Plenty of people tap their feet when they play, it’s quite normal, but one fiddle player who comes to our session does a heavy stamp with both feet at once at maximum volume, which reverberates off the wooden floor of the bar, and sends spine juddering vibrations through those of us sitting nearby. I’m not the only one who finds it distracting, especially as he also tends to speed up, and it's pretty well impossible to hold the speed back against such loud stamping. Last night I considered pushing a cushion under his feet to deaden the sound, but he might have noticed, and I don’t suppose the pub would really like their seat cushions used for this purpose! Any suggestions for how to deal with this?
I occasionally sit in with a band where the lead fiddler does that - a music stand on stage is impossible. We get much amusement from watching his wine glass move nearer and nearer the edge of the stage.
Encourage the offender to come to the session in slippers.
There's a person at my session who taps with his heel. Unfortunately his foot moves spasmodically rather in time with the music. The other day, I was sure there was a dancer with hard shoes behind us. Turned out it was this particular player!
A London fiddler of my acquaintance is also of the two-legged stamping variety. One very sweltery summer's night in a session in the north of the city she stamped her feet so hard that one of her flipflops flew up in the air and demolished all the drinks on a nearby table when it landed. The cost of replacing these certainly had an effect on both her purse and legs for the rest of the evening.
I'm lucky I suppose....I can tap or not tap, I can even drum out a rhythm with my two feet in time to the music if I want to, but some of today's players go completely over the top with the stomping business. Should have been controlled when they were learning the instrument in my opinion. Not too long ago there was a talent competition on RTE which featured a young trad group. One of the judges was ecstatic with joy at the way the young musicians stomped their feet while they played. I found it annoying. To think that the great 'Jimmy Shand' once failed an audition for the BBC back in the thirties for lightly tapping his foot while he played.
I'm afraid I'm more than guilty of that myself, so what I've been doing the past month or so (ever since someone mentioned it to me), is taking my shoes off while playing at the session. That way I can play in time (if I don't tap my feet, I'll never keep time), and nobody's bothered by the sound. I was glad someone mentioned it to me, as I was totally oblivious to it before then, and I was more than happy to find a solution. Hopefully your friend'll be the same.
i wonder if the footstomper had the timeing thing shoved down his throat so much that now right or wrong he gets over awed trying to carry himself through. dialogue should prevail in every session cause there is none of you out there even those closest to god thats got it all no matter what you have been told. forget the timeing . play the tune. teach as you learn communicate.
You don't mean Liam do you? But he doesn't speed up does he? And I liked it, because with all those scrapers, tooters, strummers, squeezers and bashers, *somebody* had to lay down a rhythm we could follow.
Or did you mean someone else?
If he's stomping (and especially speeding up) on other people's sets of tunes, it's not inappropriate to mention that it's distracting. If it's on a set of tunes he started, then it's probably within his rights to exercise whatever influence he feels is appropriate.
Absoluteley lingpupa somebody has to hold the reigns and the whip, and bodhran players are usually too well mannered to do it even though they have the weaponry.
I know a banjo player who taps his tootsys very loudly and tells everyone to ignore it as it's got nothing to do with the tune. "just counting meself in" he says
Takes all types
Thanks to those of you who made suggestions for a cure, maxF, I love the idea of him stamping on those little heads in whack attack, but that might encourage him to get competitive and go even faster! Geoffwright, slippers would be great if we could persuade him, preferably big and fluffy to mop up as much sound as possible.
Lingpupa, this isn’t the place to name any names, and of course there may be some people like yourself who like that incessant stomping, but as I said at the beginning, I’m not the only one who finds it distracting. Georgi, yes he does stomp on other peoples’ sets as well as his own.
Really I suppose one of us should say something to him, as Gam suggests, but it’s a question of how to put it tactfully.
The act isn't tactful, so find someone who knows him and can be counted a friend to be ~ direct... One of the most irritating experiences is when someone take a beat like a whip to the band and considers us cattle to their cowboy. As noted here, it isn't just the usual percussionist that does this, such as skin whackers / bodhranistas. The whip can be snapped at us by the heavy footed, as mentioned here ~ but also by those with large and loud instruments, like piano accordions and the rocket ship versions of D uilleann pipes... In my experience, those who do this kind of pushing are often the less capable to carry a tune in a reasonable way anyway. Speed is a great way to cover up shight playing... And, erratic rhythm, such as speeding up in sections of in a leapfrog way, is, in my opinion, shight playing... Mind you, some folks are innocent, naive, and don't realize the irritation they cause for others. They need to be told, but in kindness, by a friend, but not pussy footing around the issue.
Heavy duty foot stamping
Heavy duty foot stamping
Plenty of people tap their feet when they play, it’s quite normal, but one fiddle player who comes to our session does a heavy stamp with both feet at once at maximum volume, which reverberates off the wooden floor of the bar, and sends spine juddering vibrations through those of us sitting nearby. I’m not the only one who finds it distracting, especially as he also tends to speed up, and it's pretty well impossible to hold the speed back against such loud stamping. Last night I considered pushing a cushion under his feet to deaden the sound, but he might have noticed, and I don’t suppose the pub would really like their seat cushions used for this purpose! Any suggestions for how to deal with this?
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by cathycook
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
how 'bout a phone book?
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by pipewatcher
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Just ask him to stop. Tell him what you've told us.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by gam
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
I occasionally sit in with a band where the lead fiddler does that - a music stand on stage is impossible. We get much amusement from watching his wine glass move nearer and nearer the edge of the stage.
Encourage the offender to come to the session in slippers.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by geoffwright
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
There's a person at my session who taps with his heel. Unfortunately his foot moves spasmodically rather in time with the music. The other day, I was sure there was a dancer with hard shoes behind us. Turned out it was this particular player!
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by Ceolmhar
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
A London fiddler of my acquaintance is also of the two-legged stamping variety. One very sweltery summer's night in a session in the north of the city she stamped her feet so hard that one of her flipflops flew up in the air and demolished all the drinks on a nearby table when it landed. The cost of replacing these certainly had an effect on both her purse and legs for the rest of the evening.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by Floss the Tethers
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
I'm lucky I suppose....I can tap or not tap, I can even drum out a rhythm with my two feet in time to the music if I want to, but some of today's players go completely over the top with the stomping business. Should have been controlled when they were learning the instrument in my opinion. Not too long ago there was a talent competition on RTE which featured a young trad group. One of the judges was ecstatic with joy at the way the young musicians stomped their feet while they played. I found it annoying. To think that the great 'Jimmy Shand' once failed an audition for the BBC back in the thirties for lightly tapping his foot while he played.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Is 'Jimmy Shand' someone different to Jimmy Shand?
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by Floss the Tethers
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Try "affixing" "springs" to his "soles", Cathy.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by maxF
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Or position a game of Whack Attack under his feet. This way he can score while he stamps.
If you combine it with pipewatcher's phone book, he can call for help at the same time.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by maxF
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
I'm afraid I'm more than guilty of that myself, so what I've been doing the past month or so (ever since someone mentioned it to me), is taking my shoes off while playing at the session. That way I can play in time (if I don't tap my feet, I'll never keep time), and nobody's bothered by the sound. I was glad someone mentioned it to me, as I was totally oblivious to it before then, and I was more than happy to find a solution. Hopefully your friend'll be the same.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by dannym
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
i wonder if the footstomper had the timeing thing shoved down his throat so much that now right or wrong he gets over awed trying to carry himself through. dialogue should prevail in every session cause there is none of you out there even those closest to god thats got it all no matter what you have been told. forget the timeing . play the tune. teach as you learn communicate.
# Posted on July 11th 2009 by gimyatune
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
You don't mean Liam do you? But he doesn't speed up does he? And I liked it, because with all those scrapers, tooters, strummers, squeezers and bashers, *somebody* had to lay down a rhythm we could follow.
Or did you mean someone else?
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by Lingpupa
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.
If he's stomping (and especially speeding up) on other people's sets of tunes, it's not inappropriate to mention that it's distracting. If it's on a set of tunes he started, then it's probably within his rights to exercise whatever influence he feels is appropriate.
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by Georgi
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Absoluteley lingpupa somebody has to hold the reigns and the whip, and bodhran players are usually too well mannered to do it even though they have the weaponry.
I know a banjo player who taps his tootsys very loudly and tells everyone to ignore it as it's got nothing to do with the tune. "just counting meself in" he says
Takes all types
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by mcknowall
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
reins?
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by mcknowall
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Thanks to those of you who made suggestions for a cure, maxF, I love the idea of him stamping on those little heads in whack attack, but that might encourage him to get competitive and go even faster! Geoffwright, slippers would be great if we could persuade him, preferably big and fluffy to mop up as much sound as possible.
Lingpupa, this isn’t the place to name any names, and of course there may be some people like yourself who like that incessant stomping, but as I said at the beginning, I’m not the only one who finds it distracting. Georgi, yes he does stomp on other peoples’ sets as well as his own.
Really I suppose one of us should say something to him, as Gam suggests, but it’s a question of how to put it tactfully.
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by cathycook
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
The act isn't tactful, so find someone who knows him and can be counted a friend to be ~ direct... One of the most irritating experiences is when someone take a beat like a whip to the band and considers us cattle to their cowboy. As noted here, it isn't just the usual percussionist that does this, such as skin whackers / bodhranistas. The whip can be snapped at us by the heavy footed, as mentioned here ~ but also by those with large and loud instruments, like piano accordions and the rocket ship versions of D uilleann pipes... In my experience, those who do this kind of pushing are often the less capable to carry a tune in a reasonable way anyway. Speed is a great way to cover up shight playing... And, erratic rhythm, such as speeding up in sections of in a leapfrog way, is, in my opinion, shight playing... Mind you, some folks are innocent, naive, and don't realize the irritation they cause for others. They need to be told, but in kindness, by a friend, but not pussy footing around the issue.
Good luck, to you and to them...
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
F t F... Sorry that should have been *Jimmy Shand*. Well spotted.
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
And F t F should have been F t T. Must get these teeth fixed.
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
From experience, stamping seems mostly to be associated with the playing of reels (which is one reason why it's very rarely witnessed in Donegal).
Might you not strike an agreement with your compadres who are equally distressed by this lumpen bootwork to play more tunes in triple time?
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by Floss the Tethers
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Floss, unfortunately this one stamps away to jigs and hornpipes or anything else, not just reels.
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by cathycook
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Ceolachan, thanks for your advice.
# Posted on July 12th 2009 by cathycook
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
The late "Sir Jimmy Shand" was allowed to tap his foot - he had metronomic control over the speed of his band.
# Posted on July 13th 2009 by geoffwright
Re: Heavy duty foot stamping
Funny, I only tap audibly when there's a tempo issue occuring! As soon as it straightens itself out, I stop.
# Posted on July 13th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler