I have been asked to coordinate a couple of Improvers sessions at Shrewsbury Folk Festival. I am planning to have 4 experienced players to keep the tunes going and at a reasonable speed. I have put a PDF tunebook at http://www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk/tunebook/index.shtml .
Has anyone got any words of wisdom about running a session like this? It's a bit of an experiment but we are starting to get some good feedback on the festival's blog site
Any experiment that seeks to increase appreciation and skill is a welcome, but tell us more, please? How do you see this being structured, how much time do you have, is there a 'lesson' or 'workshop' element to it or that occurs beforehand??? Is it another way of saying 'slow session', for fear of the usual detractors to such activity?
I won't go the 20 questions but would love to know more ~ like exactly what is a "Shrewsbury Folk Festival Improvers Session"? The first three words of it I think I ken...
Give us your hopes and ideals for it first, understanding will help us respond more constructively and to the point, as I gained little further understanding checking the tunebook. How is that to be used? What is its intention?
An initial response from just the bare bones given here...
If you are expecting a crowd, anything larger than say 6, plus your four key participants, then maybe dividing the group up into smaller groups, where turns are taken doing sets. While one group plays the others listen. And, maybe, this could be followed by a 'short' critique of that contribution before going on to another group and set. Or even having each group at some point play the same set, for comparison? This way part of the purpose of the 'improvers session' would be to listen, and listen critically, with the focus being on constructive criticism. Issues that could be addressed this way ~ balance, tempo, colour, the importance of listening to others and blending, reaching 'agreement', being in the 'groove' with each other, and how to achieve these???
Where is everybody? Has this subject scared them off?
Back to my basic query ~ what are the objectives? For example, is it that you hope to raise the understanding and appreciation of what makes for a 'good' session? If so you'd also have to have a clear idea in mind of what was meant by 'good'...
I'd hoped to see more, but I'll return again... Best of luck, and please return let us know how it turns out, good and bad, to inspire and inform...
I would consider myself the type of player that would attend a session advertised like this, so I applaud your efforts. To go from learning the fiddle and practicing a lot to joining a session is a big step, and a humbling one. (Or at least it was for my first few attempts.)
I think you've done a good thing to publish a playlist. Those that are testing the waters will be well served to know what will be played. You've provided them ample information to get the most out of this. I know I don't get everything out of a workshop if I'm struggling just to learn the tunes. I think this way, you can work at helping people play with others, or at least feel more comfortable doing so.
I think a lot of conducting such a session requires a lot of flexibility. As ceolachan mentions, the numbers could force an adjustment, as could their playing skills. Sounds like you've got enough reinforcements to be able to adjust and pull off a great event. As long as you keep it fun, and everyone gets to play (even if not every song), you should be fine.
I like your labeling of the session as "improvers" because it infers a transition to something else that is improved. Removes the stigma of "beginner" which could then be used by the exclusive to exclude. "Oh so and so was in the beginners' sess, why doesn't he/she stay there and not be annoying us radicals who never were or can't remember ever being improvers." Always thought improving was a lifelong journey where-ever you fit in the hierarchy continuum.
Don't much like the idea of people printing off the sheetmusic and rustling through it ta find the right toons on music stands at the sess though.
... but then I won't to going to Shrewsbury so I don't really know why I'm contributing here. I wish you luck izzymac. You are brave to take on such an undertaking. Hope it works for you.
Your tune book is a great idea and is just the thing for us 'improvers' wishing to get the basic idea of the tunes that might be played.. Can anyone help me with a technical problem please? When I print off the PDF file, the print-out is quite small, even when I increase the magnifacation to 300% it still comes out the same size in the print. Is there something else I should be doing to the file? Oh my failing eyes! Thanks.
Gran Cassa, it isn't the magnification that adjust the size of the print out, that will be with your printer settings. It is possible, taking 'Gran Cassa' as possibly suggestion your geographic location, Spanish, possibly North America?, that the problem may be between the settings for Britain and wherever you are? Anyway, you need to make the adjustments with your printer. I'd save the pdf first, then access it from your computer rather than the Internet. Open it, go to 'File' and then 'Print Setup'... British paper size is A4, and if you are in North America the closest thing would be 'legal' (the longer paper size) not 'letter' (which is shorter than A4)... Best of luck...
