My first session was just four months ago, so the memory is pretty fresh in my mind. It's a very friendly session, run by my fiddle teacher, and the first time I attended was also the first time I played. I'd been playing for less than three months, and joined in on four tunes - two polkas, an air, and a slide. Some went better than others, but I was one of some two dozen players, nearly half of whom were on fiddles, and I was holding my teacher to his promise that "don't worry if you miss some notes; no one can hear you!"
How did it feel? Biggest high I'd ever experienced in my life, and it had me hooked. I stuck around that night for the next two hours, my fiddle in its case underneath the table, and at some point I asked another of the fiddlers the name of a tune. She told me, and asked if I played anything. I pointed to my case.
"Why aren't you playing now?"
"Because I've been playing for less than three months and I don't know any of these tunes and I'm no good at all."
"So what?" she said. "Take your fiddle out and play!" She told me that she'd started attending a few years ago, with her daughter, and only recently took up the fiddle herself. Over the course of the year she picked up a handful of tunes, note by note, and over the weeks they came together.
Emboldened, I came back two weeks later, played the same set of tunes I'd tried the previous time, did a decent job of another air, committed gross acts of violence against a pair of jigs and a reel, and then put my fiddle away for the next two hours. Soon I attracted the attention of a mandolin player.
"Do you play anything?" he asked.
"Learning fiddle," I said, "But I've only been playing for about three months and I don't know any of these tunes and I'm no good at all even on the ones I do play."
"So what?" he said. "Take your fiddle out and play!"
I had that conversation a few more times before I started keeping my fiddle on the table, and then in my lap, for the duration of the session. I've figured out four full tunes and several fragments in the past several months, and one of the regulars made my night the other week when she commented, "We haven't met, but I see you around here...every week you're playing more and more."
I know that not all sessions are as welcoming as mine, but I'm grateful to have one that's so encouraging toward beginners. And it's friendly enough that the beginners stick around until well past the point that they're beginners; I know I'll be coming around until I get to the point that the session sounds better with me than without.
That's amazing Tall - only around 3 months and you're in there - okay it helps that the teach was there at the beginning but still what a great introduction. I have been playing for longer but never had the courage to play in front of others and spread myself to thin over too many reels, jigs, hornpipes etc. I had the opportunity when I lived in Dublin and Galway but couldn't find the courage to bring my fiddle with to the sessions! ( I turn violent pink with embarrassment very easily!) Now I have narrowed it down and am making progress anyway so hopefully it won't be long...
My first session was just over a year ago. I have been playing the violin for several years and had a fair few sets of tunes up my sleeve but it was still pretty nerve wracking. What impressed me most was how encouraging and supportive everyone was and how much fun and banter they all had.
StevieE, go for it. Like bowburner, more than anything else I've been so amazed and impressed by how encouraging everyone is. At my session at least (and I know that not all of them are like this) there's the attitude that if you want to play, then you should play. I'd also add that it helps to find a large session - you can really hide in one. (I'm aware of some smaller sessions in cities I visit on occasion, but I don't feel I'm ready to play if there are only five or six others around. One day, one day...) Honestly, my first time in I'd half expected I'd be so noticeably bad that dozens of musicians would stop mid-tune to stare at me and then boot me from the pub forever. I realize in retrospect how self-centred a fear that was; in reality, no one was paying attention to me playing!
Ireland's 32 in Suffern, NY...thanks to Jim Coogan and company for making me feel so welcome. The first tune I played there was "Cherish the Ladies", thinking everyone would know it and join in...I was wrong.
The first session I went to was in the late 70's in a small midwestern town. I had been listening to some Trad by then but hadn't discovered the Bothy Band yet. Everybody was exceptionally kind and accepting of me - so I was thrilled, really.
Your little story near brought a tear to my eye. Its SO similar to mine.
The encouragement I got from other musicians who urged me to play in the same way as you is something i'll never forget.
Whats great is, even now I'm still getting an infinite amout of encouragement to play the fiddle (i'm only playing fiddle for two - three months now)
Since I started playing the fiddle in our sessions, I have improved so much. All due to my peers offering me help and encouragement, and above all making me feel more relaxed. As I was told at the last session... "if you make a mistake, who gives a sh@t, everyone dose. (oops)
My first proper session was when I was 12 or 13 years old. I started learning the bodhrán with the McPeake music school at 7 years old and was teaching my own class by 11. Despite being OK for my age and having played along with countless tunes with the other musicians in concerts and so on I'd never played at a proper pub session.
