Okay, chance comment from BVD *grin* brought this one on...what "big tune" are you learning or working on right now (or have been working on for quite some time), or plan on working on in the near future? Me, Jenny's Welcome to Charlie. One of those tunes I've been listening to for ages (mainly Paddy Glackin's version), and am only now thinking I might possibly be getting along well enough to not make a complete hash out of it and shame the tune (and myself) past all bearing.
And, by the way, I personally define a Big Tune as one that creates opportunities for a player to really chew on and work over to get every possible bit of satisfaction out of, and that are usually classic Big Tunes for the player's chosen instrument. Unless, of course, they aren't. I'm sure others have other definitions. Bring 'em on.
Hi, at the moment i'm trying 'the rejected lover' and 'the gold ring' both on mandolin. I have to say the 'rejected lover' is a tough one for me. A while ago I was trying 'pressed for time' which I heard on Flook's last album, gave that one up cos I think it is most certainly a pipe/whistle tune and way too fast for me.
If I can ever bash out a really tough pipe tune on my mandolin I'll consider that a 'Big Tune'.
Hey Zina, I've got the opposite going on with the harp--we had a concert recently (my teacher's harp orchestra--The Delaware Valley Harp Orchestra with special guests on fiddle, guitar, and uillean pipes) and I had to learn SO MANY big tunes, or relearn some I had once known. Flying to the Fleadh, Carolan's Concerto, The Downfall of Paris, to name the biggest of the big. I am rebelling right now and learning only small tunes! Nice easy tunes one would actually play at a session as opposed to a big concert performance. Sally Gardens Reel, Silver Spear.
The funny thing is some tunes which I thought were big tunes on the harp when I learned them are actually not so big on the fiddle--as least at the level I am playing right now, anyway. Like Atholl Highlanders (I know most of you out there hate that tune). I love Jenny's Welcome to Charlie, it does seem like a really big tune, but I think I'll stick to some of the session basics for now--so many tunes, not quite enough time!
I really like Jenny's Welcome to Charlie too--and there's a whole slew of great big Dm tunes to learn.....My most recent BIG Dm tune was the Donegal Tinker (and I'm still working on it...it's a toughie, especially if you try to play it up to Cathal Hayden's speed...not advisable, as you're likely to blow a few neurons), but my current favourite, also in Dm, is the Broken Pledge. It only has 2 parts, but is a BIG tune nonetheless. Big tunes are big not by virtue of their technical complexity, but rather they sound to me like they have an epic quality, almost like they're telling a story. Like "Farewell to Erin" for instance....it's got a dramatic narrative quality to it....it's more than just a pretty tune.
GRAVEL WALKS on whistle and flute! It is the very first tune that a cruel fiddle tutor gave me at the workshop last year. I've never been forced to play such a whistle- or flute-unfriendly tune, but it's a really cool tune and theoretically can be played on the instruments, so I won't give it up. Need another two years or so?
My current big tunes are quite classic ones, like Rakish Paddy and Old Bush. RP is originally a Scots pipe tune and so sounds nice on the whistle. Not so particularly easy on the instrument, but I mostly got and have been enjoying them. Of course, my playing still needs improving for the tunes, though.
Oh, I nearly forget Bucks of Oranmore and Miss Ramsey. I’ve been lazy but must start to work on these big tunes someday.
P.S. Jenny's Welcome to Charlie is a great tune. I want to learn it in my next life.
Box - The Contradiction Reel. Or rather, I've been playing it at sessions for a while, but I'm beginning to make fewer mistakes on it!
Flute/whistle - can't think of one, really. Maybe McKeown's Polka (8 part).
Tar Road the Sligo....Been my favourite for years and still can't get the b part of the b part right bowing. I love the way that the Bothy band did it and it's just stuck in my head... I'd love to play it out one time.
Others in the same category, Paddy Canny's no 1 and 2 and Paddy Fahy's ...you know the one in the book Trip to Sligo.
I have been learning the Hurlers March otherwise called the humors of Ballyloughlin (setting I have heard played by Jimmy O'Brien Moran) and Farewell to Erin (setting I heard from Robbie Hannan, I think it may be from Elliot Grasso) Both big tunes, 4 parts each and the settings I am learning use many of the things possible on the pipes to great effect
I have also been playing the Derry Hornpipe, 5 part version, another big tune.