This is where this site can excel, all great contributions ~ DITTO to the following short quips in particular:
"~ don't take it too seriously". ~ what?!!?
"As long as you keep it fun, and everyone gets to play (even if not every song), you should be fine." ~ nofrets
"Don't much like the idea of people printing off the sheetmusic and rustling through it ta find the right toons on music stands at the sess though."
&
"There seems to be nothing there at the improvers' sessions for those whose taste might run into aural learning of the not so common common tunes." ~ Clear Drops
And to add to that, if you don't accomplish half of what you intend, value how ever much you do manage to do... If it is 'new' and an 'experiment', then there will be plenty to learn from your efforts...
Clear Drops makes points I am very much in line with. Please, for the sake of the music, keep the ears in and the sheet music out. Your generosity of providing a tunebook should be for 'preparation'. If you are going to allow it initially, get rid of that obstruction as soon as possible, as it tends to paper over the ears and the other senses, including the heart. I can't stress that too much, even for classical musicians the sheets can be a crutch, which means the performance can be crippled, incomplete, sterile... It's not really a 'session' if it is hampered by music stands and sheets.
Another possibility would be to divid your time in half, go ahead and give the sheets a once over, then get rid of them for the second part and let the ears and other senses rule, sans those walls of paper held up by metal stands...
Also, CDs second comment, you could add a reference to at least midi sources of the music, such as here on this site. Even if the versions are somewhat different, it would open it up. I've played with a lot of blind musicians and your tunebook would be pretty much useless, though there are some programs that can read dots, not necessarily from a pdf, and not everybody has the kit to do it. There are plenty of fine blind musicians out there that would benefit from something like this, as long as they were part of your consideration...
I'm also hoping and assuming that your list of tunes, the tunebook, is based on the sessions in and around your community? ~ that those are tunes commonly played and shared?
Thanks for all the great comments - loads of helpful stuff I can use to strengthen the idea. Ceolachan, my hopes and ideals in the long term are that we can tie this type of event into instrument workshops for the tunes and possibly coodinate some type of school project for younger players.
I have had a couple of months to get it together for this year and I wanted to bring improvers together with a selection of tunes that are widely played at sessions up and down the country. The idea is that everyone has a fair chance to start and contribute to a number of sets while we will keep the sets going and the speed reasonable. We're happy to play any tune but at least the tunebook gives everyone some common ground - the tunes are widely played around this area and most of them are common in any case.
The idea of splitting the session into smaller groups is a very good one and we can be reactive to this should the need arise.
as to Clear Drops' comments about sheet music at sessions, I utterly agree and it's the reason we have published the tunebook early and also why we have kept to well known tunes. At least for the 2008 festival the tunebook will be up all year.
For those who want to learn and play less common tunes, there are some instrumental workshops and we are also hosting a 'Celtic Session' - there is an existing 'English Session' so we needed to mate the distinction....checks window for folk Police activity!
Above all, I'm following the sentiment that it's a festy and all about fun - it will allow improvers to get some tunes in with support from more experienced players who haven't forgotten how difficult it is when you are starting out.
Ceolachan, thanks also for bringing up the subject of inclusivity for blind musicians which I had completely missed. Is there anything else along these lines that would be typical to include?
That first sentence brought a wide grin and goose bumps izzymac... Respect! My heart is there if I'm not there in body...
You may have already addressed the need for an explanation with regards to the notebook, but if not that would be a good idea, and you could start off with the clarification you've made here, and that first sentence... Basically the comment that the notebook is there as a guide, for use at home but not the session, in a welcoming and understanding way, which I somehow don't think will be a problem, considering the philosophy of your intentions you've outlined so far.
Izzymac, don't forget to add your information and links to the 'Events' section here...
Izzymac I want to thank you.
It is good to see what other sessions are playing.
