OK, so nothing new about that - thats what we all do - but I had this thought that non of us share our tune learning experiences on here or give anyone much info about the tunes we actually play or, in particular, are actually learning at the moment.
OK, so I'll start, my tune is "Bonaparte crossing the Rhine" - taken me 2 hours (ish) from never having heard it to having a nice little version that I'm satisfied with on the tin whistle. It now needs "burning in" but I can play it at the speed I want and with a (to me) satisfying set of twiddles. Variations are already creeping in. Its quite a nice little tune and I'm glad I bothered to sit down with it for a while. Strangely, because the timescales are different, I think it will make a nice pairing with "The Butterfly".
OK you lot - over to you - What are you learning right now, and how's it going ? What are you going to do with it when you have it sorted?
I'm working on the Reconcilliation Reel. Naughty of me to change the key to G instead of A, but my flute doesn't play G sharps very well (or should I say, I don't play them well on my keyless flute!)
I haven't found yet what to play with it - that's the fun reward for learning the tune!
I'm working on Liz Kane's "Jig for Jimmy". It's pretty tricky because the first and second endings for the A and B parts begin to deviate from each other near the end of the 4th bar, so it takes more concentration than usual to remember. Technically, it's not especially difficult.
My guess is it'll be yet another great jig in C that I can't get enough people to learn to make it catch on. Along with Paddy O'Brien's "New House", Sean Ryan's "Robin's Nest", and Paddy Fahy's "c3 dcB cGE CEG" that I've been playing since late summer.
Jings, where to start?
I'm trying to learn La Reine de la Musette on the fiddle but I'm struggling with the key changes. I'm OK if I'm playing along with a recording but as soon as I try solo my intonation goes awol. It needs real concentration for me because I'm used to playing with a drone all the time. But I'm getting there. If anyone wants the ABC for it, by the way I can oblige.
I'm also learning La Cardeuse, which has a tricky bit at the start, and The Old Bush, which I am transferring from pipes to fiddle. Good idea for a thread. by the way. We might get some ideas here.
I was inspired by one of the postings right here when I realized that for quite some time now, I'd been hearing McGreevy's Favorite aka East Clare (reel) So, last night, I sat down with the U-Tube recording of these guys and gals (thanks for posting that) at the Coast Guard station in San Diego Ca. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E4Ud4KGuDA
and along with the dots that our hero Will Harmon posted, I was comfortable with it after 15 minutes or so.
Yay that's a nice tune!
"the Reconcilliation Reel. Naughty of me to change the key to G instead of A"
Very naughty! It's the A-est of A-tunes for a stringed instrument. Best for ending off a set.
I've just learned Cathkin Braes off an accordion player, never heard a recording of it yet
I just learned the theme music for the Lego Batman Video Game!!! (and taught it to a 6 year old boy on mandolin. We also did the old James Bond theme. The boy was thrilled. Anything to get him playing....)
Earlier today it was "Linus and Lucy" from the old Peanuts cartoon, on guitar.
I'm learning The Sailor's Wife - http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3140 - but I have to say I'm tempted to give Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine a crack ornepipes. I'd not heard it before, but I had a quick go at it from the sheet music and quite liked it, and I found a couple of nice guitar interpretations of it on YouTube too.
Last tune I picked out for myself by ear (to my shame) was Tarara Boom De Ay. Come on, everyone does that sort of thing sometimes!
We've been doing a lot of tunes at our Monday learning sessions. Crock of Gold, Milliner's Daughter, Killavel Fancy, Crowley's 1 and 2, Edenderry Reel, Fairhaired Boy, McDonagh's.
Personally, I've been going through old, familiar tunes, rooting around in the attic wiring of Farewell to Milltown, the Castle-Nightingale jigs, Eileen Callaghan's, Sligo Maids in other keys...
There is a lovely version of Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine on John Skelton and Kieran O'Hare's album. They pair it up with Crossing the Fence. A great set.
I learned both tunes relatively recently but am sure they could do with more practice, not having played them in a few weeks.
I am a bit lapsed in terms of tune learning at present but will try to get back into it soon.
I have been working on Palmer's Gate on the concertina. Thinking about working on The Red Bee next to have a set of nice Joe Liddy tunes. Also continuing my effort to learn every Junior Crehan tune I can find.
Rather belatedly I've just bought a copy of The Mulcahy Family CD from 2009 and I'll be spending some time over Christmas/New Year with it. There are some great tunes on it.Also trying to learn Mo Ghille Mear in Irish which is more difficult than banjo, but not as hard as golf!
I just finished learning " the man from bundoran " from Kevin Burke's DVD set volume 2. As a new fiddler I am still focusing on the bow triplets , but what a great tune!
