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T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
When a session becomes a victim of its own success... ...when the audience apparently comes in to enjoy the music but make so much noise you can't hear your own playing, let alone the person next to you, what do you do...
...one suggestion we had was to wear T shirts with a slogan that portrays the idea that "if you are here for the music then be quiet"! However, it needs to be inoffensive, not provocative (lest it provoke the opposite to what we want) and funny. Any ideas for an appropriate kind of phrase?
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
(mtodd) "...the louder you play or try to play in a session the louder people around you will talk!"
Ah yes, funny thing about that, eh? What I've noticed, and what I recommend, is to play a set as quietly as possible, so only the musicians can hear it. Huddle up if you need to.
Pretty soon, all the loud drunks will wonder where the music went. They'll hear a little quiet thing going on and shut up so they can hear it too.
Or, they won’t but as long as you can hear, who cares?
Basically, it’s the inverse of mtodd's little axiom there.
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
LOL fauxcelt, I might just have to make a shirt along the lines of that: "Talk Louder... We can still hear ourselves playing!" Heh
Unfortunately (unless they've changed this), CafePress, the company that prints my shirts, still won't print things on the backs of some of their shirts. Never figured that one out...
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
People do shout and raise their voices when the music's playing loud and hectic. Maybe you could prearrange a sudden cut-off to the playing when the human hubbub is loudest - fairly soon after a decided crank-up of volume and tempo, I have observed, fairly well on into the evening when the company is lubricated but lively, between sobriety and torpor.
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
You could bring along an ould one. Keep her gagged in the corner and when the noise gets too loud ungag her and let her off. It should only take a second for her to start singing a sad song.. everyone will sush as she sings about the death of a dairy farmer or something.... then, an hour later when the song ends, you should get a good 5min of quiet before the punters realise that ye are playing again.
Worth a try anyway.
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"...... won't print things on the backs of some of their shirts. Never figured that one out..."
I work in a 'creative cafe' .... where you can make your own pottery OR T-SHIRTS!! whilst relaxing with a coffee...... therefore, writing on the back of shirt..... a doddle!!!
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"Don't mind us we're deaf too" ?
What about a cartoon? here are some ideas of what it could look like:
'bla bla blah' coming out of a trumpetist's trumpet (perhaps it will make people stop (!) and wonder?) or a wee cartoon story on a poster over the session table like er 3 musicians in a boat by the bar in the first box with a small group going 'bla blah' beside them, second box shows more in the group with more blabla rising from the ground, etc eventually the musicians in the boat float on this tide of blablablablabla while the crowd is nearly drowned! Or a similar story with umbrellas protecting them from a deluge of words coming from above ?
T-shirt slogans are a great idea but will be obscured by the backs of chairs, jumpers, things and punters. Your best ally might be the publican or barstaff; they're in a position of (neutral) authority /might want to help if your session makes their venue popular. Dimming the lights might work too?
Singing is not a bad idea but it might attract more -unwanted!- singing. You could try 'The Pub Musician's Complaints' by Don Murphy on the crowd (there is a link on SWFL Fiddler's profile) or print the last verse on T-shirts?
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Oh! How could I forget? Thanks birdie.
"So come all you good people and give us proper order when we play a tune or when we sing a song,
For it took dedication, it sure wasn't easy, and no we're not making them up as we go along.
If you can think you can do it, you're welcome to try it, we'll pack up our cases and leave you alone,
But if not then shut up and let others enjoy it and we'll all be contented before we go home."
I am available to sing this at any time, any place, providing I'm sent transportation costs. Thank you.
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
News Flash! This just in from Sydney Australia. The incident was apparently sparked when tourists in a pub complained that they couldn't hear a football game on the telly over loud music. Doesn't say whether the music was canned or live, or Irish (Dow, bb, fess up, eh?).
