. . . from a session if a ukulele player tried to join? Mostly, I'm curious as to what people's reaction is to session music on a non-traditional instrument. I know, there's more than a little debate (polite term) about tradition as it applies to bodhrans, bones, spoons, and even guitars. As I said, I'm just curious.
So, would it be an automatic fleeing, or would you give them a chance to show what they knew?
Disclaimer: despite my username, I don't play ukulele; currently I play bodhran and bones, which I already know can send many people screaming (although no one's yet screamed directly at me), and I'm working on whistle.
I'm yet to hear someone that can play a ukulele successfully behind tunes. That said tho... i'm willing to give anyone a chance. If they can do it... fair play to them!
A relative gave me a real nice Uke because his hands were too big. I took it to a session two days ago just for a joke, but I did a rendition of "Come by the Hills" as a song and the fiddles joined in. It seemed that it was well received.
As far as playing tunes, it is by far too quiet to do any damage.
In your case, Kona, I would say keep concentrating on the whistle. If you get good at playing tunes, it will only help your rhythm accompaniment as well...
Ukeleles are the minature ones? Our ceilidh band leader decided we should try being a "Ukelele Orchestra" for a couple of sets... it was... interesting...
I've been at sessions with quite a few "non-trad" instruments that were played brilliantly and sympathetically and could only be said to add to the occasion. At my old session in Cambridge we experienced a washboard, double bass, cello, harmonica and probably the odd uke that I've forgotten about among other things. The players make the difference not the instruments. I think our worst players were a fiddler, a whistle player and a guitarist.
The Ukekele seems to be the "new bodhran", or "new shakey egg" an entry ticket to sessions for people bereft of talent who want to be part of the session "action". Same principle applies. Just hold down a few chords and batter away. Hey presto, instant musician. So tell me, what range of emotions can you express when you're flailing (or should I say masturb....) on your uke? Tring a ling tring a ling ling, yeah right.
I wonder who they were Sinead!? I never went to that session so I know you don't mean me! We're now in our new home in the White Swan and it's going pretty well - come and see us when you can.
Hey Richard - have you posted details of it? Might be time soon for the Annual Visit. ( he says, trying to remain sociable, calm and unflustered by a thread applauding the use of ukes in Irish trad music.... )
Why not just give them a spot, put them on it, and ask them to play their favourite set for you all ~ meaning melody? Surprise might catch either or both sides.
That's the fairest way of doing it ceol. Thanks for your balanced comment. But some yokes can't really be done solo. Bodhran for example. I've been know to batter into it, and I'm not too bad at it, better than some so-called "bodhran specialists". Again it all comes down to what you are able to *give* to the music, not what you take from it, ie inflated ego by sitting in on a session. Enjoining and contributing to a session I think requires humility, patience and understanding. We have a session on Sunday evenings which I won't post here, where we players are just a part of the furniture of a very Irish pub. Most families who came in are Connemara and Kerry people. In amongst the non-playing patrons of this pub are several notable musicians, Sean McDonnagh being just. And yet unlike some more English pubs we don't have to fight to be recognised. It's there already. It's implicit. And they know good music when they hear it. Tin pot innovations such as ukes would be laughed at. And the question would arise why don't you either feck off
or
learn a more suitable instrument
or it might be asked,
why have you got the gall or arrogance to assume it's ok to blunder into a traditional music session and start thumping away on something that is alien to the tradition thinking that might be ok?
The mind boggles at such fvcking w@nkers.
Danny - always good to see you. The info is still in the old place but we've just moved to the next pub along the road. See here: http://www.geocities.com/beaconsfieldsession/
The sessions are crowded, anarchic and great fun, but you have to take them as you find them. No ukes yet, but they'd be drowned out anyway!
In general I prefer to play with people who are passionate about their instruments and sensitive to the collective goal. These two elements can pave way to some beautiful things.
Richard - the washboard player was a Finnish guy with an unspellable name who was only in Cambridge for a few months but was great. The double bass was a guy called Simon I think also in the band Maker who probably aren't going any more. The cellist was a bloke we called Cello Tom but I'm not sure that was his real name!