All these tunes are loads of fun to play on the pipes once they start happening. Thinking about them makes me think to have a go at them now, fun!!
King of the Fairies - it's one of those tunes that I've never learned "RIGHT" - all kinds of cool things going on in that tune, and plenty of room for variations. Whistle, box and chromatic harmonica are each getting their turn.
Up next in the Big Tune dept:
Master Crowley's and The Roscommon Reel, as played by Matt Cranitch on his "Give it Shtick" CD.I think I'll start out on fiddle, just for laughs...
At the moment it's Mayor Harrison's Fedora. I'm completely addicted to it, get out of bed in the morning, stumble into the living room, fumble the fingers through it about eighteen times, back at it first thing after work, totally transported, eyes glazed, big rope of saliva yo-yoing off my chin, hours pass, only snap out of it when the neighbours pummel the wall or the girlfriend catches me around the back of the head with a milk bottle. Before that I had a similar junkie thing going with The White Petticoat. I have Will Harmon's postings to thank for both of these narcotic experiences. Will, my girlfriend hates you.
I'm currently working on tidying up triplets down on the G string so tunes like Lads of Laois, Martin Wynne's #2, The Millwright's Daughter and Farewell to Erin keep falling on the fretboard. Two others that I never seem to tire of are Farrel O'Gara's and a Dm version of Master Crowley's that I lifted from Roger Landes' album. I haven't met anyone yet that plays that version, so it's just for personal development and enjoyment at present (actually they ALL are). Hmmm, that might by a fun parallel thread to run with this one: what tunes do you learn or work on for personal reasons, never really thinking of playing them in a session?
Finally, a few of us are working through some tunes from the Brian Pickell album and there is a pretty tricky jig called The End of Winter on there that I still can't quite nail. Endlessly challenging and fun.
Zina - good luck with Jenny - in these parts we refer to the fiddle player on "In Full Spate" as Paddy "machine-gun" Glackin. Whoa.
Good god, Mark, gimme a break, willya? Add another to my list when I haven't got the last down yet? *grin* Thanks Greg, and good luck yourself with Lads of Laois. I'm afraid I first heard it when James Kelly played it, and how can anyone ever live up to that?
Since deciding to stop trying to learn new tunes, and spend my time recovering tunes I've half forgotten, I keep discovering tunes that half 'learn themselves' into my head. They don't have long to do this, as the window of opportunity between my finishing work, and becoming too inebriated to absorb information gets ever shorter(!). But none of these are 'big tunes'. The latest 'small tune' to insinuate itself is 'This is My Love, Do You Like Her' which Is on the wonderful With Every Breath CD by John Wynne. It's a slight tune, but catchy as hell...
This may not be too ambitious, but my B.T. is actually a set made up of Fig for a Kiss, Garrett's Wedding and Butterfly. What is it about slip jigs that makes them so slippery?
Ha-ha! Rom, good way of putting it!
I think it's due to the set(s) of triplets put in, usually at the end of the 2nd part. That's why you have to play the tune from the inside out, ie know it totally and make it your own, *particularly* in the case of slip jigs.
Ottery - maybe it's a flute player thing, but what you said was what I failed to verbalise...thus all I said was along the lines of ...although I've never consciously put a moratorium on learning new ones. I also often seem to go through a process of re-engaging with old tunes.
Paul - you wouldn't have gotten Mayor Harris's Fedora from that tape now, would you?
Yeah this is kinda lame too, but I can't seem to settle on a version of Kid on the Mountain I like, so many places for ornamentation... I'm thinking of a set with Paddy O'Briens into KOTM ending with Sheila Mulhaires. I need to post those tunes darnit, for suggestions if nothing else.
Tommy's Tarboukas by Alasdair Fraser. Great tune, difficult at first but really flies once you've got it.
I'm also on my third setting of Jenny's welcome to Charlie having finally shaken off the Robin Williamson version I learned years ago (Sorry! I was younger then and knew no better).
The Drunken Sailor hornpipe. Cracker!
