Besides Irish I enjoy playing Shetland tunes & Galician & Asturian music. I do not sing thpugh we have several singers in the session.
We session once a week. I do not currently play in a gigging band.
I play flute at our session; double bass in a local community orchestra; trumpet in a local concert band; GHB for my own pleasure; guitar and bass in a wedding band, now and then; sing tenor in our parish choir; teach music in a middle school where I play piano, guitar, and band instruments all day long; and tune pianos on Saturdays.
An earlier discussion revealed that there are a lot of fiddlers, including me, plus considerable numbers of other trad and not-so-trad instruments. (Although history teaches us that non-trad players should tread lightly, on the Mustard Board.)
I do play gigs, but I often wonder if maybe I shouldn't... oh well, why not, the great players can't be everywhere, right?
My musical base is Irish music, my nationality is English and I live in North-East England. I am presently interested in a kind of English trad I hadn't come across till recently, much of it in 3/2 and altogether more nimble and captivating than the words "English music" have been known to suggest. A lot of it comes from the North but I think it was once fairly general - tunes of this kind are in Playford. The contents of English tunebooks continue to emerge and surprise.
I've played whistle and/or tenor banjo at some point in the day, nearly every day, for the last 6 years. I added the Bodhran later and then flute last year. I've played guitar off and on for the last 30 years, which gave me a big leg up on the banjo.
It's unadulterated, undiluted, hard-core Irish traditional music only please for me. At least for now.
I play at least once a week at one, or the other, of the two local weekly sessions. Sometimes I get to both.
This is an old question merely repeated, but gladly I'll answer to keep the statistics flowing;
Instruments; initially guitar; now Irish Bouzouki ( long-necked octave mandolin ); acoustic and electric guitars; english concertina; electric bass, bodrhan; 5-string banjo.
Where; at least one session a week, plus folkclubs. Sessions vary from ITM + related genres incl European to eclectic ones with most aspects of traditional music + acoustic r'n'r, jazz standards, pop and self-penned material. Venues; pub bars, cafes, village halls to posh hotel ballrooms. I've been everywhere, man....
Gigs; mainly barn dance/ceilidhs with the odd paid session thrown in.
Instruments: Origianlly i played the organ (from age 6) then went to keyboards/piano. Now i mostly play Guitar, Octave Mandolin and Fiddle.
I currently play Irish, Scottish, Contra-Dance & Old Timey music.
I have a regular gig on a Saturday and play at a few festivals/events/sessions around the place. I'm also a member of the local fiddle club and get a number of gigs with my dancing as well.
Initially folk guitar, then vocals and keyboards in a jazz rock fusion band. Then tenor banjo, octave mandolin, and irish bouzouki. Then (classical) violin and a little (irish) fiddle and a little f-hole mandolin. Back to guitar, but Country music for me, now. I cannot say for sure what caused the transformation but I suspect that something shorted out in my central wiring when rap music turned 30 and my teenaged son was still continuing to run an iTunes hip hop tab.
{i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop
Instruments: Guitar, bouzouki, bodhran, mandolin (not as much as before I got the zouk), and I sing.
I favor mainly Irish, Scottish and English traditional music, although I'm certainly not adverse to contemporary singer-songwriters (e.g. Karine Polwart, John Tams, Dave Webber).
I reckon I do have fairly regular gigs. I am in a "band" -- actually a duo, perpetually on the look-out for a third and fourth -- and I also have a fair number of other musical friends with whom I sometimes get hired for more informal performance-type things. And I occasionally do solo spots.
Mostly play tenor banjo in our Irish trad / folk trio that usually gigs twice a week -though last week thrice. Occasionally pick up the mandolin, guitar, bozouki or bodhran as there isn't a large pool of Irish musicians out here in Thailand and we try to vary our sound.
I've joined the union before on guitar and bass. So I'm pretty much a trained musician on those.
I can also play to some degree the fiddle, the whislte, the clarinet, synthesisers and electronic stuff, alot of hand percussion, the drum set, and the bodhran.
I've played gigs in jazz, blues, rock, reggea, soul, punk, acoustic folk, funk, salsa, and speed metal.
I've played alot of classical guitar, but never for money because I'm not worth any money when playing classical music
I've played in clubs since 1979 and worked in a recording studio for a few years back in the 80s
I play guitar, mandola (tenor), mandolin and sing.
