I have been playing fiddle for about 3 years now. I have taken quite a few lessons and made a few breakthroughs, however as you all know, its a long road ahead of me. I have brought my instrument to a session about a year and a half ago and ended up walking away with my tail tucked between my legs. I am now at that point (perhaps beyond the point) where I NEED to start attending sessions to progress. However, I am terrified to bring my instrument to sessions, especially such a loud instrument where everyone will suffer with my amateur playing.
I am sure others have experienced the phenomenon of session anxiety. How did you approach entering the session scene? I am half tempted to slap a mute on and play along quietly.
Why don't you go to sessions without your fiddle for a while? You can go to the best sessions around without having to worry about intruding, and you're bound to get to know a few of the heads, as well as hearing good music. Playing at sessions is important, but not as important as listening at sessions. Unfortunately some people make the mistake of doing this in the wrong order. It looks like you've already got an advantage in that you clearly don't suffer from the false sense of entitlement that makes so many sessions so painful to attend, so you're off to a good start.
I guess it is important to note that I have been attending sessions as a listener for quite some time. I recently moved though so I have not had as much time to get used to the local session as I would like.
The best thing you can do is find a friendly, low key session which other learners attend but is also frequented by experienced players (the trouble with learner's only sessions is that it is often a case of the blind leading the blind). You can learn a lot about phrasing and timing by playing along with players who know what they're doing. If they're friendly and encouraging towards learners and there are a few people of your level at the session, it should be a relatively painless experience.
However, not everyone lives in a place where such a session exists. In fact, most of us don't.
I don't know what the sessions are like around Albany. If there's a learning group or workshop group, join it and that will give you the experience of playing the tunes with others. And keep going to the normal sessions. You don't have to start tunes until you're ready. Sit and listen and play along on the ones you know. Yeah, until you reach a certain level of competence (how much depends on the session) you will feel like an outsider and probably doubt whether or not you should be there. That is part of the deal for most people. The only way that goes away is if you keep learning, keep going to the sessions, figure out the tuned that session plays and learn those, and follow basic session etiquette. It gets better!
It's a fiddle so it can be played quietly without a mute (if you want something where you're really stuck with one volume, try the pipes). Be friendly and chatty to the other musicians, which is really hard if you're somewhat of an introvert and feel out of the social dynamic because you're not as good or don't know as many tunes. But it helps a lot.
If you've been at it for 3 years now, you should at least have developed enough technique to keep it down a bit.
But Dragut is right. Go. Sit down. Listen. Chat to the regulars. Be honest with them. Tell them what you've told us. There's no point bleeting about this to a bunch of faceless people on an internet chat forum.
No attitude is better than honesty, and if you keep it up, they'll be begging for you to bring out the fiddle.
You are basically starting over again at a new session. Don't forget to go make friends with these people first, along with listening. Each session is different, with different people. Go meet them, introduce yourself, tell them you're learning, practicing at home, you want to listen, you had been doing some listening previously where you used to live, etc.
So bring the fiddle along, wait to be invited into the session and asked to start a set, then sit and listen without attempting to join in when you're not able to play without bringing the quality of the music down. If you're sensitive to the individuality of every session you attend, you should be grand. And there's probably no harm in playing with a mute if it's going to help you build confidence in keeping with your ability - I've seen plenty of solid enough players who lack confidence use one.
Everyone who goes to any session that is not their local gets Session Anxiety from time to time.
Its a strange mix of placing yourself in a new social situation (you just sat down in a circle with a bunch of friends who're thick as thieves, they've known each other since they were 7 years old at comhaltas, what are you DOING?) and the awareness that your ability and/or repertoire is probably being tacitly judged by the aforementioned in-crowd.
But don't worry. It gets loads easier. I remember going to my first sessions (outwith the protective wing of my old man) maybe 14 years ago. I often felt gauche or awkward. It gets loads easier.
A couple of weeks ago I went to one of the toppest quality sessions in town (I've seen Mike McGoldrick there in the past) which is one of the few places I still get the old Anxiety rearing its head. What do you know the session leader invited me to start a set.
one of the finest fiddlers i know, who stopped playing for decades due to an injury, will put on a mute and play along softly if he's unsure of the tune. the point is to hear the experienced players, and it's considerate not to tromp on their notes. then play out when you're confident.
A little bit of excitement, a weebit of anxiety, means you are alive, and sensitive to the environment, good traits for a budding sessionista.