That Robin Williamson comment really stings, Geoff! The first fiddle turn I learned was his version of "Rights of Man" in F, I think, instead of E minor. Imagine the reaction I got when I whipped that out at my first session. Gak! (I still have a soft spot for the Incredible String Band, though.)
I'm going to try out Tarboukas myself. G minor is a great key. I'm about up to speed with Natalie McMaster's "Valerie Pringle's Reel" in the aforementioned key. Great tune.
An additional Big Tune for me: Fisher's Hornpipe on the mandolin. There are some finger-exploding variations floating around. Check out Chris Thile's version with Mike Marshall -- not that I could ever play it.
*Jolly Tinker - This is a really rollicking tune.
*G Min Star of Munster - http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/197/comments - Played this last night in a session at the Gables in Cork city straight after Ed Reevy's "Never heard piping so gay". It went down really well.
*College Groves - I love this tune
College Groves! That's one I've been meaning to learn, Jamie. It's a really old tune, from what I understand, but a great one. I've heard many a fluter say it's a Big Flute Tune, and fiddlers will sometimes say the same, so I don't know which it is, but it's a great tune, all right!
Question. My current "project tune" is the third track on Leahy's "Leahy" CD. It's called McBride's. I've got it down pretty close to the way he plays in on the CD and it's time to start making the tune my own instead of just being a copycat. But, does anyone know anything about that tune? Is it a trad tune or somthing he wrote himself? Is it a fast hornpipe or a reel with a HEAVY lilt? Where can i find other versions of it? Is this tune somthing i will EVER find another session player know or is it too obscure?
Well, start playing it out. Teach it to your session mates. If the tune is good and should be part of the tradition, then eventually it will be. If nobody likes it and no one wants to play it, it won't be. I dunno the tune, myself, not being a particularly huge Leahy fan, though I did see them last time they were in town. You gotta admire those dance-while-you-play types, pretty amazing.
Mine's a whopper: "Smeceno Horo" off that Planxty album. I know it's not remotely Irish, but it's something of a rite of passage for zouk players, and I've been meaning to learn it for years, but put it off. Then I started hearing it at festivals, so I reckoned I should have a go. It's so difficult to play though, with zillions of parts, and a stupid time sig. I've got the first few parts almost up to speed but the last 2 are giving me grief, so I've left it for a while to come back to. The thing is, the metre is so mad that if you go wrong with your pick direction and do an upstroke instead of a down, you're stuffed!
I was not really having a go at Robin, I think he's terrific and we still do one of his songs in our current set..."The tune I hear so well". His Merry Band were one of the best groups around in the 70's.
I also learned The Rights of Man in F and got pretty much the same looks as you would have done when everyone else joined in in G/Em. He does have a rather idiosyncratic take on the tunes but that's no bad thing as long as you don't mind the funny looks at sessions. He's still touring and playing his harp and I still play tunes from his book.
What's your current Big Tune?
What's your current Big Tune?
Okay, chance comment from BVD *grin* brought this one on...what "big tune" are you learning or working on right now (or have been working on for quite some time), or plan on working on in the near future? Me, Jenny's Welcome to Charlie. One of those tunes I've been listening to for ages (mainly Paddy Glackin's version), and am only now thinking I might possibly be getting along well enough to not make a complete hash out of it and shame the tune (and myself) past all bearing.
And, by the way, I personally define a Big Tune as one that creates opportunities for a player to really chew on and work over to get every possible bit of satisfaction out of, and that are usually classic Big Tunes for the player's chosen instrument. Unless, of course, they aren't.
I'm sure others have other definitions. Bring 'em on.
Zina
# Posted on July 5th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Hi, at the moment i'm trying 'the rejected lover' and 'the gold ring' both on mandolin. I have to say the 'rejected lover' is a tough one for me. A while ago I was trying 'pressed for time' which I heard on Flook's last album, gave that one up cos I think it is most certainly a pipe/whistle tune and way too fast for me.
If I can ever bash out a really tough pipe tune on my mandolin I'll consider that a 'Big Tune'.
Craig.
