I am German and I lack the background on ITM that many of you have. I have learned some slides from this website and listening to some recordings gave me an idea of what they are or could be. My googling did not provide a lot of results. So, if there was anyone helping me out and giving me info on the history of slides and their musicals components, I´d be very grateful.
Slides are related to jigs but are in 12/8 time which gives a totally different feel to the rhythm (ie emphasis on every 12th quaver). The slide is mainly from the Sliabh Luachra (an area of Munster taking in North Cork, East Limerick and part of Kerry) tradition. Sliabh Luachra is also noted for its polkas and exponents of this music that immediately come to mind would be musicians such as Padraig O'Keefe, Denis Murphy, Julia Clifford and Johnny O'Leary
Just found a site with some great information on the Sliabh Luachra area which includes its history and also some of the activities going on there this year - see http://www.sliabhluachra.com/
They get played a good bit faster, and from what I can see, generally have a quarter note followed by eighth note pattern more often than you would find in double jigs, with their predominant three eighth note pattern.
This analogy may get trashed by wiser players than me, but I have always felt that slides are to jigs as polkas are to reels.
Your best bet is probably to buy the Murphy & Clifford album Star Above the Garter, select the slide tracks, and put them on endless repeat until you can feel the groove. Whatever you do, do not read descriptions of what slides are like on Internet sites like this one, as there are amazing amounts of misinformation out there.
As an added note (pun!), those quarter notes mentioned by Al indicate a physical slide in the dance, stepping and drawing a foot over, sliding across the floor...hence the name.
I knew very little about slides, and still do, but I've been encouraged to investigate them on account of playing for set dancers over the past 5 years or so.
The dancers wanted to get them up to a tempo they felt comfortable dancing to, but when I listen to good recordings of slides it seemed like there was more to it than just being simple jigs you can play really fast. They seem to me to be that to some degree, but they also have the energy of maybe a hornpipe with a very pronounced swing.
When I play them it helps to tap my foot in half time, (on every other beat.) If I can tap my foot like that and it still doesn't feel too plodding it seems to establish a good and danceable tempo, but at the same time it allows me to generate some energy that isn't just sounding like a fast jig.
I realize I've failed to do my "traditional homework," and this is just my own personal approach, nor have I had any specific training from slide-playing masters, but it's the best I can muster at this point. I'd be interested to see how other players approach slides to give them a distinction apart from other dance tune forms.
Slides
Slides
I am German and I lack the background on ITM that many of you have. I have learned some slides from this website and listening to some recordings gave me an idea of what they are or could be. My googling did not provide a lot of results. So, if there was anyone helping me out and giving me info on the history of slides and their musicals components, I´d be very grateful.
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by Reelin´ man
Re: Slides
Slides are related to jigs but are in 12/8 time which gives a totally different feel to the rhythm (ie emphasis on every 12th quaver). The slide is mainly from the Sliabh Luachra (an area of Munster taking in North Cork, East Limerick and part of Kerry) tradition. Sliabh Luachra is also noted for its polkas and exponents of this music that immediately come to mind would be musicians such as Padraig O'Keefe, Denis Murphy, Julia Clifford and Johnny O'Leary
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by Bannerman
Re: Slides
Just found a site with some great information on the Sliabh Luachra area which includes its history and also some of the activities going on there this year - see http://www.sliabhluachra.com/
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by Bannerman
Re: Slides
They get played a good bit faster, and from what I can see, generally have a quarter note followed by eighth note pattern more often than you would find in double jigs, with their predominant three eighth note pattern.
This analogy may get trashed by wiser players than me, but I have always felt that slides are to jigs as polkas are to reels.
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Slides
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/index/search?name=&type_id=6&mode_id=
Immersion is a great way to acquire an understanding of the form...
Listen:
"The Rushy Mountain: Classic Music From Sliabh Luachra 1952-77"
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/1274
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/1274/comments
Look, listen & play ~
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/index/search?name=&type_id=6&mode_id=
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: Slides
Your best bet is probably to buy the Murphy & Clifford album Star Above the Garter, select the slide tracks, and put them on endless repeat until you can feel the groove. Whatever you do, do not read descriptions of what slides are like on Internet sites like this one, as there are amazing amounts of misinformation out there.
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by Sol Foster
Re: Slides
(I haven't heard it, but the album ceolachan mentions sounds great as well.)
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by Sol Foster
Re: Slides
Good point, Sol, an ounce of listening is far superior to pounds of explainations....
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Slides
As an added note (pun!), those quarter notes mentioned by Al indicate a physical slide in the dance, stepping and drawing a foot over, sliding across the floor...hence the name.
--DtM
# Posted on July 20th 2007 by Dan the Man
Re: Slides
I knew very little about slides, and still do, but I've been encouraged to investigate them on account of playing for set dancers over the past 5 years or so.
The dancers wanted to get them up to a tempo they felt comfortable dancing to, but when I listen to good recordings of slides it seemed like there was more to it than just being simple jigs you can play really fast. They seem to me to be that to some degree, but they also have the energy of maybe a hornpipe with a very pronounced swing.
When I play them it helps to tap my foot in half time, (on every other beat.) If I can tap my foot like that and it still doesn't feel too plodding it seems to establish a good and danceable tempo, but at the same time it allows me to generate some energy that isn't just sounding like a fast jig.
I realize I've failed to do my "traditional homework," and this is just my own personal approach, nor have I had any specific training from slide-playing masters, but it's the best I can muster at this point. I'd be interested to see how other players approach slides to give them a distinction apart from other dance tune forms.
# Posted on July 20th 2007 by Phantom Button