John
Just learned Snowy Path today at a session/performance today so will probably review that a bit to make sure I've got it - then try to tuck into Christmas Eve! Trying to get into the spirit....
That's a great one, Jim. I've heard your young piper friend play (on a youtube video). I have a piper friend that I see infrequently because he lives in Cork and I live on the west coast of the usa. But everytime I see him and we play tunes, I get him to play this tune. Really gorgeous.
I've just learned Miss Shepherd from a pal earlier in the week and yesterday I got a tune called Finbar Dwyer's down quite well having decided how I'll play it from a recording.
Today, there is another tune called Finbarr Dwyer's that I think I'll learn from an abc I found in a comments section on here whilst trying and failing to find dots for it's name sake above. It's quite a bonny tune and found quite by accident, thats why I like this mad crazy place, lots of hidden gems and nuggets of wisdom in the margins.
I'm still happily working my way through the 'tunes everyone knows'. The Rights of Man just now, as a result of following the youtube trail FIDDLE4 started in a recent thread. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEJQODr5k0k
The Lonesome Boatman.
No, seriously, I'm working on a bunch of Paddy Fahey's tunes and some others of that kind. East Galway stuff, that's what I'm into now. They take a good while to settle in but I'm hard working. I'm learning an average of two or three tunes a week.
Sometimes I spend a couple of weeks just practicing the last load of tunes that I've been learning.
The Sally Gardens Reel on Harmonica. Then will learn it on guitar, then work out some guitar accompaniment for it, But mosre ueually I get distracted and learn a songor two that I hear along the way.
I am trying to pick up "the emigrant" from the Iron Horse latest CD. There are three tunes in the set and the first slow one is a breeze to pick up, the the second one is causing me a lot of bother. Learning by ear is a challenge to me, but the more I do it the better I get of course. I am using software to slow it down but still struggling to get the notes. I'll get it in the end though
I've begun a new journey where I spend some time learning a batch of tunes from a specific composer. Lately I've been after Paddy O'Brien tunes. I'm hoping by focusing on tunes by one composer at a time, it may offer some insight as to how they are constructed, reoccuring themes or ideas, or some sort of "signature sound" unique to that person.
Just quit lessons - a bittersweet decision, but it was time. Am now tackling Mom's Jig, a tune so dark that I am led to wonder what Jerry Holland's mother ever did to him.
Its turned into a real good insight into what were all doing AND given me loads of tune possibilities for the next one. There is a lot of good variety on offer here and I'm going to have to UTube some of these that I've not heard before.
My sympathy is very much with FIDDLE4 and the air. A few weeks back I had a mighty struggle with The Coolin. I laid it on one side several times before I got the better of it. I'm actually doing the same now with the Lament for Stalker Wallace. I just can't see the tune yet.
Good luck to all of you, with all your current projects.
ormepipes: if I read you right when you say you can't see the tune, might I suggest that you play it through on of the many speed-up programmes that are available. Sometimes the underlying melody is easier to grasp that way.
Inspired by this thread I am learning Paddy Faheys jig in d mix. Give me a day and I'll have it down if the kids, wife and pups leave me some time. If all goes well I'll learn the one minor sounding one too. Maybe tommarow night....Like someone said above so many tunes such little time!
Bren - you'll be pleased to know that I fully intend to learn the Reconcilliation in A as well as in G. Nothing lonelier than knowing a tune, but not being able to play it with others!
I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
OK, so nothing new about that - thats what we all do - but I had this thought that non of us share our tune learning experiences on here or give anyone much info about the tunes we actually play or, in particular, are actually learning at the moment.
OK, so I'll start, my tune is "Bonaparte crossing the Rhine" - taken me 2 hours (ish) from never having heard it to having a nice little version that I'm satisfied with on the tin whistle. It now needs "burning in" but I can play it at the speed I want and with a (to me) satisfying set of twiddles. Variations are already creeping in. Its quite a nice little tune and I'm glad I bothered to sit down with it for a while. Strangely, because the timescales are different, I think it will make a nice pairing with "The Butterfly".
OK you lot - over to you - What are you learning right now, and how's it going ? What are you going to do with it when you have it sorted?
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by ormepipes
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I'm working on the Reconcilliation Reel. Naughty of me to change the key to G instead of A, but my flute doesn't play G sharps very well (or should I say, I don't play them well on my keyless flute!)
I haven't found yet what to play with it - that's the fun reward for learning the tune!
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Bredna
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I'm working on Liz Kane's "Jig for Jimmy". It's pretty tricky because the first and second endings for the A and B parts begin to deviate from each other near the end of the 4th bar, so it takes more concentration than usual to remember. Technically, it's not especially difficult.
