I was wondering if some of you play for their own pleasure. I mean, if you live in a place that there's no people playing Irish music but you.
And I was also wondering if you feel sometimes that you have to play this insrument or that instrument (fiddle or flute) and that you should stop learning that one beacuse time in our lives is not too long..........sometimes I feel obsessed with this and can't even get my sleep! I know I just have to enjoy this but well, I feel this
I played for about ten years on my own, not because there weren't any sessions but because I didn't seem to want to go to them.
When I did finally start going to sessions it was like a dam bursting.
I would quite like to play flute, but I would be starting from scratch. I blew a flute the other day at a friend's house, the first time I have ever tried a wooden flute. I could get a note out of it, but I could see that I had a very long road ahead of me, and decided to stick with fiddle.
I lived for years in rural Colorado where nobody played trad. I had to drive for hours to get to a session.
I'm a big fan of solo pipering though so I guess I stay pretty satisfied going it alone.
Living in Oregon now, I have more players somewhat closer, but I still enjoy solo playing as much as a session.
When I do wind up playing in a good session, I sure do appreciate the other players.
well, I'm in that same boat, really. The closest regular session for me is a 3 hour round trip on a weeknight, so there you go. I find folks to play with from time to time, but even that isn't consistant.
If your schedules don't line up, or its a long distance, its hard to keep a regular thing going even with just a couple other people
That's what is good about this board for me. I get to ask actual Irishmen completely stupid questions about their music, and they, after some slagging, actually will give some thoughtful answers to some very naieve questions
So I mostly play for myself, for family, for the geese out on the lake, or for basically anybody who isn't calling the cops to get me to shut up
the gift of music isn't at all about how well you play, it is that music enriches your life every day, so just play on and listen to recordings and play with anybody who happens to know some of the same tunes you do when you can
I had to play this music by myself for many years because, not only was there no local session or sessions, I didn't even know that there were such things as Irish music sessions until some local musicians started an Irish session here in 1995.
In the liner notes for one of his albums (I think it's If the Cap Fits), Kevin Burke talks about the virtues of playing music alone for your own pleasure. He refers to it as "naked fiddle" I believe. He is very much in favor of it.
I think that playing socially is where you get new "raw materials" -- new tunes, new bits of technique, motivation and inspiration in general, etc -- and then playing on your own is where you process and distill these raw materials into your own unique final product. Both the social and individual sides are important to your development as a musician.
If you are isolated, you can still travel occasionally to sort of stock up on the social aspect. And recordings can to some extent plug the hole if you are motivated.
Interesting question. I am not really a session player, but I enjoy playing in bands, teaching, solo performing, etc. I used to live in a UK city and had plenty of opporturities for interaction with other musicians.
I decided to move to the middle of nowhere. A nowhere surrounded by anywheres where no one plays Irish music anyway. I am deeply absorbed in my current non-musical interests, and haven't lifted an instrument in months. I'm sure I will one day find a reason to start playing again, but I have always known that for me, I can play/practise alone for only so long, then I need to share it with others.
I think that there is a certain purity in playing for one's own entertainment only, but I think my playing has always had the feeling of "preparing to share" about it.
Close friends I used to parlor-session with have moved far away and since we, in turn, moved away from the urban sprawl, it’s a 2-3 hour round trip to the nearest sessions, so I mainly play alone. But not naked.
"I was wondering if some of you play for their own pleasure"
Why else would you play music? Whether it's alone or with others it should always be a pleasure right? So it's all the same. Playing with other people is not always better than playing alone. It depends on the people you are playing with. These days, because I'm a cantankerous old shut in I usually play alone. I've played in bands and in sessions but I find solo playing very fulfilling. I am certainly a better player for it.
I find it depressing after a while not to have people to play with.
It becomes kind of sterile. I need at least need to have people
that I can play *for*.
But there are times when the social part of it is crap or the
music is so bad that alone is the lesser of evils. It's a big
reason why I dropped out of classical music and got into the trad.
Horses for courses, but good question. Depends on why you want to go to a session. Some people want to go to a session to listen, some to learn, some to play, some to socialise, or all or some of the above. Others don’t like to go to them. From what I can see, it is exactly the same in Ireland, the only difference being, of course, that you tend to get more sessions there, if you want to go. There are also lots of stylistic differences between musicians there, and those musicians may not necessarily be recorded.
But I guess that it really comes down to why you are interested in this music at all.
I like lots of different music, but the one which I choose to listen to most, and play, is this music. Why? I ask myself.
I find it the most meaningful, and enjoyable, music – to me. I don’t know why, but I think it as simple as that, and it is quite independent of going to a session or not, or playing independently or not.
I suppose if there weren’t the luxuries of recorded music and especially now, the internet, the reasons for going to a session would be more.
Alone on this road....
Alone on this road....
Hi all!
I was wondering if some of you play for their own pleasure. I mean, if you live in a place that there's no people playing Irish music but you.
And I was also wondering if you feel sometimes that you have to play this insrument or that instrument (fiddle or flute) and that you should stop learning that one beacuse time in our lives is not too long..........sometimes I feel obsessed with this and can't even get my sleep! I know I just have to enjoy this but well, I feel this
Many thanks for the advices you always give.
Bye.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by peniguisel
Re: Alone on this road....
Hi Peniguisel,
I played for about ten years on my own, not because there weren't any sessions but because I didn't seem to want to go to them.
When I did finally start going to sessions it was like a dam bursting.
I would quite like to play flute, but I would be starting from scratch. I blew a flute the other day at a friend's house, the first time I have ever tried a wooden flute. I could get a note out of it, but I could see that I had a very long road ahead of me, and decided to stick with fiddle.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by Bernie 29
Re: Alone on this road....