I used to practice (in the toilets usually!) with Gary Duffy, Patrick Davey, Tony Friel, Claire Rocks and the other older players. They always used to tell me about sessions in mythical places such as Tom Kelly's, Madden's, Kelly's Cellars and the Rotterdam.
I was so envious and couldn't wait to be a bit older.
Finally one Saturday evening Gary asked me did I want to come to Madden's for the session! I leapt at the chance and had a wonderful night in the company of many musicians who i'd never met before, most of whom are now good friends.
My parents were a bit worried when they were told about it but to give them credit they trusted my friends. I didn't accept a free drink at a session until I was a good bit older.
For Tall, Dark and Mysterious - thanks for that last sentence on your last post about a fear being self-centred - that is a great way to put it and makes a lot of sense - everyone is on their own mission too and I am glad of that!
My first was a Monday night at the old Eagle Tavern in NYC about 1976. I was terrified, with a guitar, quietly followed along where I felt sure footed. I remember Paddy Reynolds was there and I was next to him, just by chance, didn't know who he was yet, and he turned to the others and said "Now this girl knows how to play guitar". I was thrilled, had been sure everyone would hate me, had a different way of playing but it was all I knew, fingerstyle. Thank you Paddy, up there somewhere! You really made me feel welcome and good.
After that I went to a few where I didn't feel so welcomed at. I was always an understated player, and pretty shy, so would back off pretty easily.
If I knew Paddy was going to be around though, anywhere, I'd go out and sit as near him as possible. I could see he was a bit 'difficult' and hard on players at times, but he was always kind to me and I will never forget that. He'd ask me to play along with him sometimes on a solo too once in a while. That man gave me confidence...a great gift.
Hmmm... I think I was 8. I think the tune was The Piper's Chair. I definitely remember the corn beef sandwiches the pub owner's mother made for me afterwards in the kitchen. I think she probably reckoned I needed to wind down after all the excitement. It was way past my bed time after all.
I still go to that pub for sessions everytime I'm home. It's great to see all the kids still being welcomed in - they have a Sunday afternoon session now which helps.
My story's not entirely different from TDM's. It was about 6 months ago and my wife (who sings real pretty) was talked into going to a session by a colleague and I went along too, just to listen. When the other musicians found out that I had been playing harmonica for 6 months they told me to come again and bring my instruments next time, despite my protestations that I was rubbish at playing and didn't know any tunes.
The next time I managed to attend was 2 months later (these sessions are only monthly), by which point I had learnt a couple of tunes. The first tune (Miss McLeod's) someone else started on my behalf, and I struggled to keep up. The second (funnily enough, the Kesh) I was persuaded to start myself and, after screwing up horribly, the others encouraged me to keep going, after which things went far better. The feeling when a bunch of other musicians joined in with my tune for the first time is one that I will never forget and is the reason I got totally hooked.
I'm still rubbish at playing but I know a few more tunes now.
I'll be heading out of town in a few weeks, and thought I'd drop in on a session that's advertised as open to anyone, with everyone in attendance being invited to start a tune. And digging through my repertoire, the other day, trying to figure out what I could start that wouldn't result in me playing a solo, I came up with...the Kesh.
I went to my first session on tuesday last week. It was organised by my teacher and was mostly full of fiddlers that she teachers. Which was great. Having had about five lessons myself, i was deffinitely the worst player there but as a group we didn't know many tunes together. I was encouraged to play and to try things out very nicely but as my ability to play with other people is zero i sounded pretty awful. Still, practise makes perfect and it really was a great night. I'm really looking forward to the next one.
Reminisce
Reminisce
Do you remember your first session and how did it feel - how long were you playing before you joined in for the first time..
# Posted on January 16th 2007 by StevieE
Re: Reminisce
My first session was just four months ago, so the memory is pretty fresh in my mind. It's a very friendly session, run by my fiddle teacher, and the first time I attended was also the first time I played. I'd been playing for less than three months, and joined in on four tunes - two polkas, an air, and a slide. Some went better than others, but I was one of some two dozen players, nearly half of whom were on fiddles, and I was holding my teacher to his promise that "don't worry if you miss some notes; no one can hear you!"
How did it feel? Biggest high I'd ever experienced in my life, and it had me hooked. I stuck around that night for the next two hours, my fiddle in its case underneath the table, and at some point I asked another of the fiddlers the name of a tune. She told me, and asked if I played anything. I pointed to my case.