It takes a lot of time, arriving on the early side, and bringing your fiddle, chat up the regs a little bit about who you are and where you are from, will probably put you in the situation where you are asked to get it out.
"then sit and listen without attempting to join in when you're not able to play without bringing the quality of the music down"
Maybe I could get this printed on a t-shirt. With permission only Dragut.
I still have a firm policy of hiding at that session, Jams. And I'm not changing it. For at least another decade.
Session anxiety is variable and it might not ever go away, not for years, depending on who joins your session. Even good players suffer from it. I remember playing a session in London when a well known flute player joined us. The session regulars, all fine players themselves, nervously put their instruments down and let the flute player do his thing. The flute player had to kick off a couple warhorses like the Sligo Maid to get everyone playing again.
There are sessions in town where I'm happy as larry and where I'm pretty nervous. In the one Jams mentioned, I'm fine playing along with them on the tunes I know but find it terrifying to start sets. What you'll find as you improve and play more sessions is that sessions you feel confident in slowly increase and ones you are terrified of decrease.
I'm not sure about the advice about mutes. I do have one on my fiddle, and do sometimes put it on in sessions if I'm not sure of a tune. But what I find is that I then play louder so that I can hear myself, and the end result is that I'm just as loud with the mute on as I would have been without it.
A better way might be to learn to play quietly. And if you're not sure, pizz your way through the tune the first time round to make sure you really have got it before you use the bow.
Jasten, are there any large sessions in your area? Those might be a good place to start - when there are a dozen or more folks playing, your mistakes matter a lot less. I cut my teeth on such a session - run by my teacher, and with 15+ players at all levels every week. My teacher pursuaded me to start attending after I'd been playing less than three months (!) and probably sounded a hell of a lot worse than you sound now. "Don't worry if you miss some notes," he said. "No one can hear you!" He was right; a few weeks in, people were asking me ridiculous questions such as "have you been playing since you were a kid?", which I assure you they would not have asked if they had actually been able to hear me playing. (I didn't play many tunes at the beginning, mind.)
These days, I far prefer playing in smaller sessions where I can hear each individual instrument, but the big one was the perfect one to start in.
Be aware that the fiddle always sounds louder to the player than to anyone else. If you try to keep the volume down so as far as you're concerned you're in danger of not being heard by anyone except perhaps those sitting next to you, and that is not what you want. It's not a good idea for your playing in general, and especially tonewise. It sets up the bad habit of being too discreet and will never improve your confidence.
I suggest that you make a pact with yourself to play in a session only those tunes you know really well and can play out with 100% confidence. After 3 years you should have a few in that category - the number is not important. For the rest, just sit them out and really listen, which is the most important part of any musician's education. More tunes will come with time, and your confidence and experience will increase.
Finally, ignore mistakes you make when you're playing. Don't stop or pause and there's a 99% chance that no-one will notice, and if they do they'll understand. Everyone makes mistakes, even the best players playing tunes they know really well. It's part of the human condition.
"And if you're not sure, pizz your way through the tune the first time round to make sure you really have got it before you use the bow."
Skreech, have you ever done this? I ask because I did - once - back when I was starting out, and my teacher (the session leader, who was sitting across the table from me) politely but firmly told me to cut that out, stat, because it was very loud and distracting. And he was never anything but encouraging when I incompetently *bowed* my way through I tune that I had no real business playing. Plucked fiddle strings really stand out.
Silver Spear touched on it, but slow/learning sessions, if you can find one, are going to help your anxiety quite a bit. But the only way you can find them is by going to sessions as a listener and getting to know the heads.
Establishing a place and identity in the world is really the question I'm hearing here. We all want to have a solid belief in ourselves and the skills we choose to hone are how we create ourselves.
As you grow and mature into your own sense of self, your anxiety will wane with time and experience. You have the right idea when looking at your own actions to examine wheather or not your interactions will bother people or not.
So you made a mistake and played a bum note, or just totally failed all night. We all struggle with achieving our goals at times. It's part of growing up. You have to fail once in a while or you'll never learn how to appreciate success.
3 years learning and already playing in sessions? You are bound to feel a bit nervous.
There's lots of good advice here already about playing what you can play well and finding a session that's in your skill range, so I won't get into that, but I'd say you've made wise choices by recognizing what you should do. Keep practicing and in ten years you'll think back about how that tune that once gave you fits just flows from you like you never dreamed it could.