I lived for years in rural Colorado where nobody played trad. I had to drive for hours to get to a session.
I'm a big fan of solo pipering though so I guess I stay pretty satisfied going it alone.
Living in Oregon now, I have more players somewhat closer, but I still enjoy solo playing as much as a session.
When I do wind up playing in a good session, I sure do appreciate the other players.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by Gone to work
Re: Alone on this road....
well, I'm in that same boat, really. The closest regular session for me is a 3 hour round trip on a weeknight, so there you go. I find folks to play with from time to time, but even that isn't consistant.
If your schedules don't line up, or its a long distance, its hard to keep a regular thing going even with just a couple other people
That's what is good about this board for me. I get to ask actual Irishmen completely stupid questions about their music, and they, after some slagging, actually will give some thoughtful answers to some very naieve questions
So I mostly play for myself, for family, for the geese out on the lake, or for basically anybody who isn't calling the cops to get me to shut up
the gift of music isn't at all about how well you play, it is that music enriches your life every day, so just play on and listen to recordings and play with anybody who happens to know some of the same tunes you do when you can
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by Nate Ryan
Re: Alone on this road....
I had to play this music by myself for many years because, not only was there no local session or sessions, I didn't even know that there were such things as Irish music sessions until some local musicians started an Irish session here in 1995.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by fauxcelt
Re: Alone on this road....
This is simple, play with anyone & everyone who wants to play with you.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Alone on this road....
I love to play music, and can't imagine ever stopping. I prefer to play with friends, but also enjoy playing alone. All music is good!
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by AlBrown
Re: Alone on this road....
peniguisel..
Here's Your Answer
< '' All music is good! '' >
jim,,,
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by FIDDLE4
Re: Alone on this road....
In the liner notes for one of his albums (I think it's If the Cap Fits), Kevin Burke talks about the virtues of playing music alone for your own pleasure. He refers to it as "naked fiddle" I believe. He is very much in favor of it.
I think that playing socially is where you get new "raw materials" -- new tunes, new bits of technique, motivation and inspiration in general, etc -- and then playing on your own is where you process and distill these raw materials into your own unique final product. Both the social and individual sides are important to your development as a musician.
If you are isolated, you can still travel occasionally to sort of stock up on the social aspect. And recordings can to some extent plug the hole if you are motivated.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by timmy!
Re: Alone on this road....
Interesting question. I am not really a session player, but I enjoy playing in bands, teaching, solo performing, etc. I used to live in a UK city and had plenty of opporturities for interaction with other musicians.
I decided to move to the middle of nowhere. A nowhere surrounded by anywheres where no one plays Irish music anyway. I am deeply absorbed in my current non-musical interests, and haven't lifted an instrument in months. I'm sure I will one day find a reason to start playing again, but I have always known that for me, I can play/practise alone for only so long, then I need to share it with others.
I think that there is a certain purity in playing for one's own entertainment only, but I think my playing has always had the feeling of "preparing to share" about it.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by kris
Re: Alone on this road....
Close friends I used to parlor-session with have moved far away and since we, in turn, moved away from the urban sprawl, it’s a 2-3 hour round trip to the nearest sessions, so I mainly play alone. But not naked.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by Bob himself
Re: Alone on this road....
Naked is best.
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by timmy!
Re: Alone on this road....
There's an apropos song called "I Don't Look Good Naked Anymore."
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by Bob himself
Re: Alone on this road....
Ha nice,
# Posted on July 26th 2010 by timmy!
Re: Alone on this road....
"I was wondering if some of you play for their own pleasure"
I've played in bands and in sessions but I find solo playing very fulfilling. I am certainly a better player for it.
Why else would you play music? Whether it's alone or with others it should always be a pleasure right? So it's all the same. Playing with other people is not always better than playing alone. It depends on the people you are playing with. These days, because I'm a cantankerous old shut in I usually play alone.
# Posted on July 27th 2010 by shanty
Re: Alone on this road....
I find it depressing after a while not to have people to play with.
It becomes kind of sterile. I need at least need to have people
that I can play *for*.
But there are times when the social part of it is crap or the
music is so bad that alone is the lesser of evils. It's a big
reason why I dropped out of classical music and got into the trad.
# Posted on July 27th 2010 by Hup
Re: Alone on this road....
The appreciation of an audience, or fellow musicians, and an honest connection with them is very nice.
# Posted on July 27th 2010 by shanty
Re: Alone on this road....
Horses for courses, but good question. Depends on why you want to go to a session. Some people want to go to a session to listen, some to learn, some to play, some to socialise, or all or some of the above. Others don’t like to go to them. From what I can see, it is exactly the same in Ireland, the only difference being, of course, that you tend to get more sessions there, if you want to go. There are also lots of stylistic differences between musicians there, and those musicians may not necessarily be recorded.
But I guess that it really comes down to why you are interested in this music at all.
I like lots of different music, but the one which I choose to listen to most, and play, is this music. Why? I ask myself.
I find it the most meaningful, and enjoyable, music – to me. I don’t know why, but I think it as simple as that, and it is quite independent of going to a session or not, or playing independently or not.
I suppose if there weren’t the luxuries of recorded music and especially now, the internet, the reasons for going to a session would be more.
# Posted on July 27th 2010 by Skull Duggeraigh Dubh
Re: Alone on this road....
here ye go, hope this explains it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk8foQOQVk0&NR=1&feature=fvwp
# Posted on July 27th 2010 by Skull Duggeraigh Dubh