Which tune is your nemesis? The one that you just can't get your fingers around no matter how hard you practice. The tune that is a bear for me is the Musical Priest, because of all that jerky motion up and down the first banjo string in the B-part. But players of other instruments say it's no bother at all.
But then there will often be tunes that are straightforward on the banjo that seem to be a curse on the accordian.
There are several "fiddle" tunes which go down to bottom G that don't sit right on the flute or D/G box, even if you go up in the octave, eg for me Maudabawn Chapple.
Another one I can't get to grips with (yet) is Splendid Isolation.
I could say "all of them" but it's time I stopped being modest and had a bit of confidence.
A lot of these modern pipey type tunes, e.g "Andy Renwick's Ferret" cause me difficulty when I have to play them at speed with others. So too, the likes of "John McNeill's Reel" and "Trip to Windsor", though I can play these well enough when I start them myself. Of course, a lot of the time it isn't even my fault as some of these tunes aren't always played properly in sessions anyway. Some of the players will take short cuts and miss out notes while playing at speed. That's fair enough and you should be able to adapt. However, some tunes are more difficult to do this with than others.
On the other hand, tunes with triplets are great. I know that lots of PA players have difficulty with these but they're good for the mandolin, fiddle etc.
A lot of tunes have you reeling up and down scales, and I find that it's very easy to get too "grooved in" to these patterns. So much so that any new tune that doesn't use these familiar patterns becomes a b*tch of a bear for me - although these are also the coolest sounding tunes as well. Theres a bit in the second part of The Cup of Tea where I have really have to will my fingers want to play the right way, and of course, that's my favourtie little bit in the tune.
Oh, and Toss the bloody feathers as well....how many times has that "morphed" into Drowsy Maggie?
I second the second part of Catharisis, only on the fiddle. I find that there are too many instances where one finger is used on both strings and it get's to a point where I can't discern anymore which finger is which! (It's that whole wiggle that finger... no! the other one!)
"bunker hill" for me on the whistle. it's all those c's! when i think too hard about them it screw's up the rhythm.
on the note of thinkin too hard, has anyone ever noticed when they play whistle or flute that if you start noticing your pinkie finger going down on the bottom of the whistle, (because it happens automatically), it starts messing up?
The seldom-played fourth part to Maid At The Spinning Wheel gets me every time. The rhythm goes off-beat, and with a jig rhythm, that is really tricky to play. Combine that with all of the arpeggios in the C part, and I'm a mess by the end of that tune.
Yes, but it's such a great old tune, Emily! (For that matter, so is the fourth part of Maid.) You keep at it. Just remember that you don't actually *have* intervals that you 'don't normally play' at five months, even such a stellar five months as you've put in. Maybe intervals that you don't normally play YET. You're doing great. Someday soon you'll wonder why you thought it was hard.
A second for The Tempest. I can read it from the dots, but I can't learn the version I like (Declan Folan) from a recording. I've beeen at it for years. Haven't given up, but still can't play it.
John -- swap you mp3s, mine of Oisin McDiarmiada playing it for me at a lesson, for your Declan Folan. I won't get back til the 24th, so it won't be til then, though. And I still have to siphon the tape off into mp3...
Zina -- I'll see what I can do to make the trade work. I'm not much of a techie and I don't have the equipment to make an mp3, but I can probably get someone to do it. I have a commercially produced tape of Declan Folan that I got in Sligo about 10 years ago and can copy the whole thing and mail it to you. Not exactly advanced technology, but you'll get a lot of great tunes!
Bears
Bears
Which tune is your nemesis? The one that you just can't get your fingers around no matter how hard you practice. The tune that is a bear for me is the Musical Priest, because of all that jerky motion up and down the first banjo string in the B-part. But players of other instruments say it's no bother at all.
But then there will often be tunes that are straightforward on the banjo that seem to be a curse on the accordian.
So what's the trickiest tune for your instrument?
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by grego
Re: Bears
I've always found Bach's organ music difficult on the accordion.
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by continuo
Re: Bears
There are several "fiddle" tunes which go down to bottom G that don't sit right on the flute or D/G box, even if you go up in the octave, eg for me Maudabawn Chapple.
Another one I can't get to grips with (yet) is Splendid Isolation.
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by Rudall the time
Re: Bears
I could say "all of them" but it's time I stopped being modest and had a bit of confidence.