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Aye. Well this is a new tune session, so we don't want to encourage too much singing! We may have some persuasion with the Landlord, however we are only in the process of establishing this session and don't want to push things too far, its a great spot for a tune. Also, frankly, we are new to the pub, and though things are going well and we've been getting lots of interest, at this stage, people may well be there for a pint and only happen to encounter us there... ...so it seems a bit harsh to just tell them to shut up... ....however, a more gentle persuasion and voluntary participation with humour behind it might be more effective. Who knows? Its just good to throw some ideas about... ...and cheers for the ideas so far!
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Nasty story.
Just as well that session pubs tend to be spartan hovels and codgers' dens that don't do food. Well, maybe I've missed something, but you know what I mean!..
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
To be honest, Jamie, I will be eternally grateful to you and completely amazed if you can find a clever, tactful, and humorous way to sort out this particular conundrum. Obnoxiously loud punters appear in session pubs in Scotland, England, Ireland, and the US. Usually the musos just suck it up and deal with it in a resigned manner and accept that they can't hear a note they or anyone else play. It drives me nuts -- I was badly trainwrecking Good Morning to your Nightcap (in case you didn't notice) because I couldn't hear a note I was playing. Couldn't hear you at all (at least I heard the border pipes, banjo, and guitar). But I'm not convinced that there's anything that can be done about it. However, I will remain guardedly optimistic.
Failing tactful good humour, the border pipes weren't a bad option. When they were going that was all I could hear, which was a damn sight better than deafening ambient noise. Maybe a few more pipers would be in order.
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Just be thankful you've got a busy , sociable, session that isn't going to die out or be shut down soon.
If you try to force the situation where publican has to choose between musicians (mostly new to that particular pub) and punters, you're going to be the ones moving.
It's only been going a few weeks and you don't know that the novelty might wear off soon and crowds will thin out anyway. Hate to sound harsh, but if you want perfect acoustics, don't play in a busy pub.
Some pubs have happily found a shape that lets musicians hear each other (mostly) while everyone else (including musicians who've put their instrument away for a while) can chat away, which is the main reason people come to pubs, even when there's music on.
But most pubs weren't designed like that so I think you have to go for atmosphere over audibility every time, unless your session has a death wish
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
As you can see from my posts above, you're only preaching to the converted in what you're saying here, which is why I was suggesting a non-forceful, subtle humorous response that might be effective and avoid damage. However, although I can see the point of what you say about atmosphere over audibility, we have a session that already serves up dollops of atmosphere, public delight and next to no musical integrity, and much the object of this new session is to move away from that and orientate ourselves about decent quality audible tunes. As you say, things may settle down. Outwith the session, the pub isn't normally the busiest on a tuesday night, but has certainly been busy over the last four weeks. We'll see how that evolves! Ultimately, if this session ends up being about the public atmosphere over the audible music, I won't be prepared to put the effort into it, because it'll cease to be fun....
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
This week the first week where I found the pub noise overbearing. It looked to me like some uni societies were having their pub nights, etc. etc. and it had b8gger-all to do with us. We shall see if it is a continuing problem.
Some sessions on certain nights are always nutty, but I've been in sessions that are usually really good for hearing each other except on the odd night when you have a large, loud group of punters sitting right behind you.
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Except for the two or three years that the local sessions were held at the local branch of the Barnes & Noble bookstore chain, we have usually had our sessions in a bar or a restaurant or a restaurant with a full service bar.
When it was physically impossible to separate us from the rest of the customers in the bar or the retaurant, we just had to tolerate the noise or play over it.
In one place, a sports bar, the bartender would mute all of the televisions on the evenings when we were there. The sports fans in this bar would mostly ignore the noises we were making and seemed to consider it to be background noise.
At one bar, a converted warehouse, we started out in the front room (where it was noisy) with the rest of the customers for a few months until we discovered that this place had a basement so we decided to move down in the world.
The owners of the bar had fixed up the basement very nicely with pool tables, dart boards, couches, comfortable chairs, and televisions. Also, since the basement had a low ceiling, we could hear ourselves much better than we could upstairs in the front room of the bar.
Before the local version of Cregeen's opened for business, we were already invited to have our sessions there.