You have good - what do they call it ? - classroom preparation ? ? ? It is a good foundation. This is why I am a carpenter & not an instructor. Still getting music out to people is an ongoing process. Personally the blind people I know are very resourceful when it comes to music. I let them teach me.
For those of us without impairment though I must agree check your format. PDFs are a good way to get out sheet music. Sometimes you run into a problem with scaling.
Best of Luck!
True Muse, the blind folk I've played music with were very Internet saavy and could manage where sighted folk would more than likely be operating 'blind'...
Difficult enough. The John Chambers MIDI link may be cheesy but it is the same sort of thing Jeremy does for our aural downloads. The appetite is whetted. My bet is some of the attendees of Shrewsbury are eagerly preparing those highly sought after MP3s.
Makes me wish I had some of these ideas!
You are doing a great job izzimac. There is a lot of thought and work going into this and its going to be great, and even better next year. Good on ya.
MP3's the way to go now I recon (but what would I know in Central Oz - just want the chance to enjoy a bit of the craic and play along too - ho humm!).
I think MP3 is definately the way to go - thanks all for suggesting this. Due to the short timescale (Festival last weekend in August) it would be difficult for this year with holidays and everything else but I can get some up later in the year.
Just make the promise for the future and state so on site, it is wonderful the appreciation and support that can grow from people being made aware of your consideration. Hell, just asking for help here is a positive sign... The weekend can be a tough time to start a discussion thread, what with all the sessions. It was good to see that someone was considering a middle ground from 'beginner' and an established session... As it is Shrewsbury ~ daliwch ati y gwaithiau dda!!! (= keep up the good works!!!)
Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
I have been asked to coordinate a couple of Improvers sessions at Shrewsbury Folk Festival. I am planning to have 4 experienced players to keep the tunes going and at a reasonable speed. I have put a PDF tunebook at
http://www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk/tunebook/index.shtml .
Has anyone got any words of wisdom about running a session like this? It's a bit of an experiment but we are starting to get some good feedback on the festival's blog site
# Posted on July 7th 2007 by izzymac
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Any experiment that seeks to increase appreciation and skill is a welcome, but tell us more, please? How do you see this being structured, how much time do you have, is there a 'lesson' or 'workshop' element to it or that occurs beforehand??? Is it another way of saying 'slow session', for fear of the usual detractors to such activity?
I won't go the 20 questions but would love to know more ~ like exactly what is a "Shrewsbury Folk Festival Improvers Session"? The first three words of it I think I ken...
# Posted on July 7th 2007 by ceolachan
Give us your hopes and ideals for it first, understanding will help us respond more constructively and to the point, as I gained little further understanding checking the tunebook. How is that to be used? What is its intention?
# Posted on July 7th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
An initial response from just the bare bones given here...
If you are expecting a crowd, anything larger than say 6, plus your four key participants, then maybe dividing the group up into smaller groups, where turns are taken doing sets. While one group plays the others listen. And, maybe, this could be followed by a 'short' critique of that contribution before going on to another group and set. Or even having each group at some point play the same set, for comparison? This way part of the purpose of the 'improvers session' would be to listen, and listen critically, with the focus being on constructive criticism. Issues that could be addressed this way ~ balance, tempo, colour, the importance of listening to others and blending, reaching 'agreement', being in the 'groove' with each other, and how to achieve these???
# Posted on July 7th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Where is everybody? Has this subject scared them off?
Back to my basic query ~ what are the objectives? For example, is it that you hope to raise the understanding and appreciation of what makes for a 'good' session? If so you'd also have to have a clear idea in mind of what was meant by 'good'...
I'd hoped to see more, but I'll return again... Best of luck, and please return let us know how it turns out, good and bad, to inspire and inform...
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
I would consider myself the type of player that would attend a session advertised like this, so I applaud your efforts. To go from learning the fiddle and practicing a lot to joining a session is a big step, and a humbling one. (Or at least it was for my first few attempts.)
I think you've done a good thing to publish a playlist. Those that are testing the waters will be well served to know what will be played. You've provided them ample information to get the most out of this. I know I don't get everything out of a workshop if I'm struggling just to learn the tunes. I think this way, you can work at helping people play with others, or at least feel more comfortable doing so.