A lot of these modern pipey type tunes, e.g "Andy Renwick's Ferret" cause me difficulty when I have to play them at speed with others. So too, the likes of "John McNeill's Reel" and "Trip to Windsor", though I can play these well enough when I start them myself. Of course, a lot of the time it isn't even my fault as some of these tunes aren't always played properly in sessions anyway. Some of the players will take short cuts and miss out notes while playing at speed. That's fair enough and you should be able to adapt. However, some tunes are more difficult to do this with than others.
On the other hand, tunes with triplets are great. I know that lots of PA players have difficulty with these but they're good for the mandolin, fiddle etc.
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by Johnny Jay
Re: Bears
A lot of tunes have you reeling up and down scales, and I find that it's very easy to get too "grooved in" to these patterns. So much so that any new tune that doesn't use these familiar patterns becomes a b*tch of a bear for me - although these are also the coolest sounding tunes as well. Theres a bit in the second part of The Cup of Tea where I have really have to will my fingers want to play the right way, and of course, that's my favourtie little bit in the tune.
Oh, and Toss the bloody feathers as well....how many times has that "morphed" into Drowsy Maggie?
Must start paying attention......
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by plinkeyplonkey
Re: Bears
Catharsis on the banjo, that second part is very tricky, them fat fingers combined with the stretch make it tres hard (for me at least!)
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by nick b
Re: Bears
I second the second part of Catharisis, only on the fiddle. I find that there are too many instances where one finger is used on both strings and it get's to a point where I can't discern anymore which finger is which! (It's that whole wiggle that finger... no! the other one!)
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by tulloch
Re: Bears
"bunker hill" for me on the whistle. it's all those c's! when i think too hard about them it screw's up the rhythm.
on the note of thinkin too hard, has anyone ever noticed when they play whistle or flute that if you start noticing your pinkie finger going down on the bottom of the whistle, (because it happens automatically), it starts messing up?
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by lanefest rec.
Re: Bears
And another vote for John McNeill's Reel. Ugh.
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by Michele Sims
Re: Bears
The Skylark. For some reason,and I've just stopped trying. And I know a lot of tunes ( I play fiddle,btw ).
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by Farr
Re: Bears
The seldom-played fourth part to Maid At The Spinning Wheel gets me every time. The rhythm goes off-beat, and with a jig rhythm, that is really tricky to play. Combine that with all of the arpeggios in the C part, and I'm a mess by the end of that tune.
Pete
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by Reverend
Re: Bears
Put your hand up if you haven't got your hand up.
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by pfft
Re: Bears
The Tempest. Not a pipe-friendly tune. It has a lot of intervals I don't normally play, the F naturals of Doom, and wants to be a train wreck.
# Posted on July 5th 2005 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Bears
Yes, but it's such a great old tune, Emily!
(For that matter, so is the fourth part of Maid.) You keep at it. Just remember that you don't actually *have* intervals that you 'don't normally play' at five months, even such a stellar five months as you've put in. Maybe intervals that you don't normally play YET. 
You're doing great. Someday soon you'll wonder why you thought it was hard.
# Posted on July 6th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: Bears
A second for The Tempest. I can read it from the dots, but I can't learn the version I like (Declan Folan) from a recording. I've beeen at it for years. Haven't given up, but still can't play it.
# Posted on July 6th 2005 by John Culhane
Re: Bears
Same here - The Tempest. No matter what I try, it always sounds lame. I try to return to it occasionally, but not with much hope anymore.
# Posted on July 6th 2005 by Janek
Re: Bears
Add my vote for Big John McNeil's
# Posted on July 6th 2005 by 1847
Re: Bears
John -- swap you mp3s, mine of Oisin McDiarmiada playing it for me at a lesson, for your Declan Folan. I won't get back til the 24th, so it won't be til then, though. And I still have to siphon the tape off into mp3...
# Posted on July 6th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: Bears
My vote is for Andy Renwick's Ferret. :-p And I'm trying to learn it for a friend who has a ferret, too, so I can't get off the hook.
# Posted on July 7th 2005 by sara g
Re: Bears
Zina -- I'll see what I can do to make the trade work. I'm not much of a techie and I don't have the equipment to make an mp3, but I can probably get someone to do it. I have a commercially produced tape of Declan Folan that I got in Sligo about 10 years ago and can copy the whole thing and mail it to you. Not exactly advanced technology, but you'll get a lot of great tunes!
# Posted on July 7th 2005 by John Culhane
Re: Bears
Duelling Banjos...on the Tin Whistle
# Posted on July 8th 2005 by Dark Raven
Re: Bears
Yeah, must be hard doing the guitar chords...
Really, I don't know why you'd want to bother.....sounds like a bear to LISTEN to! But I guess you're at the wind up...
# Posted on July 8th 2005 by Rudall the time