Besides Barnes & Noble, Cregeen's is the only place which has invited us to have sessions there.
At Cregeen's, we get to use a back room where we are physically separated from most of the customers in the restaurant and we can actually hear each other while we are playing music.
Yes, some of the musicians do wear T-shirts with clever sayings on them such as: "Guiness, Irish Gaelic for Genius"
T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
When a session becomes a victim of its own success... ...when the audience apparently comes in to enjoy the music but make so much noise you can't hear your own playing, let alone the person next to you, what do you do...
...one suggestion we had was to wear T shirts with a slogan that portrays the idea that "if you are here for the music then be quiet"! However, it needs to be inoffensive, not provocative (lest it provoke the opposite to what we want) and funny. Any ideas for an appropriate kind of phrase?
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Jamie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Can you talk LOUDER? I can still hear the music.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Shut up and drink yer beer.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Njal
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"We are Trappist Monks - Kindly respect our religious beliefs!"
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
I suggest you get in contact with Reverend. He already has some useful t-shirts, including the 'stupid questions' one.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Guernsey Pete
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
If your blethering you aint listening, if your no listening you cannae be drinking, if you're no drinking whit you daeing here?
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Jamie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
funny things human beings are...I've noticed before that the louder you play or try to play in a session the louder people around you will talk!
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by mtodd
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
All you need is to have a flute player walk around while playing, sticking the flute in the faces of people who are talking.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Marklar
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
A pillar at the Jazz Café (which hosts some pretty loud bands) bears the simple inscription: STFU
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Rick Payman
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
(mtodd) "...the louder you play or try to play in a session the louder people around you will talk!"
Ah yes, funny thing about that, eh? What I've noticed, and what I recommend, is to play a set as quietly as possible, so only the musicians can hear it. Huddle up if you need to.
Pretty soon, all the loud drunks will wonder where the music went. They'll hear a little quiet thing going on and shut up so they can hear it too.
Or, they won’t but as long as you can hear, who cares?
Basically, it’s the inverse of mtodd's little axiom there.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
LOL fauxcelt, I might just have to make a shirt along the lines of that: "Talk Louder... We can still hear ourselves playing!" Heh
Unfortunately (unless they've changed this), CafePress, the company that prints my shirts, still won't print things on the backs of some of their shirts. Never figured that one out...
Pete
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Reverend
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
People do shout and raise their voices when the music's playing loud and hectic. Maybe you could prearrange a sudden cut-off to the playing when the human hubbub is loudest - fairly soon after a decided crank-up of volume and tempo, I have observed, fairly well on into the evening when the company is lubricated but lively, between sobriety and torpor.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by nicholas
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
You could bring along an ould one. Keep her gagged in the corner and when the noise gets too loud ungag her and let her off. It should only take a second for her to start singing a sad song.. everyone will sush as she sings about the death of a dairy farmer or something.... then, an hour later when the song ends, you should get a good 5min of quiet before the punters realise that ye are playing again.
Worth a try anyway.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by session savage
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Less Talking...
More Drinking!
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"If you wish to speak to someone on the other side of the pub, please use your mobile phone."
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by OrganicPeatCreature
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Sean nos singing...that'll quiet them and most will probably leave. Make sure it's one of those long ones with a minimum of 57 verses... that repeat.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by mtodd
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"...... won't print things on the backs of some of their shirts. Never figured that one out..."
I work in a 'creative cafe' .... where you can make your own pottery OR T-SHIRTS!! whilst relaxing with a coffee...... therefore, writing on the back of shirt..... a doddle!!!
Danielle
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by She moved through the fair
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
You're welcome, Reverend Pete.
mtodd, Have you ever heard the following verse from the song, "Leadfingers"?
"On Matty Groves I clean forgot the forty-second verse,
So I sang the twenty-seventh twice and loud and in reverse,
And no one noticed."
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
I haven't, FC. lol.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by mtodd
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"Don't mind us we're deaf too" ?
