Per the recent discussion "Your 'New tune' is a 'Tired tune'"
how about the opposite: when knobody knows it!
You know the one. you're listening to a CD or something and get blown away by a tune. It rocks your soul. And you are POSSITIVELY SURE that everyone who hears it will want to learn it, or there's bound to be a few advanced players that know your tune.
Afterall, they know ALL the tunes and a tune as good as this one has got to be known to teh wizzes. Wrong, you've wasted your time learning it. Drat.
That happened to me with the hornpipe: "The Harp and the Shamrock". Apparently it never made it around Boston.
Harp and Shamrock is a nice tune, but some people shy away from tunes from what they see as "popular" recordings. So the "Lunasa backlash" may be why no one is joining in with you.
Sometimes it takes a while for people to come around to a tune. If I really like a tune, I keep hauling it out, once a month or so, until someone else finally gives up and learns it.
Or I'll sit down with one of my session mates between the weekly brawl and we'll swap a few new tunes. Then when we *both* play them together at the next session, the fresh tunes have already acheived critical mass, and other people pick them up.
That H/P set from Mna na hEirreann by Macalla, The Chancellor &
Paddy O'Sullivan's, is one I drag out now and again. I'm not sure whether people haven't got round to learning it yet (most likely) or whether they want me to solo it (most unlikely), but I end up doing them on my own most of the time. And I've a fair few like that. That's the way it goes. Some tunes are your own tunes. But they're never a waste of time.
'Or I'll sit down with one of my session mates between the weekly brawl and we'll swap a few new tunes. Then when we *both* play them together at the next session, the fresh tunes have already acheived critical mass, and other people pick them up.'
I like this strategy. Seems to work for legislation, as well.
Its not a waste of time if you learn a tune that noone else does. If I went by that theory I'd not be learning many new tunes....Anyhow - just keep playing it until people start learning it.
I've introduced a good few tunes to the local collection and each one started out with me just playing it by myself. Until at least one other person learns it, the tune might remain obscure. If you keep playing it someone else is bound to learn it eventually. Many of the tunes I lean are a result of someone else doing the same thing. The ones that come from current popular recordings are the easiest to get going, but the ones you pull from obscure sources eventually find their way in if you keep at it.
It depends on whether you enjoy playing alone or whether you feel more comfortable playing with other melody instruments, I guess. If I'm playing in a crowded session, I won't be comfortable playing an obscure, and difficult, tune on my own. Later on, when I've had a skinful of pints, and the Zouk player's on a mission too, all the weird D-Mixolydian tunes that no-one else seems to think are absolutely essential get an airing. I don't really care then, and no-one else does either. And when another player knows a few of them, it becomes really good fun. But, if there's a queue for set-starting, forget it.
It definitely depends on the circumstances all right. If it's a crowded and noisy session I wouldn't choose that opportunity to introduce new tunes. It only works if it's a quiet and fairly small session where you can say, "Have you guys heard this tune?"
'The Fretful Porcupine' - by Jean Paul Razzle (I think!). I learned it by ear from an Albion Band album years ago, and must have played it dozens of times at sessions without success.
The only person who joined in was an accompanist at a session in the UK. When I told him he was the first person I'd ever met who knew the tune his response was 'I don't - I was just following what YOU were doing...'. D'oh!
I keep tripping it out every now and then, 'though, in the vain hope someone else will join in. It's a great tune.
Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
Per the recent discussion "Your 'New tune' is a 'Tired tune'"
how about the opposite: when knobody knows it!
You know the one. you're listening to a CD or something and get blown away by a tune. It rocks your soul. And you are POSSITIVELY SURE that everyone who hears it will want to learn it, or there's bound to be a few advanced players that know your tune.
Afterall, they know ALL the tunes and a tune as good as this one has got to be known to teh wizzes. Wrong, you've wasted your time learning it. Drat.
That happened to me with the hornpipe: "The Harp and the Shamrock". Apparently it never made it around Boston.
Well? What's your "dead tune" ecperience?
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by saltcast
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
Why have you "wasted your time " learning it? You've still got a good tune, haven't you ?
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Kenny
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
I would have thought those "advanced players" would pick up a new tune by the 3rd time around, no matter where it came from.
If not, maybe they're not quite the masters they pose as.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Martin Milner
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
Harp and Shamrock is a nice tune, but some people shy away from tunes from what they see as "popular" recordings. So the "Lunasa backlash" may be why no one is joining in with you.
Sometimes it takes a while for people to come around to a tune. If I really like a tune, I keep hauling it out, once a month or so, until someone else finally gives up and learns it.
Or I'll sit down with one of my session mates between the weekly brawl and we'll swap a few new tunes. Then when we *both* play them together at the next session, the fresh tunes have already acheived critical mass, and other people pick them up.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Will CPT
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
That H/P set from Mna na hEirreann by Macalla, The Chancellor &
Paddy O'Sullivan's, is one I drag out now and again. I'm not sure whether people haven't got round to learning it yet (most likely) or whether they want me to solo it (most unlikely), but I end up doing them on my own most of the time. And I've a fair few like that. That's the way it goes. Some tunes are your own tunes. But they're never a waste of time.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
'Or I'll sit down with one of my session mates between the weekly brawl and we'll swap a few new tunes. Then when we *both* play them together at the next session, the fresh tunes have already acheived critical mass, and other people pick them up.'
I like this strategy. Seems to work for legislation, as well.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by gravelwalks
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
No worries, Saltcast!
Harp and Shamrock has indeed made it to Boston! What session do you go to?
Cheers,
Armand
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by fiddlinviolinin
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
It's a tricky thing to steer between the tyranny of the obscure and the tyranny of the overly familiar.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by crazy_fingerz
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
Its not a waste of time if you learn a tune that noone else does. If I went by that theory I'd not be learning many new tunes....Anyhow - just keep playing it until people start learning it.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by bb Cruella de vil
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
I've introduced a good few tunes to the local collection and each one started out with me just playing it by myself. Until at least one other person learns it, the tune might remain obscure. If you keep playing it someone else is bound to learn it eventually. Many of the tunes I lean are a result of someone else doing the same thing. The ones that come from current popular recordings are the easiest to get going, but the ones you pull from obscure sources eventually find their way in if you keep at it.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Phantom Button
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
It depends on whether you enjoy playing alone or whether you feel more comfortable playing with other melody instruments, I guess. If I'm playing in a crowded session, I won't be comfortable playing an obscure, and difficult, tune on my own. Later on, when I've had a skinful of pints, and the Zouk player's on a mission too, all the weird D-Mixolydian tunes that no-one else seems to think are absolutely essential get an airing. I don't really care then, and no-one else does either. And when another player knows a few of them, it becomes really good fun. But, if there's a queue for set-starting, forget it.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Robert Ryan
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
It definitely depends on the circumstances all right. If it's a crowded and noisy session I wouldn't choose that opportunity to introduce new tunes. It only works if it's a quiet and fairly small session where you can say, "Have you guys heard this tune?"
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Phantom Button
Re: Your "New tune" is a "too remote" tune
'The Fretful Porcupine' - by Jean Paul Razzle (I think!). I learned it by ear from an Albion Band album years ago, and must have played it dozens of times at sessions without success.
The only person who joined in was an accompanist at a session in the UK. When I told him he was the first person I'd ever met who knew the tune his response was 'I don't - I was just following what YOU were doing...'. D'oh!
I keep tripping it out every now and then, 'though, in the vain hope someone else will join in. It's a great tune.
Eno
# Posted on February 7th 2007 by bc_box_player