Went to the slow session in Comhaltas in Monkstown last night. It was a great session with some nice playing. Very relaxed.
However, there was a woman there who was in possession of—I can’t say ‘playing’—a bodhrán. Her ‘technique’ consisted of closing her eyes tightly and hitting the drum once on every beat, and I mean every beat of every tune, fast or slow: boing, boing, boing, boing. It was very loud and with absolutely no variation and seemingly little awareness of what anyone else was doing. It was like the big bass drum in marching bands.
It was an embarrassing situation for all concerned. All the players just grinned and said nothing. But she just kept going: boing, boing, boing, boing.
I’m actually a fan of the bodhrán when it’s played with restraint and this was a learner’s session after all, but it really put me off. Do you think someone should take her aside and have a quiet word with her, for her own sake as much as for anyone else’s?
Hey - always a bad sign when people close their eyes while playing. I knew of one solo singer who did that - basically, I think he just wanted to avoid people glaring at him when he launched into some 45 verse endless dirge.
If an accusation is "completely bass-less", does that mean there is nothing fishy about it? If there is nothing fishy about the accusation, does that mean it has to walk out instead of swimming out?
You are not in denial unless you are swimming in a certain Egyptian river. And, yes, that would be a bass-less denial because I don't think there are any bass in this river.
and the fiddle goes screech and the banjo goes twang and the whistle goes tweet and the accordians go ee-aw ee-aw and the harp goes dddrrrriiiinnnggg and the bazouki goes choonka choonka and the pipes go meow
bloody marvellous innit?
Thank you Will Harmon, I didn't know there were bass fish in the Nile River since I don't read TIME Magazine. I don't fish either. Yes, I have tried fishing and I did not enjoy it. I prefer to spend my free time playing that organized noise called music.
Went to a bodhran workshop at a festival last year. The guy running it does make them himself, and made lots of good points, like how much variation have you got in your playing for accompanying lots of different tunes all night;
BUT totally failed to spot one punter who had just not got his opening point about the tipper hold, and was duly tapping the skin with one end without any sign of either enjoyment or intelligence. For the whole workshop.
But there you go.
Amhrán, What you attendend is the Slow Slow Sets, part of the legacy of the late bannerman. Following a lot of complaints from regular attendees of the session regarding the tempo we were playing at, we made several attempts to address the issue.
The bodhran player was playing in that particular style in order to set an even tempo. I'll agree it's not the prettiest of sounds but it achieves the objective to keep an even tempo. The lady concerned is quite a decent bodhran player.
Our aim at Slow Slow Sets as the title suggests , is to play sets slowly helping players make the transition from playing in classes or on their own to playing in sessions. We have been running since January 2009 set up by bannerman and have attendances of up to 25 players per session. We use the Foinn Seisiún series of tunebooks and are open to all.
As an outsider (other than the bodhran) what did you think of what we are trying to achieve?
Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Went to the slow session in Comhaltas in Monkstown last night. It was a great session with some nice playing. Very relaxed.
However, there was a woman there who was in possession of—I can’t say ‘playing’—a bodhrán. Her ‘technique’ consisted of closing her eyes tightly and hitting the drum once on every beat, and I mean every beat of every tune, fast or slow: boing, boing, boing, boing. It was very loud and with absolutely no variation and seemingly little awareness of what anyone else was doing. It was like the big bass drum in marching bands.
It was an embarrassing situation for all concerned. All the players just grinned and said nothing. But she just kept going: boing, boing, boing, boing.
I’m actually a fan of the bodhrán when it’s played with restraint and this was a learner’s session after all, but it really put me off. Do you think someone should take her aside and have a quiet word with her, for her own sake as much as for anyone else’s?
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by amhrán
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Maybe a couple of bass players would drown her out.
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by gam
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Hadn't read the bass post. Maybe ITM just brings out people's bass instincts!
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by amhrán
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
"Maybe ITM just brings out people's bass instincts!"
Slanderous, Amhran --
your accusation is completely bass-less.