My guess is it'll be yet another great jig in C that I can't get enough people to learn to make it catch on. Along with Paddy O'Brien's "New House", Sean Ryan's "Robin's Nest", and Paddy Fahy's "c3 dcB cGE CEG" that I've been playing since late summer.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by GaryAMartin
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Jings, where to start?
I'm trying to learn La Reine de la Musette on the fiddle but I'm struggling with the key changes. I'm OK if I'm playing along with a recording but as soon as I try solo my intonation goes awol. It needs real concentration for me because I'm used to playing with a drone all the time. But I'm getting there. If anyone wants the ABC for it, by the way I can oblige.
I'm also learning La Cardeuse, which has a tricky bit at the start, and The Old Bush, which I am transferring from pipes to fiddle. Good idea for a thread. by the way. We might get some ideas here.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by gam
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I was inspired by one of the postings right here when I realized that for quite some time now, I'd been hearing McGreevy's Favorite aka East Clare (reel) So, last night, I sat down with the U-Tube recording of these guys and gals (thanks for posting that) at the Coast Guard station in San Diego Ca.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E4Ud4KGuDA
and along with the dots that our hero Will Harmon posted, I was comfortable with it after 15 minutes or so.
Yay that's a nice tune!
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Gone to work
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Just learned one of Tommy Peoples' settings of Spike Island Lassies
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Reverend
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I've been working for a while on Pearl O'Shaughnessy's Barndance. It's almost there.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by fiddlentina
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
"the Reconcilliation Reel. Naughty of me to change the key to G instead of A"
Very naughty! It's the A-est of A-tunes for a stringed instrument. Best for ending off a set.
I've just learned Cathkin Braes off an accordion player, never heard a recording of it yet
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Bren
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I just learned the theme music for the Lego Batman Video Game!!! (and taught it to a 6 year old boy on mandolin. We also did the old James Bond theme. The boy was thrilled. Anything to get him playing....)
Earlier today it was "Linus and Lucy" from the old Peanuts cartoon, on guitar.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I'm learning The Sailor's Wife - http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3140 - but I have to say I'm tempted to give Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine a crack ornepipes. I'd not heard it before, but I had a quick go at it from the sheet music and quite liked it, and I found a couple of nice guitar interpretations of it on YouTube too.
Last tune I picked out for myself by ear (to my shame) was Tarara Boom De Ay. Come on, everyone does that sort of thing sometimes!
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Red Menace
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Oh, sorry, was there supposed to be trad content?
We've been doing a lot of tunes at our Monday learning sessions. Crock of Gold, Milliner's Daughter, Killavel Fancy, Crowley's 1 and 2, Edenderry Reel, Fairhaired Boy, McDonagh's.
Personally, I've been going through old, familiar tunes, rooting around in the attic wiring of Farewell to Milltown, the Castle-Nightingale jigs, Eileen Callaghan's, Sligo Maids in other keys...
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Beautiful Gortree. In Dmaj.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
There is a lovely version of Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine on John Skelton and Kieran O'Hare's album. They pair it up with Crossing the Fence. A great set.
I learned both tunes relatively recently but am sure they could do with more practice, not having played them in a few weeks.
I am a bit lapsed in terms of tune learning at present but will try to get back into it soon.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
There is a nice version of Beautiful Gortree on John McCusker's album, "John McCusker". It is tune 1, track 1.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I have been working on Palmer's Gate on the concertina. Thinking about working on The Red Bee next to have a set of nice Joe Liddy tunes. Also continuing my effort to learn every Junior Crehan tune I can find.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Jiml
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Rather belatedly I've just bought a copy of The Mulcahy Family CD from 2009 and I'll be spending some time over Christmas/New Year with it. There are some great tunes on it.Also trying to learn Mo Ghille Mear in Irish which is more difficult than banjo, but not as hard as golf!
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Tony O'Rourke
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I just finished learning " the man from bundoran " from Kevin Burke's DVD set volume 2. As a new fiddler I am still focusing on the bow triplets , but what a great tune!
John
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by doley50
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Just learned Snowy Path today at a session/performance today so will probably review that a bit to make sure I've got it - then try to tuck into Christmas Eve! Trying to get into the spirit....
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by thejigisup
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I'm working on The Sailor's Wife, too. Great tune. Also The 9 Points of Roguery. And the Galway Bay hornpipe. So many tunes, so little time.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by fidkid
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Reels and jigs I find ok,, But still Struggling with this one -
Bean Dubh a' Ghleanna ( Dark Woman of the Glen ) Slow Air-
jim,,,
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by FIDDLE4
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
That's a great one, Jim. I've heard your young piper friend play (on a youtube video). I have a piper friend that I see infrequently because he lives in Cork and I live on the west coast of the usa. But everytime I see him and we play tunes, I get him to play this tune. Really gorgeous.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by John Culhane
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I've just learned Miss Shepherd from a pal earlier in the week and yesterday I got a tune called Finbar Dwyer's down quite well having decided how I'll play it from a recording.