"Why aren't you playing now?"
"Because I've been playing for less than three months and I don't know any of these tunes and I'm no good at all."
"So what?" she said. "Take your fiddle out and play!" She told me that she'd started attending a few years ago, with her daughter, and only recently took up the fiddle herself. Over the course of the year she picked up a handful of tunes, note by note, and over the weeks they came together.
Emboldened, I came back two weeks later, played the same set of tunes I'd tried the previous time, did a decent job of another air, committed gross acts of violence against a pair of jigs and a reel, and then put my fiddle away for the next two hours. Soon I attracted the attention of a mandolin player.
"Do you play anything?" he asked.
"Learning fiddle," I said, "But I've only been playing for about three months and I don't know any of these tunes and I'm no good at all even on the ones I do play."
"So what?" he said. "Take your fiddle out and play!"
I had that conversation a few more times before I started keeping my fiddle on the table, and then in my lap, for the duration of the session. I've figured out four full tunes and several fragments in the past several months, and one of the regulars made my night the other week when she commented, "We haven't met, but I see you around here...every week you're playing more and more."
I know that not all sessions are as welcoming as mine, but I'm grateful to have one that's so encouraging toward beginners. And it's friendly enough that the beginners stick around until well past the point that they're beginners; I know I'll be coming around until I get to the point that the session sounds better with me than without.
# Posted on January 16th 2007 by Tall, Dark, and Mysterious
Re: Reminisce
That's amazing Tall - only around 3 months and you're in there - okay it helps that the teach was there at the beginning but still what a great introduction. I have been playing for longer but never had the courage to play in front of others and spread myself to thin over too many reels, jigs, hornpipes etc. I had the opportunity when I lived in Dublin and Galway but couldn't find the courage to bring my fiddle with to the sessions! ( I turn violent pink with embarrassment very easily!) Now I have narrowed it down and am making progress anyway so hopefully it won't be long...
# Posted on January 16th 2007 by StevieE
Re: Reminisce
My first session was just over a year ago. I have been playing the violin for several years and had a fair few sets of tunes up my sleeve but it was still pretty nerve wracking. What impressed me most was how encouraging and supportive everyone was and how much fun and banter they all had.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by bowburner
Re: Reminisce
StevieE, go for it. Like bowburner, more than anything else I've been so amazed and impressed by how encouraging everyone is. At my session at least (and I know that not all of them are like this) there's the attitude that if you want to play, then you should play. I'd also add that it helps to find a large session - you can really hide in one. (I'm aware of some smaller sessions in cities I visit on occasion, but I don't feel I'm ready to play if there are only five or six others around. One day, one day...) Honestly, my first time in I'd half expected I'd be so noticeably bad that dozens of musicians would stop mid-tune to stare at me and then boot me from the pub forever. I realize in retrospect how self-centred a fear that was; in reality, no one was paying attention to me playing!
Keep us posted.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by Tall, Dark, and Mysterious
Re: Reminisce
I can even remeber the first tune I started up at a session - it was The Kesh!
(cringe)
Ach, it's not such a bad wee tune to start off with really....
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: Reminisce
It's a great tune, Danny.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by Ottery
Re: Reminisce
Ireland's 32 in Suffern, NY...thanks to Jim Coogan and company for making me feel so welcome. The first tune I played there was "Cherish the Ladies", thinking everyone would know it and join in...I was wrong.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by irishfiddler32
Re: Reminisce
irishfiddler32, we miss you very much!!!
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: Reminisce
The first session I went to was in the late 70's in a small midwestern town. I had been listening to some Trad by then but hadn't discovered the Bothy Band yet. Everybody was exceptionally kind and accepting of me - so I was thrilled, really.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by morning star
Re: Reminisce
Tall Dark and Mysterious,
Your little story near brought a tear to my eye. Its SO similar to mine.
The encouragement I got from other musicians who urged me to play in the same way as you is something i'll never forget.
Whats great is, even now I'm still getting an infinite amout of encouragement to play the fiddle (i'm only playing fiddle for two - three months now)
Since I started playing the fiddle in our sessions, I have improved so much. All due to my peers offering me help and encouragement, and above all making me feel more relaxed. As I was told at the last session... "if you make a mistake, who gives a sh@t, everyone dose. (oops)
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by session savage
Re: Reminisce
My first proper session was when I was 12 or 13 years old. I started learning the bodhrán with the McPeake music school at 7 years old and was teaching my own class by 11. Despite being OK for my age and having played along with countless tunes with the other musicians in concerts and so on I'd never played at a proper pub session.