I think a lot of conducting such a session requires a lot of flexibility. As ceolachan mentions, the numbers could force an adjustment, as could their playing skills. Sounds like you've got enough reinforcements to be able to adjust and pull off a great event. As long as you keep it fun, and everyone gets to play (even if not every song), you should be fine.
I wish you the best....
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by nofrets
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
I like your labeling of the session as "improvers" because it infers a transition to something else that is improved. Removes the stigma of "beginner" which could then be used by the exclusive to exclude. "Oh so and so was in the beginners' sess, why doesn't he/she stay there and not be annoying us radicals who never were or can't remember ever being improvers." Always thought improving was a lifelong journey where-ever you fit in the hierarchy continuum.
Don't much like the idea of people printing off the sheetmusic and rustling through it ta find the right toons on music stands at the sess though.
... but then I won't to going to Shrewsbury so I don't really know why I'm contributing here. I wish you luck izzymac. You are brave to take on such an undertaking. Hope it works for you.
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by Clear Drops
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
There seems to be nothing there at the improvers' sessions for those whose taste might run into aural learning of the not so common common tunes.
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by Clear Drops
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Your tune book is a great idea and is just the thing for us 'improvers' wishing to get the basic idea of the tunes that might be played.. Can anyone help me with a technical problem please? When I print off the PDF file, the print-out is quite small, even when I increase the magnifacation to 300% it still comes out the same size in the print. Is there something else I should be doing to the file? Oh my failing eyes! Thanks.
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by Gran Cassa
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Gran Cassa, it isn't the magnification that adjust the size of the print out, that will be with your printer settings. It is possible, taking 'Gran Cassa' as possibly suggestion your geographic location, Spanish, possibly North America?, that the problem may be between the settings for Britain and wherever you are? Anyway, you need to make the adjustments with your printer. I'd save the pdf first, then access it from your computer rather than the Internet. Open it, go to 'File' and then 'Print Setup'... British paper size is A4, and if you are in North America the closest thing would be 'legal' (the longer paper size) not 'letter' (which is shorter than A4)... Best of luck...
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
This is where this site can excel, all great contributions ~ DITTO to the following short quips in particular:
"~ don't take it too seriously". ~ what?!!?
"As long as you keep it fun, and everyone gets to play (even if not every song), you should be fine." ~ nofrets
"Don't much like the idea of people printing off the sheetmusic and rustling through it ta find the right toons on music stands at the sess though."
&
"There seems to be nothing there at the improvers' sessions for those whose taste might run into aural learning of the not so common common tunes." ~ Clear Drops
And to add to that, if you don't accomplish half of what you intend, value how ever much you do manage to do... If it is 'new' and an 'experiment', then there will be plenty to learn from your efforts...
Clear Drops makes points I am very much in line with. Please, for the sake of the music, keep the ears in and the sheet music out. Your generosity of providing a tunebook should be for 'preparation'. If you are going to allow it initially, get rid of that obstruction as soon as possible, as it tends to paper over the ears and the other senses, including the heart. I can't stress that too much, even for classical musicians the sheets can be a crutch, which means the performance can be crippled, incomplete, sterile... It's not really a 'session' if it is hampered by music stands and sheets.
Another possibility would be to divid your time in half, go ahead and give the sheets a once over, then get rid of them for the second part and let the ears and other senses rule, sans those walls of paper held up by metal stands...
Also, CDs second comment, you could add a reference to at least midi sources of the music, such as here on this site. Even if the versions are somewhat different, it would open it up. I've played with a lot of blind musicians and your tunebook would be pretty much useless, though there are some programs that can read dots, not necessarily from a pdf, and not everybody has the kit to do it. There are plenty of fine blind musicians out there that would benefit from something like this, as long as they were part of your consideration...
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
I'm also hoping and assuming that your list of tunes, the tunebook, is based on the sessions in and around your community? ~ that those are tunes commonly played and shared?
