bottom line is....... after returning playing two months ago, and might I add incessantly daily for sometimes up to 10/12 hours, the tunes are now rapidly returning. Such is the intensity I'm actually dreaming tunes but the most frustrating aspect is muddling tunes up, i.e. when playing a particular tune I tend to drift into another, this normally happens in the second eight bars. My question is.....am I trying to cram so much into a short period of time, has anybody else experienced this ?
The bottom line is......I drifted into this reel last night and there's a couple of bars frustrating me. A name on the tune will probably help me, so I welcome all suggestions. My "ABC" is not spot on but try this.......
The tune's in D major :
cdAG/FE2D/FDGE/FE2D/cdAG/FE2D/FD2E/c(natural)ABG/ .....
Thank you.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Cheers what?!!?, I had a look at your link. I recognise the tune as "Bean an ti ar lar" but the version of the tune I picked up ( De Dannan late 70's) is slightly different and it is definitely a "c natural"
The bones of the tune are in your link so I'll work my way around that. Many thanks again.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
De Dannan were a wee band back then. The fiddler wasn't half bad, I forget his name now
Charlie Piggot's banjo playing was the attraction for me.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
I should have added, I no longer have the De Dannan tape. Does anybody know what album it was on ?
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/605
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Kenny
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Cheers for that info Kenny. Interesting discussion as to the availibility of the album. BTW did you ever cross paths with a Glaswegian box player Lawrence Mc Elhinney ? He's a good friend of mine and I've lost contact since I came to the US three years ago. I'd like to get in touch again.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
After I had been playing for about five years, I stopped playing for somewhat longer once (like 16 years or so), and that definitely happened to me. When I started again I had all the tunes muddled (The Flowing Bowl into O'Rourke's Wild Irishman, The Copperplates - start in one, end up in the other, Tom Billy's into Kid on the Mountain, Over the Oceans into Saddle the Pony, memories of bits of Paddy Ryan's Dream and and and and etc. etc.), but gee it was exciting recognising the old tunes when they jumped out flying as I listened at the sessions. It was a great all consuming selfish time. I too used to spend those kinds of hours playing my heart out and lovin' it till I HAD to get a paying job, Balance, they call it.
Juggle, I call it. Try to juggle commitments to still fit in the music and not go too far backward. I'm not prepared to give up the music totally again. Can't wait till I retire and have enough time, but seeing as I only started working when everyone else is retiring, I guess I'll be juggling for a while yet.
I envy your situation Strathfoyle, keep dreaming.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Clear Drops
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
I've known Lawrence for a long time,Strathfoyle, a great box-player. Haven't seen him since a year past January, and I'm sorry, I don't know how to contact him these days. As far as I know, he's still in Glasgow. I think there's a Fleadh in Glasgow next month. If I get down there, I'll look out for him, or ask around. All the best.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Kenny
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Old Scraper : I'm having a whale of a time recalling all the "old" tunes as well as learning new ones. I'm not looking forward to returning to work when the bank balance dwindles
Kenny: I'd much appreciate that. I'll email you my details in a while.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
The De Dannan (De Danann in those days) album was called "Selected Jigs And Reels" if memory serves.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by dafydd
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Hi Strathfoyle,
Just noticed that 'The McElhinney Family' are playing the 'Folk in the Park' festival at the Ulster American Folk Park.
I wonder if that's Lawrence & his Dad, who lives in Derry, plus others?
As Mrs Pt & myself are also playing there that weekend, if it is them, I'll get contact details for you.
http://www.folkpark.com/whats_on/events/?article=1253
# Posted on April 18th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Hi Ptarmigan, I don't think it is them. I was speaking to his dad yesterday and he didn't mention that. He tells me that Lawrence is doing very little playing at the moment due to work committments.
# Posted on April 18th 2006 by Strathfoyle
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Och that's a pity!
It would have been fun, meeting up with them again.
# Posted on April 18th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Hi Kenny, when & where in Glasgow is the Fleadh? I might just be tempted to come through myself...
# Posted on April 18th 2006 by Ron P
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
Well done Strath, it can be hard starting back again after a long break (mine was for four and a half years).
Keep up the good work, believe me I sympathise.
By the wy Diarmuid said to tell Kevin hello, although I think that message is a few weeks old by now. Sorry.
Maria x
# Posted on April 19th 2006 by blas
Re: Those tunes are jumping out at me !
let them jump over your head . . .
# Posted on May 7th 2006 by lisaniska