I used to practice (in the toilets usually!) with Gary Duffy, Patrick Davey, Tony Friel, Claire Rocks and the other older players. They always used to tell me about sessions in mythical places such as Tom Kelly's, Madden's, Kelly's Cellars and the Rotterdam.
I was so envious and couldn't wait to be a bit older.
Finally one Saturday evening Gary asked me did I want to come to Madden's for the session! I leapt at the chance and had a wonderful night in the company of many musicians who i'd never met before, most of whom are now good friends.
My parents were a bit worried when they were told about it but to give them credit they trusted my friends. I didn't accept a free drink at a session until I was a good bit older.
Haven't looked back!
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Reminisce
For Tall, Dark and Mysterious - thanks for that last sentence on your last post about a fear being self-centred - that is a great way to put it and makes a lot of sense - everyone is on their own mission too and I am glad of that!
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by StevieE
Re: Reminisce
My first was a Monday night at the old Eagle Tavern in NYC about 1976. I was terrified, with a guitar, quietly followed along where I felt sure footed. I remember Paddy Reynolds was there and I was next to him, just by chance, didn't know who he was yet, and he turned to the others and said "Now this girl knows how to play guitar". I was thrilled, had been sure everyone would hate me, had a different way of playing but it was all I knew, fingerstyle. Thank you Paddy, up there somewhere! You really made me feel welcome and good.
After that I went to a few where I didn't feel so welcomed at. I was always an understated player, and pretty shy, so would back off pretty easily.
If I knew Paddy was going to be around though, anywhere, I'd go out and sit as near him as possible. I could see he was a bit 'difficult' and hard on players at times, but he was always kind to me and I will never forget that. He'd ask me to play along with him sometimes on a solo too once in a while. That man gave me confidence...a great gift.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: Reminisce
Hmmm... I think I was 8. I think the tune was The Piper's Chair. I definitely remember the corn beef sandwiches the pub owner's mother made for me afterwards in the kitchen. I think she probably reckoned I needed to wind down after all the excitement. It was way past my bed time after all.
I still go to that pub for sessions everytime I'm home. It's great to see all the kids still being welcomed in - they have a Sunday afternoon session now which helps.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by ceoltoir2010
Re: Reminisce
Hi, Iris...man, I miss alll of you guys too! Makin' my way here in Savannah, though...doing the best I can! Say hi to everyone for me...
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by irishfiddler32
Re: Reminisce
My story's not entirely different from TDM's. It was about 6 months ago and my wife (who sings real pretty) was talked into going to a session by a colleague and I went along too, just to listen. When the other musicians found out that I had been playing harmonica for 6 months they told me to come again and bring my instruments next time, despite my protestations that I was rubbish at playing and didn't know any tunes.
The next time I managed to attend was 2 months later (these sessions are only monthly), by which point I had learnt a couple of tunes. The first tune (Miss McLeod's) someone else started on my behalf, and I struggled to keep up. The second (funnily enough, the Kesh) I was persuaded to start myself and, after screwing up horribly, the others encouraged me to keep going, after which things went far better. The feeling when a bunch of other musicians joined in with my tune for the first time is one that I will never forget and is the reason I got totally hooked.
I'm still rubbish at playing but I know a few more tunes now.
# Posted on January 17th 2007 by robharper
Re: Reminisce
Five minutes, twenty seven seconds into my first attendance at a session, that's when I knew I would be better joining in.
Just natural talent, to be truthful, and I hate false modesty.
# Posted on January 18th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Reminisce
Aw, crikey -
I'll be heading out of town in a few weeks, and thought I'd drop in on a session that's advertised as open to anyone, with everyone in attendance being invited to start a tune. And digging through my repertoire, the other day, trying to figure out what I could start that wouldn't result in me playing a solo, I came up with...the Kesh.
# Posted on January 18th 2007 by Tall, Dark, and Mysterious
Re: Reminisce
I went to my first session on tuesday last week. It was organised by my teacher and was mostly full of fiddlers that she teachers. Which was great. Having had about five lessons myself, i was deffinitely the worst player there but as a group we didn't know many tunes together. I was encouraged to play and to try things out very nicely but as my ability to play with other people is zero i sounded pretty awful. Still, practise makes perfect and it really was a great night. I'm really looking forward to the next one.
# Posted on January 18th 2007 by velvet