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Thanks for all the great comments - loads of helpful stuff I can use to strengthen the idea. Ceolachan, my hopes and ideals in the long term are that we can tie this type of event into instrument workshops for the tunes and possibly coodinate some type of school project for younger players.
I have had a couple of months to get it together for this year and I wanted to bring improvers together with a selection of tunes that are widely played at sessions up and down the country. The idea is that everyone has a fair chance to start and contribute to a number of sets while we will keep the sets going and the speed reasonable. We're happy to play any tune but at least the tunebook gives everyone some common ground - the tunes are widely played around this area and most of them are common in any case.
The idea of splitting the session into smaller groups is a very good one and we can be reactive to this should the need arise.
as to Clear Drops' comments about sheet music at sessions, I utterly agree and it's the reason we have published the tunebook early and also why we have kept to well known tunes. At least for the 2008 festival the tunebook will be up all year.
For those who want to learn and play less common tunes, there are some instrumental workshops and we are also hosting a 'Celtic Session' - there is an existing 'English Session' so we needed to mate the distinction....checks window for folk Police activity!
Above all, I'm following the sentiment that it's a festy and all about fun - it will allow improvers to get some tunes in with support from more experienced players who haven't forgotten how difficult it is when you are starting out.
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by izzymac
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Ceolachan, thanks also for bringing up the subject of inclusivity for blind musicians which I had completely missed. Is there anything else along these lines that would be typical to include?
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by izzymac
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
That first sentence brought a wide grin and goose bumps izzymac... Respect! My heart is there if I'm not there in body...
You may have already addressed the need for an explanation with regards to the notebook, but if not that would be a good idea, and you could start off with the clarification you've made here, and that first sentence... Basically the comment that the notebook is there as a guide, for use at home but not the session, in a welcoming and understanding way, which I somehow don't think will be a problem, considering the philosophy of your intentions you've outlined so far.
Izzymac, don't forget to add your information and links to the 'Events' section here...
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by ceolachan
You could then link this discussion and the 'event' together if you wanted...
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Izzymac I want to thank you.
It is good to see what other sessions are playing.
You have good - what do they call it ? - classroom preparation ? ? ? It is a good foundation. This is why I am a carpenter & not an instructor. Still getting music out to people is an ongoing process. Personally the blind people I know are very resourceful when it comes to music. I let them teach me.
For those of us without impairment though I must agree check your format. PDFs are a good way to get out sheet music. Sometimes you run into a problem with scaling.
Best of Luck!
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
True Muse, the blind folk I've played music with were very Internet saavy and could manage where sighted folk would more than likely be operating 'blind'...
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by ceolachan
Still, offering something for the ears, for the future, is a consideration that would be appreciated...
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by ceolachan
MP3s say, once through the tunes... That shouldn't be a difficult one to pull off with 4 or 5 musicians taking responsibility for this event...
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Difficult enough. The John Chambers MIDI link may be cheesy but it is the same sort of thing Jeremy does for our aural downloads. The appetite is whetted. My bet is some of the attendees of Shrewsbury are eagerly preparing those highly sought after MP3s.
Makes me wish I had some of these ideas!
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
You are doing a great job izzimac. There is a lot of thought and work going into this and its going to be great, and even better next year. Good on ya.
MP3's the way to go now I recon (but what would I know in Central Oz - just want the chance to enjoy a bit of the craic and play along too - ho humm!).
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by Clear Drops
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
I think MP3 is definately the way to go - thanks all for suggesting this. Due to the short timescale (Festival last weekend in August) it would be difficult for this year with holidays and everything else but I can get some up later in the year.
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by izzymac
Re: Shrewsbury Folk Festival improvers sessions
Just make the promise for the future and state so on site, it is wonderful the appreciation and support that can grow from people being made aware of your consideration. Hell, just asking for help here is a positive sign... The weekend can be a tough time to start a discussion thread, what with all the sessions. It was good to see that someone was considering a middle ground from 'beginner' and an established session... As it is Shrewsbury ~ daliwch ati y gwaithiau dda!!! (= keep up the good works!!!)
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by ceolachan