I experienced the same anxiety when I started to go to sessions 3 1/2 years ago. I sat there, and listened most of the time, I only played the tunes I knew, so I did not play most of the time. Now, I play at least 4 sessions a week and I have a band that plays around this area, great fun!
I also started a session on Sundays in Shelburne Falls, MA, so I could learn more tunes and play with people better than me. It's a very beginner friend session as long as you are serious about learning the tunes and expanding your repetoire. There is also another very good session in North Adams, MA which is also kind to beginners on Saturdays.
I am about an hour and a half from the Albany area if you'd ever like to venture over this way. Email me if you'd like to know about the sessions in this area. There are plenty of them, most beginner friendly.
"Skreech, have you ever done this? I ask because I did - once - back when I was starting out, and my teacher (the session leader, who was sitting across the table from me) politely but firmly told me to cut that out, stat, because it was very loud and distracting. And he was never anything but encouraging when I incompetently *bowed* my way through I tune that I had no real business playing. Plucked fiddle strings really stand out"
Yes, I do it regularly. And so does just about every other fiddler I know. I'm not talking about orchestral pizzicato - fiddle under chin and twang 'til your fingernails break. Just sitting with your instrument on your lap brushing the strings so that only you can hear it. It's a pretty standard thing to do if you're not sure if you remember a tune, are uncertain of the key or whatever. Much better than just launching into it and making a prat of yourself.
I had session anxiety at my own home session. By a quirk of fate, there were only three of us: the leader, me, and a very prominent player, known throughout the NE of the USA. With only three of us, there was no hiding behind the other players. So there were a few notes on my part that were a bit more wobbly than usual, despite the fact that this visitor is a very warm and generous player.
But remember, everyone is doing this for fun, and like folks have said up above, play what you know, don't be afraid to listen to what you don't know, ask lots of questions and be respectful of others, and you will be fine. And you WILL make mistakes, and no one will care, as long as they see that you are working to get better.
Enjoy the journey!
No offence to Jasten but sometimes I wish more people had session anxiety he does, or at least some sense of when to join in and when to listen. Actually, an honest sense of playing ability in general and matching it to the ebb and flow of even a modest session would go a long way to upholding session etiquette.
If only more people would be sensitive to others' and their own abilities in whatever level of session we'd be a lot better off surely.
A session can be an intimidating place, but just remember that it is also a social situation. You've gotten some great advice here. The easiest way to become welcome in the session is to know the people there. Meet the people, get to know them if you can. Maybe try asking one to give you a lesson, or teach you a tune, or something, outside of the session environment. Then you potentially have an "in", and that will help you get to know the other players.
And remember, if you're fun to hang out with, your ability with your instrument matters less. The only way to become an accomplished session player is to get out and do it. Every single person in the session was like you at some point, and most players will be happy to encourage your playing. But also be conscious of the fact that, while they may be encouraging, they also want to have their own musical fun.
That's a little disingenuous. Sure a certain amount is down to taste, but if you really are awful, it's no good blaming it on people having no taste.
(There is an upside to that though, that I've experienced a few times. The dreadful people who on the odd occasion do come in for a tune, and end up storming out in a huff and cursing us for having no taste after we've asked them to stop, often end up quite happily in another pub ... where they can mix with like-minded cloth-eared no hopers.)
Session Anxiety
Session Anxiety
I have been playing fiddle for about 3 years now. I have taken quite a few lessons and made a few breakthroughs, however as you all know, its a long road ahead of me. I have brought my instrument to a session about a year and a half ago and ended up walking away with my tail tucked between my legs. I am now at that point (perhaps beyond the point) where I NEED to start attending sessions to progress. However, I am terrified to bring my instrument to sessions, especially such a loud instrument where everyone will suffer with my amateur playing.
I am sure others have experienced the phenomenon of session anxiety. How did you approach entering the session scene? I am half tempted to slap a mute on and play along quietly.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by jasten
Re: Session Anxiety
Why don't you go to sessions without your fiddle for a while? You can go to the best sessions around without having to worry about intruding, and you're bound to get to know a few of the heads, as well as hearing good music. Playing at sessions is important, but not as important as listening at sessions. Unfortunately some people make the mistake of doing this in the wrong order. It looks like you've already got an advantage in that you clearly don't suffer from the false sense of entitlement that makes so many sessions so painful to attend, so you're off to a good start.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Dragut Reis
Re: Session Anxiety
I guess it is important to note that I have been attending sessions as a listener for quite some time. I recently moved though so I have not had as much time to get used to the local session as I would like.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by jasten
Re: Session Anxiety
Every week.