Don't play many sessions because there are not many nearby and there are too many guitar players. Attend regular "folk" clubs for mixed music experiences. Prefer Scottish/North of England to Irish when it comes to tunes.
Currently in three musical groups and gig perhaps forty times a year.
Church organist and pianist. Also play a bit of guitar. Whistle and button box.
At this point general purpose ITM, no particular specialization. just starting to get into sessions which in Chicago, are few/generally inconvenient for anyone with a regular job. Found a Sunday one though which I may get into once the Weather in Chicago turns to winter. (Only two seasons in Chicago, road construction and winter)
Used to do lots of Church gigs (weddings, funerals) but have gotten past that. As one gets older, one becomes aware that we are born with a finite number of days, and you have to do what means something to you.
Last night I played whistle the most, but mostly guitar, with a bit of accordion and harmonica as well. Play less guitar when there are other rhythm instruments at the session. Do about 40 sessions and maybe 10 gigs per year.
I began at age 12 on clarinet (who didn't), moved on to folk guitar, then electirc bass in top 40/disco bands, now the fiddle. First love is Irish sessions, which I play in Westminster MD twice a month. Also play a little old-time on Sundays. I'm in a band called "Craggy Island" (get it). We play mostly Irish, but throw in whatever we like (Pink Floyd, The Dead, etc.) Would like to play more at sessions and have started my own at my house with the idea of tune building and getting faster.
I play tenor banjo at our weekly session which is predominantly Irish, but we also play other Celtic and Bluegrass tunes etc.
I also play my own fingerstyle compositions at on acoustic guitar at home, but never at the session (nor anywhere else, for that matter).
I play bouzouki, tenor banjo, guitar and sometimes bodhran.
I gig with our three member family band once or twice a month (more frequently in fall). We play a lot of Christmas music during the season and Irish, Scottish, English, country and other folk music at other times of year.
This thread reminds me of that old song: "I am the Music Man":
"I am the Music Man, I come from down your way, and I can play"
"What can you play?"
"I can play the oom-pa"
"Then let us hear you...."
"Oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah-pah,
Oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah,
Oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah-pah,
Oom-pah, oom-pah-pah."
Then more verses - with other pretend instrunents ..... etc. etc.
1, see username and bio, 2, rarely, I only play 'the music'. I have been thinking of brushing up on old-timey tunes and Depression-era songs for the minstrel show I'll be forming from musicians laid-off from their 9-5 jobs.
Census
Census
Out of sheer curiosity, what does everyone here play? And how many people do regular gigs?
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by Klosephine
Re: Census
Besides Irish I enjoy playing Shetland tunes & Galician & Asturian music. I do not sing thpugh we have several singers in the session.
We session once a week. I do not currently play in a gigging band.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by Random_notes
Re: Census
this could get to be a mighty long thread if everyone chimes in, but what the heck;
if you mean instrumentally; fiddle, concertina, mandolin.
if you mean (sub)genre; irish, scottish, maritime, currently trying to reinvent myself as a new england fiddler, whatever that is.
used to attend a weekly session and gig occasionally, but haven't found anyone in my new home in midcoast maine.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by 'tinamatt
Re: Census
Fiddle
No
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by D.J.F.
Re: Census
I play flute at our session; double bass in a local community orchestra; trumpet in a local concert band; GHB for my own pleasure; guitar and bass in a wedding band, now and then; sing tenor in our parish choir; teach music in a middle school where I play piano, guitar, and band instruments all day long; and tune pianos on Saturdays.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: Census
tenor banjo, octave mandola, mandolin, guitar (rarely).
Gigging most weekends with band 'Paddy's Whiskers' or me and me Mrs (fiddle) as Re-Jig.
Not been to many sessions lately cos all our babysitting credits used up for gigs.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by bodatcha
Re: Census
oh....mainly Irish, with a bit of Scottish and American oldtime/bluegrass plus a sprinkling of klezmer and eastern European gypsy......
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by bodatcha
Re: Census
An earlier discussion revealed that there are a lot of fiddlers, including me, plus considerable numbers of other trad and not-so-trad instruments. (Although history teaches us that non-trad players should tread lightly, on the Mustard Board.)
I do play gigs, but I often wonder if maybe I shouldn't... oh well, why not, the great players can't be everywhere, right?
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by mickray
Re: Census
I play banjo in Irish sessions - I make a joyful noise unto the pub denizens.
I am a reformed rock-ska-funk bass player and have no desire to play gigs anymore.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Census
I play whistle and 2 1/2-row D/G melodeon.
My musical base is Irish music, my nationality is English and I live in North-East England. I am presently interested in a kind of English trad I hadn't come across till recently, much of it in 3/2 and altogether more nimble and captivating than the words "English music" have been known to suggest. A lot of it comes from the North but I think it was once fairly general - tunes of this kind are in Playford. The contents of English tunebooks continue to emerge and surprise.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by nicholas
Re: Census
Fiddle & piano.............guitar many years ago
no gigs
Mary
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by Antikhntr
Re: Census
I first learned to play on the linoleum but now I've advanced to the fiddle.
Regular sessions? I wish!
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by bowburner
Re: Census
I was once on the fiddle but now I've gone to the jug.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by nicholas
Re: Census
I've played whistle and/or tenor banjo at some point in the day, nearly every day, for the last 6 years. I added the Bodhran later and then flute last year. I've played guitar off and on for the last 30 years, which gave me a big leg up on the banjo.
It's unadulterated, undiluted, hard-core Irish traditional music only please for me. At least for now.
I play at least once a week at one, or the other, of the two local weekly sessions. Sometimes I get to both.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by Chef Paul
Re: Census
This is an old question merely repeated, but gladly I'll answer to keep the statistics flowing;
Instruments; initially guitar; now Irish Bouzouki ( long-necked octave mandolin ); acoustic and electric guitars; english concertina; electric bass, bodrhan; 5-string banjo.
Where; at least one session a week, plus folkclubs. Sessions vary from ITM + related genres incl European to eclectic ones with most aspects of traditional music + acoustic r'n'r, jazz standards, pop and self-penned material. Venues; pub bars, cafes, village halls to posh hotel ballrooms. I've been everywhere, man....
Gigs; mainly barn dance/ceilidhs with the odd paid session thrown in.
# Posted on September 28th 2008 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Census
Instruments: Origianlly i played the organ (from age 6) then went to keyboards/piano. Now i mostly play Guitar, Octave Mandolin and Fiddle.
I currently play Irish, Scottish, Contra-Dance & Old Timey music.
I have a regular gig on a Saturday and play at a few festivals/events/sessions around the place. I'm also a member of the local fiddle club and get a number of gigs with my dancing as well.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by davydd
Re: Census
Initially folk guitar, then vocals and keyboards in a jazz rock fusion band. Then tenor banjo, octave mandolin, and irish bouzouki. Then (classical) violin and a little (irish) fiddle and a little f-hole mandolin. Back to guitar, but Country music for me, now. I cannot say for sure what caused the transformation but I suspect that something shorted out in my central wiring when rap music turned 30 and my teenaged son was still continuing to run an iTunes hip hop tab.
{i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop
...}
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by BarryM
Re: Census
Instruments: Guitar, bouzouki, bodhran, mandolin (not as much as before I got the zouk), and I sing.
I favor mainly Irish, Scottish and English traditional music, although I'm certainly not adverse to contemporary singer-songwriters (e.g. Karine Polwart, John Tams, Dave Webber).
I reckon I do have fairly regular gigs. I am in a "band" -- actually a duo, perpetually on the look-out for a third and fourth -- and I also have a fair number of other musical friends with whom I sometimes get hired for more informal performance-type things. And I occasionally do solo spots.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by sts
Re: Census
Irish flute, a little whistle.
Have a wedding gig coming up, my second in the last couple months with a great harper. Hopefully this will occur on a regular basis.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by InSearchofCraic
Re: Census
mandolin, guitar and bodhran
No gigs only occasional sessions at friend's homes.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Fishmonger
Re: Census
oh yeah, I play ITM and some old-time and bluegrass
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Fishmonger
Re: Census
Mostly play tenor banjo in our Irish trad / folk trio that usually gigs twice a week -though last week thrice. Occasionally pick up the mandolin, guitar, bozouki or bodhran as there isn't a large pool of Irish musicians out here in Thailand and we try to vary our sound.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Mac Donn
Re: Census
fiddle, whistle - Irish trad (with occasional diversion into
contra-dance land)
Used to play classical clarinet and noodle around
with the blues on tenor and soprano sax; also tried Kletzmer (clarinet)
I be gigless
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Hup
Re: Census
Pipes, fiddle, guitar, whistles, Irish bouzouki, voice.