Today, there is another tune called Finbarr Dwyer's that I think I'll learn from an abc I found in a comments section on here whilst trying and failing to find dots for it's name sake above. It's quite a bonny tune and found quite by accident, thats why I like this mad crazy place, lots of hidden gems and nuggets of wisdom in the margins.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Solidmahog
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I'm still happily working my way through the 'tunes everyone knows'. The Rights of Man just now, as a result of following the youtube trail FIDDLE4 started in a recent thread. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEJQODr5k0k
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by David50
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
The Lonesome Boatman.
No, seriously, I'm working on a bunch of Paddy Fahey's tunes and some others of that kind. East Galway stuff, that's what I'm into now. They take a good while to settle in but I'm hard working. I'm learning an average of two or three tunes a week.
Sometimes I spend a couple of weeks just practicing the last load of tunes that I've been learning.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Gallowglass
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
The Sally Gardens Reel on Harmonica. Then will learn it on guitar, then work out some guitar accompaniment for it, But mosre ueually I get distracted and learn a songor two that I hear along the way.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by harmonic miner
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Distraction, or lateral thinking, is probably the bane of my musical life however. Should stick to one thing but I never do
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by harmonic miner
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I am trying to pick up "the emigrant" from the Iron Horse latest CD. There are three tunes in the set and the first slow one is a breeze to pick up, the the second one is causing me a lot of bother. Learning by ear is a challenge to me, but the more I do it the better I get of course. I am using software to slow it down but still struggling to get the notes. I'll get it in the end though
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by redh
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Christmas Eve, for Christmas. Not too original, I know.
I've been given a challenge though outta left field... to learn all the leads (guitar, fiddle... or viola?) on The Who's Baba O'Riley. Hmmm.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Fiddlechick7
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I've begun a new journey where I spend some time learning a batch of tunes from a specific composer. Lately I've been after Paddy O'Brien tunes. I'm hoping by focusing on tunes by one composer at a time, it may offer some insight as to how they are constructed, reoccuring themes or ideas, or some sort of "signature sound" unique to that person.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I love the snowy path; no one else here seems to ever play it.
I am working on getting Calliope house to sound good right now.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by underthetoaster
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Just sussed out The Munster Hop recently and I can't stop playing it. Catchy little tune there.
# Posted on December 10th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Just quit lessons - a bittersweet decision, but it was time. Am now tackling Mom's Jig, a tune so dark that I am led to wonder what Jerry Holland's mother ever did to him.
# Posted on December 11th 2010 by Tall, Dark, and Mysterious
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
I'm glad I posted this!!
Its turned into a real good insight into what were all doing AND given me loads of tune possibilities for the next one. There is a lot of good variety on offer here and I'm going to have to UTube some of these that I've not heard before.
My sympathy is very much with FIDDLE4 and the air. A few weeks back I had a mighty struggle with The Coolin. I laid it on one side several times before I got the better of it. I'm actually doing the same now with the Lament for Stalker Wallace. I just can't see the tune yet.
Good luck to all of you, with all your current projects.
# Posted on December 11th 2010 by ormepipes
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
ormepipes: if I read you right when you say you can't see the tune, might I suggest that you play it through on of the many speed-up programmes that are available. Sometimes the underlying melody is easier to grasp that way.
# Posted on December 11th 2010 by gam
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
PS and if you haven't already found it, this clip is in my opinion one of the best versions around: wonderful playing.
# Posted on December 11th 2010 by gam
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Inspired by this thread I am learning Paddy Faheys jig in d mix. Give me a day and I'll have it down if the kids, wife and pups leave me some time. If all goes well I'll learn the one minor sounding one too. Maybe tommarow night....Like someone said above so many tunes such little time!
# Posted on December 11th 2010 by shanty
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
shanty,
I am delighted my thread has inspired you to learn a tune !
# Posted on December 11th 2010 by ormepipes
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Great luck! They're off to mass! Except of course the pups...an hour or two to myself! Thank you Jesus!
# Posted on December 12th 2010 by shanty
Re: I've just learned a tune !!!!!!
Bren - you'll be pleased to know that I fully intend to learn the Reconcilliation in A as well as in G. Nothing lonelier than knowing a tune, but not being able to play it with others!
# Posted on December 13th 2010 by Bredna