# Posted on July 5th 2003 by bouzyboy
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Hey Zina, I've got the opposite going on with the harp--we had a concert recently (my teacher's harp orchestra--The Delaware Valley Harp Orchestra with special guests on fiddle, guitar, and uillean pipes) and I had to learn SO MANY big tunes, or relearn some I had once known. Flying to the Fleadh, Carolan's Concerto, The Downfall of Paris, to name the biggest of the big. I am rebelling right now and learning only small tunes! Nice easy tunes one would actually play at a session as opposed to a big concert performance. Sally Gardens Reel, Silver Spear.
The funny thing is some tunes which I thought were big tunes on the harp when I learned them are actually not so big on the fiddle--as least at the level I am playing right now, anyway. Like Atholl Highlanders (I know most of you out there hate that tune). I love Jenny's Welcome to Charlie, it does seem like a really big tune, but I think I'll stick to some of the session basics for now--so many tunes, not quite enough time!
# Posted on July 5th 2003 by Andee
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
I really like Jenny's Welcome to Charlie too--and there's a whole slew of great big Dm tunes to learn.....My most recent BIG Dm tune was the Donegal Tinker (and I'm still working on it...it's a toughie, especially if you try to play it up to Cathal Hayden's speed...not advisable, as you're likely to blow a few neurons), but my current favourite, also in Dm, is the Broken Pledge. It only has 2 parts, but is a BIG tune nonetheless. Big tunes are big not by virtue of their technical complexity, but rather they sound to me like they have an epic quality, almost like they're telling a story. Like "Farewell to Erin" for instance....it's got a dramatic narrative quality to it....it's more than just a pretty tune.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by aoife
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
GRAVEL WALKS on whistle and flute! It is the very first tune that a cruel fiddle tutor gave me at the workshop last year. I've never been forced to play such a whistle- or flute-unfriendly tune, but it's a really cool tune and theoretically can be played on the instruments, so I won't give it up. Need another two years or so?
My current big tunes are quite classic ones, like Rakish Paddy and Old Bush. RP is originally a Scots pipe tune and so sounds nice on the whistle. Not so particularly easy on the instrument, but I mostly got and have been enjoying them. Of course, my playing still needs improving for the tunes, though.
Oh, I nearly forget Bucks of Oranmore and Miss Ramsey. I’ve been lazy but must start to work on these big tunes someday.
P.S. Jenny's Welcome to Charlie is a great tune. I want to learn it in my next life.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by slainte
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Box - The Contradiction Reel. Or rather, I've been playing it at sessions for a while, but I'm beginning to make fewer mistakes on it!
Flute/whistle - can't think of one, really. Maybe McKeown's Polka (8 part).
Danny.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by Alf Tupper
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Tar Road the Sligo....Been my favourite for years and still can't get the b part of the b part right bowing. I love the way that the Bothy band did it and it's just stuck in my head... I'd love to play it out one time.
Others in the same category, Paddy Canny's no 1 and 2 and Paddy Fahy's ...you know the one in the book Trip to Sligo.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by Susie-Lee
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
I have been learning the Hurlers March otherwise called the humors of Ballyloughlin (setting I have heard played by Jimmy O'Brien Moran) and Farewell to Erin (setting I heard from Robbie Hannan, I think it may be from Elliot Grasso) Both big tunes, 4 parts each and the settings I am learning use many of the things possible on the pipes to great effect
I have also been playing the Derry Hornpipe, 5 part version, another big tune.
All these tunes are loads of fun to play on the pipes once they start happening. Thinking about them makes me think to have a go at them now, fun!!
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by geb
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
I learning Seamamhac tube station and the Monaghan jig at the moment. i just finished the bucks of Oranmore. Three great tunes.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by Celtic1234
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
it is, and will always be, King of the Pipers, on the guitar
so many choices, so many tunes
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by allan21
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
King of the Fairies - it's one of those tunes that I've never learned "RIGHT" - all kinds of cool things going on in that tune, and plenty of room for variations. Whistle, box and chromatic harmonica are each getting their turn.
Up next in the Big Tune dept:
Master Crowley's and The Roscommon Reel, as played by Matt Cranitch on his "Give it Shtick" CD.I think I'll start out on fiddle, just for laughs...
bob
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by Laughtonb
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Johnny Cope (hornpipe) and O'Mahoney's reel.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by Greenwiggle
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
I like Sheehan's Reel - - I've been working on this tune on fiddle for nigh on ten years.