I dabble in others, try to keep "up to speed" on these few.
Oh, and the bodhran.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Rook
Re: Census
Just bodhran and voice.
Sessions at least every two weeks.
Almost exclusively Irish trad.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by RockyRoader
Re: Census
Instruments: harmonica (mostly 10-hole diatonic, occasional tremolo), Anglo concertina (just learning).
Gigs: never have and not intending to.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by robharper
Re: Census
I've joined the union before on guitar and bass. So I'm pretty much a trained musician on those.
I can also play to some degree the fiddle, the whislte, the clarinet, synthesisers and electronic stuff, alot of hand percussion, the drum set, and the bodhran.
I've played gigs in jazz, blues, rock, reggea, soul, punk, acoustic folk, funk, salsa, and speed metal.
I've played alot of classical guitar, but never for money because I'm not worth any money when playing classical music
I've played in clubs since 1979 and worked in a recording studio for a few years back in the 80s
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: Census
I play guitar, mandola (tenor), mandolin and sing.
Don't play many sessions because there are not many nearby and there are too many guitar players. Attend regular "folk" clubs for mixed music experiences. Prefer Scottish/North of England to Irish when it comes to tunes.
Currently in three musical groups and gig perhaps forty times a year.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by DonaldK
Re: Census
fiddle, sessions only
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by fidkid
Re: Census
Fiddle, a bit of cittern and backing vocals.
Gigs: yes.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: Census
Church organist and pianist. Also play a bit of guitar. Whistle and button box.
At this point general purpose ITM, no particular specialization. just starting to get into sessions which in Chicago, are few/generally inconvenient for anyone with a regular job. Found a Sunday one though which I may get into once the Weather in Chicago turns to winter. (Only two seasons in Chicago, road construction and winter)
Used to do lots of Church gigs (weddings, funerals) but have gotten past that. As one gets older, one becomes aware that we are born with a finite number of days, and you have to do what means something to you.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by zippydw
Re: Census
Last night I played whistle the most, but mostly guitar, with a bit of accordion and harmonica as well. Play less guitar when there are other rhythm instruments at the session. Do about 40 sessions and maybe 10 gigs per year.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by AlBrown
Re: Census
I play the pipes.
And play every week, as I am now in semi-retirement.
That's what stars do. Semi-retire.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: Census
I began at age 12 on clarinet (who didn't), moved on to folk guitar, then electirc bass in top 40/disco bands, now the fiddle. First love is Irish sessions, which I play in Westminster MD twice a month. Also play a little old-time on Sundays. I'm in a band called "Craggy Island" (get it). We play mostly Irish, but throw in whatever we like (Pink Floyd, The Dead, etc.) Would like to play more at sessions and have started my own at my house with the idea of tune building and getting faster.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by suzy
Re: Census
I'd quite like to hear "Astronomy Domine" done by a bunch of crack trad musos...
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by nicholas
Re: Census
I play tenor banjo at our weekly session which is predominantly Irish, but we also play other Celtic and Bluegrass tunes etc.
I also play my own fingerstyle compositions at on acoustic guitar at home, but never at the session (nor anywhere else, for that matter).
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by Rick Payman
Re: Census
I play bouzouki, tenor banjo, guitar and sometimes bodhran.
I gig with our three member family band once or twice a month (more frequently in fall). We play a lot of Christmas music during the season and Irish, Scottish, English, country and other folk music at other times of year.
# Posted on September 29th 2008 by rob zouk
Re: Census
This thread reminds me of that old song: "I am the Music Man":
"I am the Music Man, I come from down your way, and I can play"
"What can you play?"
"I can play the oom-pa"
"Then let us hear you...."
"Oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah-pah,
Oom-pah-pah, oom-pah-pah,
Oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah-pah,
Oom-pah, oom-pah-pah."
Then more verses - with other pretend instrunents ..... etc. etc.
# Posted on September 30th 2008 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: Census
1, see username and bio, 2, rarely, I only play 'the music'. I have been thinking of brushing up on old-timey tunes and Depression-era songs for the minstrel show I'll be forming from musicians laid-off from their 9-5 jobs.
# Posted on September 30th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler