Made some recent progress in learning by ear and want to follow it up. This is after my visit to the Traditional Music Archive in Dublin - great folk and what a resource! So...
Can any one direct me to the recent post that told about a recent cd that was for learning tunes by ear?
Im not aware of any trad music CD specfically made for learning by ear. Learning by ear is for me the best and only way to learn tunes, weather its by listening to a CD, a teacher or at a session. So any trad music CD can be used to learn by ear. Having said that some CDs are more suited for a beginner/intermediate player, so for example you might want to try the Foinn Seisiún Cds (Vols 1 thru to 3) on the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann website - check it out here: http://comhaltas.ie/shop
good luck!
The CD mentioned recently is by Seamus Creagh. It's ideal for someone who would like to improve learning by ear and is obtainable here http://www.tunesforpractice.com
Having recently started learning the tenor banjo, I've taken the opportunity to try to totally learn by ear. (Unlike my previous experience of a mix of dots at home and by ear at sessions.)
It is going well I think after only 5 months, I am not going for quantity of tunes at this stage, but just a small selection that I can get some competency on so as to just learn the instrument, and get used to some finger transpositions without stumbling around. What I find now is that even if I did look at dots, I can't now "translate" that to finger position on the banjo anywhere quickly and find it a laborious mental task.
Other tools used: Audacity, WMP, Foinn Seisiun, CDs.
Audacity has a few more features than WMP so it has the edge.
I find though that when I create and save an MP3 file from Audacity and then try to play that on WMP, there is some type of background buzz in WMP which is not in Audacity. It's a pain, so I mostly use Audacity.
None of those tools were available not that long ago, so it makes learning by ear (for me anyway) a much more effective task now. Foinn Sessiun is a brilliant resource I think because there are a lot of common tunes right there for practising whereas in days of yore I basically had to rely on a session once a week to hear them - then you only hear them once! of course.
Really good to see a thread on *learning by ear* (rather than the usual warfare between dots and ears). So, don't talk about bushfires, floods, storms or anything else, and it could have a good chance of staying!
I use Transcribe or amazing slowdowner : you can slow down any tune on CD or mp3, without changing the pitch, which is just great : I remember the old days (gosh, do I sound old-timer ! ), when I had a cassette recorder, and i had to slow it to half-speed, to get an octave lower, with a truly bad sound...
you can also change the pitch with these program : specially if you have a box in C#D, and the recording is done with a DD#...
The Seamus Creagh was the one I was after. I will look at the others too though. So thanks all. I have been using the Come West Along The Road DVDs to begin with Llig.
I second the Comhaltas CDs. I know we've discussed them, but they are very 'clean' as to ornament so the tune is obvious, the arrangements are very consistent with the accepted authoratative settings (O'Neill's specifically) and they have a quiet but omnipresent drum beat (as in thump, thump, thump) which is unbelievably consistent.
If I have a problem, they do play at a speed played by accomplished players. (120-140 from what I can tell) so the pace is very brisk.
I'd second Cocus vote the the Blue and Orange Book. I'd avoid the Comhaltas cds...of 'some' vlaue but annoying to listen to and they're simply too fast as "learning cds" and whether you slow them down or not is irrelevant since you can't hear the beauty of the playing, as you can in the Sheila Garry ones.
Also, don't neglect Matt Cranitch's book and cd of fiddle tunes. Also check out Cathal Hayden's decent cd rom and tune selection....he's got some great ones albeit old favourites...Cranitch is a bit more eclectic.
Recently added to recordings;
"Tunes For Practice"
Seamus Creagh
January 23rd 2009 by ceolachan http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/3225
Out of curiosity, anyone know the 3rd polka on 1st cd, track 8?
~ Jessica's/Finnish/Unknown
Michael, perhaps you could recommend a good cd of tunes?
Absolute joy to listen to and you will never get tired of listening
to them..or you shouldn't.Sometimes when learning new tunes
you can sicken yourself with it because of repeated listening,
that never happened to me when i learned tunes of these.Ymmv of course.
Foinn Seisiún CDs are a good buy too, for getting you started.
Good luck
Learning by ear.
Learning by ear.
Made some recent progress in learning by ear and want to follow it up. This is after my visit to the Traditional Music Archive in Dublin - great folk and what a resource! So...
Can any one direct me to the recent post that told about a recent cd that was for learning tunes by ear?
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by wodeninjun
Re: Learning by ear.
What's stopping you from learning tunes off any CD?
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by ...
Re: Learning by ear.
Im not aware of any trad music CD specfically made for learning by ear. Learning by ear is for me the best and only way to learn tunes, weather its by listening to a CD, a teacher or at a session. So any trad music CD can be used to learn by ear. Having said that some CDs are more suited for a beginner/intermediate player, so for example you might want to try the Foinn Seisiún Cds (Vols 1 thru to 3) on the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann website - check it out here: http://comhaltas.ie/shop
good luck!
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by BanjoBongo
Re: Learning by ear.
Foinn Seisiún cd's are great to learn form, the tunes are played steadily and on heaps of instruments so you can match up to your own instrument.
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by camwebby
Re: Learning by ear.
Perhaps you are thinking of this one?
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/20399
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by jasonb
Re: Learning by ear.
I also recommend the Foinn Seisiún CDs.
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by jasonb
Re: Learning by ear.
The CD mentioned recently is by Seamus Creagh. It's ideal for someone who would like to improve learning by ear and is obtainable here
http://www.tunesforpractice.com
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by cathycook
Re: Learning by ear.
Having recently started learning the tenor banjo, I've taken the opportunity to try to totally learn by ear. (Unlike my previous experience of a mix of dots at home and by ear at sessions.)
It is going well I think after only 5 months, I am not going for quantity of tunes at this stage, but just a small selection that I can get some competency on so as to just learn the instrument, and get used to some finger transpositions without stumbling around. What I find now is that even if I did look at dots, I can't now "translate" that to finger position on the banjo anywhere quickly and find it a laborious mental task.
Other tools used: Audacity, WMP, Foinn Seisiun, CDs.
Audacity has a few more features than WMP so it has the edge.
I find though that when I create and save an MP3 file from Audacity and then try to play that on WMP, there is some type of background buzz in WMP which is not in Audacity. It's a pain, so I mostly use Audacity.
None of those tools were available not that long ago, so it makes learning by ear (for me anyway) a much more effective task now. Foinn Sessiun is a brilliant resource I think because there are a lot of common tunes right there for practising whereas in days of yore I basically had to rely on a session once a week to hear them - then you only hear them once! of course.
Really good to see a thread on *learning by ear* (rather than the usual warfare between dots and ears). So, don't talk about bushfires, floods, storms or anything else, and it could have a good chance of staying!
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by Skull Duggeraigh Dubh
Re: Brid Cranitch Blue, Orange, Yellow, Red Session CDs
http://www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/webrevs/osscd132.htm
Great tunes beautifully and slowly played. Perfect for learning. You couldn't do better. There are more but these are the first two:
SHEILA GARRY & BRID CRANITCH "Irish Session Tunes" Blue CD OSSCD132
SHEILA GARRY & BRID CRANITCH "Irish Session Tunes" Orange CD OSSCD133
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by David Levine
Re: Learning by ear.
I use Transcribe or amazing slowdowner : you can slow down any tune on CD or mp3, without changing the pitch, which is just great : I remember the old days (gosh, do I sound old-timer !
), when I had a cassette recorder, and i had to slow it to half-speed, to get an octave lower, with a truly bad sound...
you can also change the pitch with these program : specially if you have a box in C#D, and the recording is done with a DD#...
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by Nikita Pfister
Re: Learning by ear.
Wodeninjun -
Is Orla Henihan still working in the archive? Did you happen to meet her? Just a friend who hasn't made contact in a while...
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by Chrishty
Re: Learning by ear.
The Seamus Creagh was the one I was after. I will look at the others too though. So thanks all. I have been using the Come West Along The Road DVDs to begin with Llig.
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by wodeninjun
Re: Learning by ear.
I second the Comhaltas CDs. I know we've discussed them, but they are very 'clean' as to ornament so the tune is obvious, the arrangements are very consistent with the accepted authoratative settings (O'Neill's specifically) and they have a quiet but omnipresent drum beat (as in thump, thump, thump) which is unbelievably consistent.
If I have a problem, they do play at a speed played by accomplished players. (120-140 from what I can tell) so the pace is very brisk.
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Learning by ear.
Just choose your favourite disk to learn! if they're too fast to learn at first, you can put the tempo down with a program like Audacity.
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by Invincible
Re: Learning by ear.
I'd second Cocus vote the the Blue and Orange Book. I'd avoid the Comhaltas cds...of 'some' vlaue but annoying to listen to and they're simply too fast as "learning cds" and whether you slow them down or not is irrelevant since you can't hear the beauty of the playing, as you can in the Sheila Garry ones.
Also, don't neglect Matt Cranitch's book and cd of fiddle tunes. Also check out Cathal Hayden's decent cd rom and tune selection....he's got some great ones albeit old favourites...Cranitch is a bit more eclectic.
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by skin&bow
Re: Learning by ear.
Recently added to recordings;
"Tunes For Practice"
Seamus Creagh
January 23rd 2009 by ceolachan
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/3225
Out of curiosity, anyone know the 3rd polka on 1st cd, track 8?
~ Jessica's/Finnish/Unknown
Michael, perhaps you could recommend a good cd of tunes?
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Learning by ear.
I'm with Michael---any cd is good for learning tunes. There are lots of websites that play tunes slowly, though, like this one:
http://irishflute.podbean.com/
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by kennedy
Re: Learning by ear.
And then of course there are all the Martin Hayes cds...
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by kennedy
Re: Learning by ear.
Here is a few that would keep you on the right track.
http://www.custysmusic.com/product-info.php?pid158.html
http://www.theyllbegoodyet.com/
http://www.custysmusic.com/product-info.php?pid201.html
Absolute joy to listen to and you will never get tired of listening
to them..or you shouldn't.Sometimes when learning new tunes
you can sicken yourself with it because of repeated listening,
that never happened to me when i learned tunes of these.Ymmv of course.
Foinn Seisiún CDs are a good buy too, for getting you started.
Good luck
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by J.D.Mc
Re: Learning by ear.
Thanks, I have this cd which I enjoy listening to & do know some of the tunes. Hope to learn a few more of the tunes from her recording.
'Sugrú'
Eilish O'Connor
Submitted on (February 21st 2003?) by setanta.
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/455
# Posted on February 11th 2009 by Ben Steen