May pop down to Cambridge for a few days this summer but as I'm heavily pregnant the flute playing's not up to much at the moment - not much room for lungs!
I completely agree with SineadE's comment that it is the players who make the difference and not the instruments. This is equally true whether or not you are playing Irish music or Blues or folk music or some other type of music.
As for myself, who plays two atypical, non-traditional instruments (piano and bass), I didn't bring either instrument to the local Irish Session until I was invited to bring them and play them. I told the people in charge of the session what I played and asked if I could bring one or both instruments before they invited me to join them.
Myself, I'd give anyone a chance, although at this point anyone who plays an instrument that isn't percussion is way beyond me in skill.
fauxcelt - while I agree about needing an invite before joining a true session, we don't have that here, at least at the level I play. It's just a weekly jam session, open to anyone. The regulars know enough to sit out a tune if we can't add to it, no matter what we play.
I was just trying to be polite and mannerly when I asked if I could join the musicians at the session instead of just inviting myself to join them without asking first. This is what I have always done whenever I am at a jam session (Irish sessions and other types of jam sessions). If I don't feel as if I can contribute to a tune, I sit there quietly and listen.
Would it make you run screaming . . .
Would it make you run screaming . . .
. . . from a session if a ukulele player tried to join? Mostly, I'm curious as to what people's reaction is to session music on a non-traditional instrument. I know, there's more than a little debate (polite term) about tradition as it applies to bodhrans, bones, spoons, and even guitars. As I said, I'm just curious.
So, would it be an automatic fleeing, or would you give them a chance to show what they knew?
Disclaimer: despite my username, I don't play ukulele; currently I play bodhran and bones, which I already know can send many people screaming (although no one's yet screamed directly at me), and I'm working on whistle.
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by KonaHuaNui
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I'm yet to hear someone that can play a ukulele successfully behind tunes. That said tho... i'm willing to give anyone a chance. If they can do it... fair play to them!
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by davydd
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
A relative gave me a real nice Uke because his hands were too big. I took it to a session two days ago just for a joke, but I did a rendition of "Come by the Hills" as a song and the fiddles joined in. It seemed that it was well received.
As far as playing tunes, it is by far too quiet to do any damage.
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by feardearg
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I wonder if it's possible to tune them GDAE and play tunes on them......... on second thought..... probably don't want to imagine it
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by camwebby
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I know this isn't specifically a ukulele thread, but from less than a month ago: http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/18286
In your case, Kona, I would say keep concentrating on the whistle. If you get good at playing tunes, it will only help your rhythm accompaniment as well...
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by Reverend
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
Ukeleles are the minature ones? Our ceilidh band leader decided we should try being a "Ukelele Orchestra" for a couple of sets... it was... interesting...
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by Djaque
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I've been at sessions with quite a few "non-trad" instruments that were played brilliantly and sympathetically and could only be said to add to the occasion. At my old session in Cambridge we experienced a washboard, double bass, cello, harmonica and probably the odd uke that I've forgotten about among other things. The players make the difference not the instruments. I think our worst players were a fiddler, a whistle player and a guitarist.
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by SineadE
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
The Ukekele seems to be the "new bodhran", or "new shakey egg" an entry ticket to sessions for people bereft of talent who want to be part of the session "action". Same principle applies. Just hold down a few chords and batter away. Hey presto, instant musician. So tell me, what range of emotions can you express when you're flailing (or should I say masturb....) on your uke? Tring a ling tring a ling ling, yeah right.
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by Rudall the time
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I wonder who they were Sinead!? I never went to that session so I know you don't mean me! We're now in our new home in the White Swan and it's going pretty well - come and see us when you can.
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by RichardB
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
Hey Richard - have you posted details of it? Might be time soon for the Annual Visit. ( he says, trying to remain sociable, calm and unflustered by a thread applauding the use of ukes in Irish trad music....