The best thing you can do is find a friendly, low key session which other learners attend but is also frequented by experienced players (the trouble with learner's only sessions is that it is often a case of the blind leading the blind). You can learn a lot about phrasing and timing by playing along with players who know what they're doing. If they're friendly and encouraging towards learners and there are a few people of your level at the session, it should be a relatively painless experience.
However, not everyone lives in a place where such a session exists. In fact, most of us don't.
I don't know what the sessions are like around Albany. If there's a learning group or workshop group, join it and that will give you the experience of playing the tunes with others. And keep going to the normal sessions. You don't have to start tunes until you're ready. Sit and listen and play along on the ones you know. Yeah, until you reach a certain level of competence (how much depends on the session) you will feel like an outsider and probably doubt whether or not you should be there. That is part of the deal for most people. The only way that goes away is if you keep learning, keep going to the sessions, figure out the tuned that session plays and learn those, and follow basic session etiquette. It gets better!
It's a fiddle so it can be played quietly without a mute (if you want something where you're really stuck with one volume, try the pipes). Be friendly and chatty to the other musicians, which is really hard if you're somewhat of an introvert and feel out of the social dynamic because you're not as good or don't know as many tunes. But it helps a lot.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Session Anxiety
If you've been at it for 3 years now, you should at least have developed enough technique to keep it down a bit.
But Dragut is right. Go. Sit down. Listen. Chat to the regulars. Be honest with them. Tell them what you've told us. There's no point bleeting about this to a bunch of faceless people on an internet chat forum.
No attitude is better than honesty, and if you keep it up, they'll be begging for you to bring out the fiddle.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by ...
Re: Session Anxiety
You are basically starting over again at a new session. Don't forget to go make friends with these people first, along with listening. Each session is different, with different people. Go meet them, introduce yourself, tell them you're learning, practicing at home, you want to listen, you had been doing some listening previously where you used to live, etc.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Session Anxiety
So bring the fiddle along, wait to be invited into the session and asked to start a set, then sit and listen without attempting to join in when you're not able to play without bringing the quality of the music down. If you're sensitive to the individuality of every session you attend, you should be grand. And there's probably no harm in playing with a mute if it's going to help you build confidence in keeping with your ability - I've seen plenty of solid enough players who lack confidence use one.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Dragut Reis
Re: Session Anxiety
Whew. That's a quality triple post right there.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Session Anxiety
For sure. Do you think we might have ulterior motives - our own form of session anxiety?
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Dragut Reis
Re: Session Anxiety
Everyone who goes to any session that is not their local gets Session Anxiety from time to time.
Its a strange mix of placing yourself in a new social situation (you just sat down in a circle with a bunch of friends who're thick as thieves, they've known each other since they were 7 years old at comhaltas, what are you DOING?) and the awareness that your ability and/or repertoire is probably being tacitly judged by the aforementioned in-crowd.
But don't worry. It gets loads easier. I remember going to my first sessions (outwith the protective wing of my old man) maybe 14 years ago. I often felt gauche or awkward. It gets loads easier.
A couple of weeks ago I went to one of the toppest quality sessions in town (I've seen Mike McGoldrick there in the past) which is one of the few places I still get the old Anxiety rearing its head. What do you know the session leader invited me to start a set.
...and it wasn't sh*t!
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Jams_O'Donnell
Re: Session Anxiety
one of the finest fiddlers i know, who stopped playing for decades due to an injury, will put on a mute and play along softly if he's unsure of the tune. the point is to hear the experienced players, and it's considerate not to tromp on their notes. then play out when you're confident.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by 'tinamatt
Re: Session Anxiety
A little bit of excitement, a weebit of anxiety, means you are alive, and sensitive to the environment, good traits for a budding sessionista.
It takes a lot of time, arriving on the early side, and bringing your fiddle, chat up the regs a little bit about who you are and where you are from, will probably put you in the situation where you are asked to get it out.
"then sit and listen without attempting to join in when you're not able to play without bringing the quality of the music down"
Maybe I could get this printed on a t-shirt. With permission only Dragut.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by SandyBottoms
Re: Session Anxiety
Used to be anxiety, now it's just fun, because I know what to do.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Session Anxiety
I still have a firm policy of hiding at that session, Jams. And I'm not changing it. For at least another decade.