What about a cartoon? here are some ideas of what it could look like:
'bla bla blah' coming out of a trumpetist's trumpet (perhaps it will make people stop (!) and wonder?) or a wee cartoon story on a poster over the session table like er 3 musicians in a boat by the bar in the first box with a small group going 'bla blah' beside them, second box shows more in the group with more blabla rising from the ground, etc eventually the musicians in the boat float on this tide of blablablablabla while the crowd is nearly drowned! Or a similar story with umbrellas protecting them from a deluge of words coming from above ?
T-shirt slogans are a great idea but will be obscured by the backs of chairs, jumpers, things and punters. Your best ally might be the publican or barstaff; they're in a position of (neutral) authority /might want to help if your session makes their venue popular. Dimming the lights might work too?
Singing is not a bad idea but it might attract more -unwanted!- singing. You could try 'The Pub Musician's Complaints' by Don Murphy on the crowd (there is a link on SWFL Fiddler's profile) or print the last verse on T-shirts?
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by birlibirdie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Oh! How could I forget? Thanks birdie.
"So come all you good people and give us proper order when we play a tune or when we sing a song,
For it took dedication, it sure wasn't easy, and no we're not making them up as we go along.
If you can think you can do it, you're welcome to try it, we'll pack up our cases and leave you alone,
But if not then shut up and let others enjoy it and we'll all be contented before we go home."
I am available to sing this at any time, any place, providing I'm sent transportation costs. Thank you.
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
HELP US TO
DROWN OUT
THE BANJOS
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by nicholas
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
News Flash! This just in from Sydney Australia. The incident was apparently sparked when tourists in a pub complained that they couldn't hear a football game on the telly over loud music. Doesn't say whether the music was canned or live, or Irish (Dow, bb, fess up, eh?).
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081029/od_nm/us_icecream;_ylt=AnZXvNvNZ84sZZoIbZYBzK6s0NUE
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
The pub in question could sell t-shirts for the Feakle Hurling Club....
# Posted on October 29th 2008 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Wow, that reminds me of the story of Feakle Phil's Yak.
What story? I don't know, but darn it, there should be one.
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Aye. Well this is a new tune session, so we don't want to encourage too much singing! We may have some persuasion with the Landlord, however we are only in the process of establishing this session and don't want to push things too far, its a great spot for a tune. Also, frankly, we are new to the pub, and though things are going well and we've been getting lots of interest, at this stage, people may well be there for a pint and only happen to encounter us there... ...so it seems a bit harsh to just tell them to shut up... ....however, a more gentle persuasion and voluntary participation with humour behind it might be more effective. Who knows? Its just good to throw some ideas about... ...and cheers for the ideas so far!
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Jamie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Nasty story.
Just as well that session pubs tend to be spartan hovels and codgers' dens that don't do food. Well, maybe I've missed something, but you know what I mean!..
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by nicholas
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
To be honest, Jamie, I will be eternally grateful to you and completely amazed if you can find a clever, tactful, and humorous way to sort out this particular conundrum. Obnoxiously loud punters appear in session pubs in Scotland, England, Ireland, and the US. Usually the musos just suck it up and deal with it in a resigned manner and accept that they can't hear a note they or anyone else play. It drives me nuts -- I was badly trainwrecking Good Morning to your Nightcap (in case you didn't notice) because I couldn't hear a note I was playing. Couldn't hear you at all (at least I heard the border pipes, banjo, and guitar). But I'm not convinced that there's anything that can be done about it. However, I will remain guardedly optimistic.
Failing tactful good humour, the border pipes weren't a bad option. When they were going that was all I could hear, which was a damn sight better than deafening ambient noise.
Maybe a few more pipers would be in order.
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by TheSilverSpear
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Well here's hoping too! Anyway, make it down earlier 8pm and we'll at least get an hour of unadulterated music!
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Jamie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Tell me the start time is 7:45 and I might make it down by 8.
LOL.
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by TheSilverSpear
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Emily... ...the start time is 7:40pm...