)
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by Rudall the time
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
Why not just give them a spot, put them on it, and ask them to play their favourite set for you all ~ meaning melody? Surprise might catch either or both sides.
I have heard it done well, in the right hands...
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
That's the fairest way of doing it ceol. Thanks for your balanced comment. But some yokes can't really be done solo. Bodhran for example. I've been know to batter into it, and I'm not too bad at it, better than some so-called "bodhran specialists". Again it all comes down to what you are able to *give* to the music, not what you take from it, ie inflated ego by sitting in on a session. Enjoining and contributing to a session I think requires humility, patience and understanding. We have a session on Sunday evenings which I won't post here, where we players are just a part of the furniture of a very Irish pub. Most families who came in are Connemara and Kerry people. In amongst the non-playing patrons of this pub are several notable musicians, Sean McDonnagh being just. And yet unlike some more English pubs we don't have to fight to be recognised. It's there already. It's implicit. And they know good music when they hear it. Tin pot innovations such as ukes would be laughed at. And the question would arise why don't you either feck off
or
learn a more suitable instrument
or it might be asked,
why have you got the gall or arrogance to assume it's ok to blunder into a traditional music session and start thumping away on something that is alien to the tradition thinking that might be ok?
The mind boggles at such fvcking w@nkers.
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by Rudall the time
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
Danny - always good to see you. The info is still in the old place but we've just moved to the next pub along the road. See here: http://www.geocities.com/beaconsfieldsession/
The sessions are crowded, anarchic and great fun, but you have to take them as you find them. No ukes yet, but they'd be drowned out anyway!
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by RichardB
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
In general I prefer to play with people who are passionate about their instruments and sensitive to the collective goal. These two elements can pave way to some beautiful things.
In the right hands, a uke can make amazing music. True- it's not considered par of the Irish tradition, but at some point neither was a bouzouki, a mandolin, an accordion, a concertina etc etc...If the guy in the following video came into my session, I'd give him my seat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9mEKMz2Pvo&eurl=http://www.wanderings.net/notebook/Main/JakeShimabukuro-UkuleleVirtuoso
To answer your question though - I would give anyone a chance to show what they know
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by improziv
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
Richard - the washboard player was a Finnish guy with an unspellable name who was only in Cambridge for a few months but was great. The double bass was a guy called Simon I think also in the band Maker who probably aren't going any more. The cellist was a bloke we called Cello Tom but I'm not sure that was his real name!
May pop down to Cambridge for a few days this summer but as I'm heavily pregnant the flute playing's not up to much at the moment - not much room for lungs!
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by SineadE
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I have a banjelele and I've tuned it GDAE - it's just a high pitched banjo, it's great!!
My band plays some tunes with a uke behind them when our guitarist gets bored of the guitar. It seems to work okay...
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by An Kammneves
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I completely agree with SineadE's comment that it is the players who make the difference and not the instruments. This is equally true whether or not you are playing Irish music or Blues or folk music or some other type of music.
As for myself, who plays two atypical, non-traditional instruments (piano and bass), I didn't bring either instrument to the local Irish Session until I was invited to bring them and play them. I told the people in charge of the session what I played and asked if I could bring one or both instruments before they invited me to join them.
# Posted on July 28th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
Myself, I'd give anyone a chance, although at this point anyone who plays an instrument that isn't percussion is way beyond me in skill.
fauxcelt - while I agree about needing an invite before joining a true session, we don't have that here, at least at the level I play. It's just a weekly jam session, open to anyone. The regulars know enough to sit out a tune if we can't add to it, no matter what we play.
# Posted on July 29th 2008 by KonaHuaNui
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
I was just trying to be polite and mannerly when I asked if I could join the musicians at the session instead of just inviting myself to join them without asking first. This is what I have always done whenever I am at a jam session (Irish sessions and other types of jam sessions). If I don't feel as if I can contribute to a tune, I sit there quietly and listen.
# Posted on July 29th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: Would it make you run screaming . . .
Kona--glad to hear you play the bones. They are never mentioned here.
# Posted on August 4th 2008 by hauke