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by Piece
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Glad I didn't go last night so..
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by person
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
at a comhaltas session as well!
that's tolerance for you. Let that be a lesson to everyone else who has a complaint about bodhrans.
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by Skull Duggeraigh Dubh
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Hey - always a bad sign when people close their eyes while playing. I knew of one solo singer who did that - basically, I think he just wanted to avoid people glaring at him when he launched into some 45 verse endless dirge.
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by Mark Harmer
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Wow, if there was anyplace I'd have thought that would take someone aside and help them, that would be the place. Maybe not though!
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Hmmm...a "learner's session" where teachable moments pass untapped?
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
"Hey - always a bad sign when people close their eyes while playing"
Ouch, I do that sometimes. I think it helps me listen better. But maybe it's a bad sign and I'm just in denial
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by Marklar
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
I close my eyes and play.
It means you concentrate on listening.
What nonsense to state about it being a bad sign et cetera!
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by yhaalhouse
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Nothing at all wrong with eyes closed while playing or singing. It was the overall effect that got to me.
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by amhrán
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
If an accusation is "completely bass-less", does that mean there is nothing fishy about it? If there is nothing fishy about the accusation, does that mean it has to walk out instead of swimming out?
You are not in denial unless you are swimming in a certain Egyptian river. And, yes, that would be a bass-less denial because I don't think there are any bass in this river.
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by fauxcelt
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Sorry Fauxcelt, but Time magazine says this: "Fishermen are now taking river bass, Nile catfish and carp from" Lake Nasser on the Nile.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,913043,00.html#ixzz0wJkeYlvo
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
yhaalhouse, I was being ironic about the closed eyes!
# Posted on August 11th 2010 by amhrán
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
and the fiddle goes screech and the banjo goes twang and the whistle goes tweet and the accordians go ee-aw ee-aw and the harp goes dddrrrriiiinnnggg and the bazouki goes choonka choonka and the pipes go meow
bloody marvellous innit?
# Posted on August 12th 2010 by mcknowall
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Thank you Will Harmon, I didn't know there were bass fish in the Nile River since I don't read TIME Magazine. I don't fish either. Yes, I have tried fishing and I did not enjoy it. I prefer to spend my free time playing that organized noise called music.
Laurence
# Posted on August 12th 2010 by fauxcelt
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
I don't read TIME either. But your assertion that the Nile doesn't have bass in it made me wonder, so I googeld it. Learn something new every day....
# Posted on August 12th 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Went to a bodhran workshop at a festival last year. The guy running it does make them himself, and made lots of good points, like how much variation have you got in your playing for accompanying lots of different tunes all night;
BUT totally failed to spot one punter who had just not got his opening point about the tipper hold, and was duly tapping the skin with one end without any sign of either enjoyment or intelligence. For the whole workshop.
But there you go.
# Posted on August 12th 2010 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Amhrán, What you attendend is the Slow Slow Sets, part of the legacy of the late bannerman. Following a lot of complaints from regular attendees of the session regarding the tempo we were playing at, we made several attempts to address the issue.
The bodhran player was playing in that particular style in order to set an even tempo. I'll agree it's not the prettiest of sounds but it achieves the objective to keep an even tempo. The lady concerned is quite a decent bodhran player.
Our aim at Slow Slow Sets as the title suggests , is to play sets slowly helping players make the transition from playing in classes or on their own to playing in sessions. We have been running since January 2009 set up by bannerman and have attendances of up to 25 players per session. We use the Foinn Seisiún series of tunebooks and are open to all.
As an outsider (other than the bodhran) what did you think of what we are trying to achieve?
# Posted on August 14th 2010 by southpaw
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Nice to hear mention of the late Brian Prior who was one of the great people of this music and is sorely missed here in Co Clare.
# Posted on August 14th 2010 by big_tab
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Sadly missed up here also.
# Posted on August 14th 2010 by southpaw
Re: Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!
Bannerman is sadly missed here in mustardland as well...
# Posted on August 15th 2010 by AlBrown