...you can get the drinks order in... ...mines a Deuchars! It'll be good to have it ready and waiting! ;)
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Jamie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Notice
After each set of tunes there will be a five minute break to allow customers to converse with each other.
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Free Reed
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"Don't make me get out my banjo"
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Njal
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Yeah, right on Free Reed.
"Shut up and talk during the breaks like we do"
Short enough for a T Shirt? Hmm...
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
won't print slogans on the back of tee-shirts?
print on the front and wear it back-to-front.
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by geoffwright
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Just be thankful you've got a busy , sociable, session that isn't going to die out or be shut down soon.
If you try to force the situation where publican has to choose between musicians (mostly new to that particular pub) and punters, you're going to be the ones moving.
It's only been going a few weeks and you don't know that the novelty might wear off soon and crowds will thin out anyway. Hate to sound harsh, but if you want perfect acoustics, don't play in a busy pub.
Some pubs have happily found a shape that lets musicians hear each other (mostly) while everyone else (including musicians who've put their instrument away for a while) can chat away, which is the main reason people come to pubs, even when there's music on.
But most pubs weren't designed like that so I think you have to go for atmosphere over audibility every time, unless your session has a death wish
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Bren
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
As you can see from my posts above, you're only preaching to the converted in what you're saying here, which is why I was suggesting a non-forceful, subtle humorous response that might be effective and avoid damage. However, although I can see the point of what you say about atmosphere over audibility, we have a session that already serves up dollops of atmosphere, public delight and next to no musical integrity, and much the object of this new session is to move away from that and orientate ourselves about decent quality audible tunes. As you say, things may settle down. Outwith the session, the pub isn't normally the busiest on a tuesday night, but has certainly been busy over the last four weeks. We'll see how that evolves! Ultimately, if this session ends up being about the public atmosphere over the audible music, I won't be prepared to put the effort into it, because it'll cease to be fun....
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Jamie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
This week the first week where I found the pub noise overbearing. It looked to me like some uni societies were having their pub nights, etc. etc. and it had b8gger-all to do with us. We shall see if it is a continuing problem.
Some sessions on certain nights are always nutty, but I've been in sessions that are usually really good for hearing each other except on the odd night when you have a large, loud group of punters sitting right behind you.
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by TheSilverSpear
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
"This week *was*.. " I should learn how to type.
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by TheSilverSpear
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
a still of dear old Father Jack Hackett (with voice balloon) shouting, " SHUT THE FECK UP! "
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Seosamh Ui Sinan
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
I like that... ...father jack with a ridiculous set of cans on his ears...
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by Jamie
Re: T shirt slogans for sessions with too much background noise?!
Except for the two or three years that the local sessions were held at the local branch of the Barnes & Noble bookstore chain, we have usually had our sessions in a bar or a restaurant or a restaurant with a full service bar.
When it was physically impossible to separate us from the rest of the customers in the bar or the retaurant, we just had to tolerate the noise or play over it.
In one place, a sports bar, the bartender would mute all of the televisions on the evenings when we were there. The sports fans in this bar would mostly ignore the noises we were making and seemed to consider it to be background noise.
At one bar, a converted warehouse, we started out in the front room (where it was noisy) with the rest of the customers for a few months until we discovered that this place had a basement so we decided to move down in the world.
The owners of the bar had fixed up the basement very nicely with pool tables, dart boards, couches, comfortable chairs, and televisions. Also, since the basement had a low ceiling, we could hear ourselves much better than we could upstairs in the front room of the bar.
Before the local version of Cregeen's opened for business, we were already invited to have our sessions there.
Besides Barnes & Noble, Cregeen's is the only place which has invited us to have sessions there.
At Cregeen's, we get to use a back room where we are physically separated from most of the customers in the restaurant and we can actually hear each other while we are playing music.
Yes, some of the musicians do wear T-shirts with clever sayings on them such as: "Guiness, Irish Gaelic for Genius"
# Posted on October 30th 2008 by fauxcelt