-dogma
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by dogmageek
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Zina, do you play Lord Gordon's? That's pretty big.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by Dow
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
At the moment it's Mayor Harrison's Fedora. I'm completely addicted to it, get out of bed in the morning, stumble into the living room, fumble the fingers through it about eighteen times, back at it first thing after work, totally transported, eyes glazed, big rope of saliva yo-yoing off my chin, hours pass, only snap out of it when the neighbours pummel the wall or the girlfriend catches me around the back of the head with a milk bottle. Before that I had a similar junkie thing going with The White Petticoat. I have Will Harmon's postings to thank for both of these narcotic experiences. Will, my girlfriend hates you.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by sergeant fox
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Strayaway Child; College Groves; Kitty O'Shea.
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by Henk Bos
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
I'm currently working on tidying up triplets down on the G string so tunes like Lads of Laois, Martin Wynne's #2, The Millwright's Daughter and Farewell to Erin keep falling on the fretboard. Two others that I never seem to tire of are Farrel O'Gara's and a Dm version of Master Crowley's that I lifted from Roger Landes' album. I haven't met anyone yet that plays that version, so it's just for personal development and enjoyment at present (actually they ALL are). Hmmm, that might by a fun parallel thread to run with this one: what tunes do you learn or work on for personal reasons, never really thinking of playing them in a session?
Finally, a few of us are working through some tunes from the Brian Pickell album and there is a pretty tricky jig called The End of Winter on there that I still can't quite nail. Endlessly challenging and fun.
Zina - good luck with Jenny - in these parts we refer to the fiddle player on "In Full Spate" as Paddy "machine-gun" Glackin. Whoa.
Cheers,
Greg
# Posted on July 6th 2003 by octogreg
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Good god, Mark, gimme a break, willya? Add another to my list when I haven't got the last down yet? *grin* Thanks Greg, and good luck yourself with Lads of Laois. I'm afraid I first heard it when James Kelly played it, and how can anyone ever live up to that?
zls
# Posted on July 7th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Must be Knocknagree into Red Haired Lass - 2 quality tunes. Also like The Turtle and Donegal Lass is brilliant as well.
# Posted on July 7th 2003 by Highly Strung!!
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
jackson's (the 2nd reel of that track in the frankie gavin/alec finn album)
# Posted on July 7th 2003 by biggus dave
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Since deciding to stop trying to learn new tunes, and spend my time recovering tunes I've half forgotten, I keep discovering tunes that half 'learn themselves' into my head. They don't have long to do this, as the window of opportunity between my finishing work, and becoming too inebriated to absorb information gets ever shorter(!). But none of these are 'big tunes'. The latest 'small tune' to insinuate itself is 'This is My Love, Do You Like Her' which Is on the wonderful With Every Breath CD by John Wynne. It's a slight tune, but catchy as hell...
# Posted on July 7th 2003 by Ottery
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
I like tunes with a range (tessiatura?) like Reel Beatrice
# Posted on July 7th 2003 by geoffwright
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
This may not be too ambitious, but my B.T. is actually a set made up of Fig for a Kiss, Garrett's Wedding and Butterfly. What is it about slip jigs that makes them so slippery?
# Posted on July 8th 2003 by Romkey
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Ha-ha! Rom, good way of putting it!
I think it's due to the set(s) of triplets put in, usually at the end of the 2nd part. That's why you have to play the tune from the inside out, ie know it totally and make it your own, *particularly* in the case of slip jigs.
Ottery - maybe it's a flute player thing, but what you said was what I failed to verbalise...thus all I said was along the lines of ...although I've never consciously put a moratorium on learning new ones. I also often seem to go through a process of re-engaging with old tunes.
Paul - you wouldn't have gotten Mayor Harris's Fedora from that tape now, would you?
Danny.
# Posted on July 8th 2003 by Alf Tupper
all I said was along the lines of ...."can't think of one, really"
Sorry, some of my post vanished..
# Posted on July 8th 2003 by Alf Tupper
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Yeah this is kinda lame too, but I can't seem to settle on a version of Kid on the Mountain I like, so many places for ornamentation... I'm thinking of a set with Paddy O'Briens into KOTM ending with Sheila Mulhaires. I need to post those tunes darnit, for suggestions if nothing else.
# Posted on July 8th 2003 by emily_bmore
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Tommy's Tarboukas by Alasdair Fraser. Great tune, difficult at first but really flies once you've got it.
I'm also on my third setting of Jenny's welcome to Charlie having finally shaken off the Robin Williamson version I learned years ago (Sorry! I was younger then and knew no better).
The Drunken Sailor hornpipe. Cracker!
# Posted on July 8th 2003 by Geoff Pollitt
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Not strictly ITM, but playable in sessions - some of Scott Skinners marches with variations make good biggies like
Duke of Fifes Welcome to Deeside
Professor Blackie
Bonnie Lass of Bon Accord
# Posted on July 8th 2003 by geoffwright
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
That Robin Williamson comment really stings, Geoff! The first fiddle turn I learned was his version of "Rights of Man" in F, I think, instead of E minor. Imagine the reaction I got when I whipped that out at my first session. Gak! (I still have a soft spot for the Incredible String Band, though.)
I'm going to try out Tarboukas myself. G minor is a great key. I'm about up to speed with Natalie McMaster's "Valerie Pringle's Reel" in the aforementioned key. Great tune.
An additional Big Tune for me: Fisher's Hornpipe on the mandolin. There are some finger-exploding variations floating around. Check out Chris Thile's version with Mike Marshall -- not that I could ever play it.
# Posted on July 9th 2003 by Romkey
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
*Jolly Tinker - This is a really rollicking tune.
*G Min Star of Munster - http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/197/comments - Played this last night in a session at the Gables in Cork city straight after Ed Reevy's "Never heard piping so gay". It went down really well.
*College Groves - I love this tune
# Posted on July 9th 2003 by Jamie
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
College Groves! That's one I've been meaning to learn, Jamie. It's a really old tune, from what I understand, but a great one. I've heard many a fluter say it's a Big Flute Tune, and fiddlers will sometimes say the same, so I don't know which it is, but it's a great tune, all right!
zls
# Posted on July 10th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Question. My current "project tune" is the third track on Leahy's "Leahy" CD. It's called McBride's. I've got it down pretty close to the way he plays in on the CD and it's time to start making the tune my own instead of just being a copycat. But, does anyone know anything about that tune? Is it a trad tune or somthing he wrote himself? Is it a fast hornpipe or a reel with a HEAVY lilt? Where can i find other versions of it? Is this tune somthing i will EVER find another session player know or is it too obscure?
# Posted on July 10th 2003 by Andrew.Peters
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Well, start playing it out. Teach it to your session mates. If the tune is good and should be part of the tradition, then eventually it will be. If nobody likes it and no one wants to play it, it won't be.
I dunno the tune, myself, not being a particularly huge Leahy fan, though I did see them last time they were in town. You gotta admire those dance-while-you-play types, pretty amazing.
Zina
# Posted on July 10th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Mine's a whopper: "Smeceno Horo" off that Planxty album. I know it's not remotely Irish, but it's something of a rite of passage for zouk players, and I've been meaning to learn it for years, but put it off. Then I started hearing it at festivals, so I reckoned I should have a go. It's so difficult to play though, with zillions of parts, and a stupid time sig. I've got the first few parts almost up to speed but the last 2 are giving me grief, so I've left it for a while to come back to. The thing is, the metre is so mad that if you go wrong with your pick direction and do an upstroke instead of a down, you're stuffed!
# Posted on July 10th 2003 by Dow
Re: What's your current Big Tune?
Hello Romkey
I was not really having a go at Robin, I think he's terrific and we still do one of his songs in our current set..."The tune I hear so well". His Merry Band were one of the best groups around in the 70's.
I also learned The Rights of Man in F and got pretty much the same looks as you would have done when everyone else joined in in G/Em. He does have a rather idiosyncratic take on the tunes but that's no bad thing as long as you don't mind the funny looks at sessions. He's still touring and playing his harp and I still play tunes from his book.
# Posted on July 10th 2003 by Geoff Pollitt