Session anxiety is variable and it might not ever go away, not for years, depending on who joins your session. Even good players suffer from it. I remember playing a session in London when a well known flute player joined us. The session regulars, all fine players themselves, nervously put their instruments down and let the flute player do his thing. The flute player had to kick off a couple warhorses like the Sligo Maid to get everyone playing again.
There are sessions in town where I'm happy as larry and where I'm pretty nervous. In the one Jams mentioned, I'm fine playing along with them on the tunes I know but find it terrifying to start sets. What you'll find as you improve and play more sessions is that sessions you feel confident in slowly increase and ones you are terrified of decrease.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Session Anxiety
I'm not sure about the advice about mutes. I do have one on my fiddle, and do sometimes put it on in sessions if I'm not sure of a tune. But what I find is that I then play louder so that I can hear myself, and the end result is that I'm just as loud with the mute on as I would have been without it.
A better way might be to learn to play quietly. And if you're not sure, pizz your way through the tune the first time round to make sure you really have got it before you use the bow.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by skreech
Re: Session Anxiety
Jasten, are there any large sessions in your area? Those might be a good place to start - when there are a dozen or more folks playing, your mistakes matter a lot less. I cut my teeth on such a session - run by my teacher, and with 15+ players at all levels every week. My teacher pursuaded me to start attending after I'd been playing less than three months (!) and probably sounded a hell of a lot worse than you sound now. "Don't worry if you miss some notes," he said. "No one can hear you!" He was right; a few weeks in, people were asking me ridiculous questions such as "have you been playing since you were a kid?", which I assure you they would not have asked if they had actually been able to hear me playing. (I didn't play many tunes at the beginning, mind.)
These days, I far prefer playing in smaller sessions where I can hear each individual instrument, but the big one was the perfect one to start in.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Tall, Dark, and Mysterious
Re: Session Anxiety
"These days, I far prefer playing in smaller sessions where I can hear each individual instrument, but the big one was the perfect one to start in."
Ditto.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Session Anxiety
Be aware that the fiddle always sounds louder to the player than to anyone else. If you try to keep the volume down so as far as you're concerned you're in danger of not being heard by anyone except perhaps those sitting next to you, and that is not what you want. It's not a good idea for your playing in general, and especially tonewise. It sets up the bad habit of being too discreet and will never improve your confidence.
I suggest that you make a pact with yourself to play in a session only those tunes you know really well and can play out with 100% confidence. After 3 years you should have a few in that category - the number is not important. For the rest, just sit them out and really listen, which is the most important part of any musician's education. More tunes will come with time, and your confidence and experience will increase.
Finally, ignore mistakes you make when you're playing. Don't stop or pause and there's a 99% chance that no-one will notice, and if they do they'll understand. Everyone makes mistakes, even the best players playing tunes they know really well. It's part of the human condition.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Session Anxiety
"And if you're not sure, pizz your way through the tune the first time round to make sure you really have got it before you use the bow."
Skreech, have you ever done this? I ask because I did - once - back when I was starting out, and my teacher (the session leader, who was sitting across the table from me) politely but firmly told me to cut that out, stat, because it was very loud and distracting. And he was never anything but encouraging when I incompetently *bowed* my way through I tune that I had no real business playing. Plucked fiddle strings really stand out.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Tall, Dark, and Mysterious
Re: Session Anxiety
Silver Spear touched on it, but slow/learning sessions, if you can find one, are going to help your anxiety quite a bit. But the only way you can find them is by going to sessions as a listener and getting to know the heads.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Jimmy B
Re: Session Anxiety
Establishing a place and identity in the world is really the question I'm hearing here. We all want to have a solid belief in ourselves and the skills we choose to hone are how we create ourselves.
As you grow and mature into your own sense of self, your anxiety will wane with time and experience. You have the right idea when looking at your own actions to examine wheather or not your interactions will bother people or not.
So you made a mistake and played a bum note, or just totally failed all night. We all struggle with achieving our goals at times. It's part of growing up. You have to fail once in a while or you'll never learn how to appreciate success.
3 years learning and already playing in sessions? You are bound to feel a bit nervous.
There's lots of good advice here already about playing what you can play well and finding a session that's in your skill range, so I won't get into that, but I'd say you've made wise choices by recognizing what you should do. Keep practicing and in ten years you'll think back about how that tune that once gave you fits just flows from you like you never dreamed it could.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Gone to work
Re: Session Anxiety
Nice post, Boatpiper.
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Session Anxiety
I experienced the same anxiety when I started to go to sessions 3 1/2 years ago. I sat there, and listened most of the time, I only played the tunes I knew, so I did not play most of the time. Now, I play at least 4 sessions a week and I have a band that plays around this area, great fun!
I also started a session on Sundays in Shelburne Falls, MA, so I could learn more tunes and play with people better than me. It's a very beginner friend session as long as you are serious about learning the tunes and expanding your repetoire. There is also another very good session in North Adams, MA which is also kind to beginners on Saturdays.
I am about an hour and a half from the Albany area if you'd ever like to venture over this way. Email me if you'd like to know about the sessions in this area. There are plenty of them, most beginner friendly.
Good Luck!
# Posted on June 14th 2010 by Celtic Guitar
Re: Session Anxiety
"Skreech, have you ever done this? I ask because I did - once - back when I was starting out, and my teacher (the session leader, who was sitting across the table from me) politely but firmly told me to cut that out, stat, because it was very loud and distracting. And he was never anything but encouraging when I incompetently *bowed* my way through I tune that I had no real business playing. Plucked fiddle strings really stand out"
Yes, I do it regularly. And so does just about every other fiddler I know. I'm not talking about orchestral pizzicato - fiddle under chin and twang 'til your fingernails break. Just sitting with your instrument on your lap brushing the strings so that only you can hear it. It's a pretty standard thing to do if you're not sure if you remember a tune, are uncertain of the key or whatever. Much better than just launching into it and making a prat of yourself.
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by skreech
Re: Session Anxiety
Nothin a pint can't cure.
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by pipersgrip
Re: Session Anxiety
I had session anxiety at my own home session. By a quirk of fate, there were only three of us: the leader, me, and a very prominent player, known throughout the NE of the USA. With only three of us, there was no hiding behind the other players. So there were a few notes on my part that were a bit more wobbly than usual, despite the fact that this visitor is a very warm and generous player.
But remember, everyone is doing this for fun, and like folks have said up above, play what you know, don't be afraid to listen to what you don't know, ask lots of questions and be respectful of others, and you will be fine. And you WILL make mistakes, and no one will care, as long as they see that you are working to get better.
Enjoy the journey!
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by AlBrown
Re: Session Anxiety
Start going to sessions immediately. Nobody says you have to
start tune sets or even play.
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by Hup
Re: Session Anxiety
No offence to Jasten but sometimes I wish more people had session anxiety he does, or at least some sense of when to join in and when to listen. Actually, an honest sense of playing ability in general and matching it to the ebb and flow of even a modest session would go a long way to upholding session etiquette.
If only more people would be sensitive to others' and their own abilities in whatever level of session we'd be a lot better off surely.
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by skin&bow
Re: Session Anxiety
...which brings us nicely to the session prime directive: Do no musical harm!
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Session Anxiety
Ahh yes, the traddocratic oath...
A session can be an intimidating place, but just remember that it is also a social situation. You've gotten some great advice here. The easiest way to become welcome in the session is to know the people there. Meet the people, get to know them if you can. Maybe try asking one to give you a lesson, or teach you a tune, or something, outside of the session environment. Then you potentially have an "in", and that will help you get to know the other players.
And remember, if you're fun to hang out with, your ability with your instrument matters less. The only way to become an accomplished session player is to get out and do it. Every single person in the session was like you at some point, and most players will be happy to encourage your playing. But also be conscious of the fact that, while they may be encouraging, they also want to have their own musical fun.
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by Reverend
Re: Session Anxiety
Keep in mind that good playing vs bad playing is subjective. If the others don't like your playing, it may just be them.
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by Gringo
Re: Session Anxiety
That's a little disingenuous. Sure a certain amount is down to taste, but if you really are awful, it's no good blaming it on people having no taste.
(There is an upside to that though, that I've experienced a few times. The dreadful people who on the odd occasion do come in for a tune, and end up storming out in a huff and cursing us for having no taste after we've asked them to stop, often end up quite happily in another pub ... where they can mix with like-minded cloth-eared no hopers.)
# Posted on June 15th 2010 by ...