We've had this discussion before and I know that the vast majority of you will answer "Reels".
Why? Are they intrinsically superior or is it just because you/we have been exposed to them to a greater extent at sessions?
Personally, I prefer jigs but, of course, I also enjoy reels, hornpipes, pipe marches, strathspeys etc . All sorts of tunes really but they don't all seem to fit so well into the average session.
How about you?
I've just realised there are some similarities between this thread and the adjacent one from Fiddlemethis. However, there are differences too so it might still be useful.
well john, that's the thing about green/reels. Out of all the colours, green is the most varied. I'd be quite happy for an evening of pure green, because there are so many shades of it.
But racing through the odd set of indigo polkas or vermilion slides really sets off the green brilliance of reels
I'm with Michael in that's it's really impossible to pick one type of tune and call it favorite. To me the best thing is a good healthy mix of them all. I've been to those all green sessions and while they are lovely and great fun, to me it's those occasional and unsuspected brilliant flashes of other colors that get a "Whoop" out of me.
If you'll excuse me now, I think I'll go play a polka or two.....
It's been slip jigs for me from the very start. Even before I properly knew what a slip jig was. Ptarmigan posted some gag about me fancying slip jigs, with his tongue in his cheek, but he was right. I learn the reels and the polkas and the jigs, but the ones that make my insides turn to jelly and spread a big goofy smile under my beard - slip jigs.
Probably reels - when yer in the zone, feeling a bit of swing, but rocking away, nothing beats 'em.
I also like the odd march - but only when they are really played as marches. Around these parts, "marches" usually sound more like dirges.
But my preferences and dislikes for individual tunes are much stronger than preference/dislike for tune styles. I even found a polka in a major key that was fun, recently.
I don't know about favourite type, because some tunes of all types stick out to me as great tunes. For example
My Mind Will Never be Easy - Slip Jig
The Dunmore Lasses - Reel
McFaddens Handsome Daughter - Reel
I Buried My Wife and Danced on her Grave - Jig
The Shores of Lough Gowna - Jig
So I don't think any type is my favourite. However, I always find double jigs easier to learn by ear...
Maybe not "type" as in jigs reels polkas etc, but I like tunes with lots of notes in them - Reevy McDermott and Broderick tunes, for example, and ones with some "soul" - Brendan Tonra's is an example here. I honestly couldn't say I like jigs better than reels better than whatever.
We need all the types. It would be easier to answer, "What's your favorite jig? reel? waltz? slip jig?" etc., etc.
Strathspeys seem to hold my attention more than any other type of tune. Not sure if that makes them a favorite, but I'm often intrigued some atypical, unpredictable melody or rhythm in a strathspey and will play it repeatedly over several days just because of that.
Strathspeys and reels. Why? Because generally speaking I find them more satisfying to play, and also because the majority of my most challenging tunes are one of those two types.
AlBrown - a man with good taste! i.e. "I enjoy racing through a good brisk set of polkas."
Always like to start off with a few Jigs, & play mostly Reels, but I firmly believe that's just force of habit & complying with the musicians around me.
If I could choose, & find like-minded souls up here, I'd go for 50/50 Reels & Jigs / Polkas & Slides! With a nice selection of Flings, Mazurkas, Hornpipes, Marches & the occasional Waltz thrown in for good measure!
I like reels and polkas-mostly because they have the most drive, and I likes drive. However, I'm best at accompanying jigs... go figure. But reels just seem more powerful than jigs for some reason.... it must be in the rhythm.
Zazzalizz I'm confused! In your bio you say that Polkas annoy you? So come on now, let's have some honesty here! Are you trying to confuse us all? Are you really a secret agent, sent to sniff out Polka lovers? Or do you genuinly like them? You say Reels are more powerful than jigs, but be honest, have you ever been hit by a Reel?
Depends what instrument I am playing...
Pipes, jigs in D.
Whistle, jigs & reels in A minor.
Fiddle, POLKAS!!!!
If I am just listening, polkas & slides.
What do you mean - "If I am just listening, Polkas & Slides".
I can fall asleep listening to &/or playing Reels & Jigs, but I positively come alive when I play Polkas or Slides, I simply must tap my feet when playing them, cause they are so full of life & energy.
I would have always sworn by reels, and still love them, but somehow jigs seem to give me slightly more room to express myself. I think it's listening to Kevin Burke play jigs over the years that has convinced me of this.
I also enjoy a good set dance - King of the Fairies, Downfall of Paris etc.
banjo : reels, then jigs or hornpipes, then anything else except waltz's & airs.
mandolin or mandola: jigs or hornpipes, then reels, then anything else as above.
For some reason reels make me incline more to the banjo then the mando-family. I'm never happy with how I play reels on the mandos (above and beyond my baseline unhappiness with my playing)
What's your favourite type of tune?
What's your favourite type of tune?
We've had this discussion before and I know that the vast majority of you will answer "Reels".
Why? Are they intrinsically superior or is it just because you/we have been exposed to them to a greater extent at sessions?
Personally, I prefer jigs but, of course, I also enjoy reels, hornpipes, pipe marches, strathspeys etc . All sorts of tunes really but they don't all seem to fit so well into the average session.
How about you?
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Marches and polkas
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by EastPole
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Because I'm a contrary sod, I like reels almost least of all.
I like hornpipes, polkas and mazurkas.
They fit fine in our sesh, but then from what I read on this site I wouldn't think our regular sesh fits the description of average session.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Jigs, hornpipes and slides.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by fiddlinsue
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
I've just realised there are some similarities between this thread and the adjacent one from Fiddlemethis. However, there are differences too so it might still be useful.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
It's a bit like asking, "what's your favourite colour?"
If you say green, what if everything in the world was green?
Everybody who's favourite colour is green knows that if it wasn't for red, etc, green would get pretty dull
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
What if all the tunes in a session were reels?
Or are they?
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
For just plain old fun, I enjoy racing through a good brisk set of polkas. I don't know why, but they always feel happy to me.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by AlBrown
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Charlie Piggot mostly plays marches and waltzes in the session. He might not play reels if not asked.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by slainte
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
well john, that's the thing about green/reels. Out of all the colours, green is the most varied. I'd be quite happy for an evening of pure green, because there are so many shades of it.
But racing through the odd set of indigo polkas or vermilion slides really sets off the green brilliance of reels
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: What's Charlie Piggot's favourite type of tune?
Is that the thread you thought you were in Slainte? - or was that crashing noise the sound of heavy duty name dropping?
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by Ottery
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Hi all, I'm new.
It is a close call, but I think my favourite tunes would be jigs and reels... I just cannot choose between the two.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by alpha_girl
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
I'm with Michael in that's it's really impossible to pick one type of tune and call it favorite. To me the best thing is a good healthy mix of them all. I've been to those all green sessions and while they are lovely and great fun, to me it's those occasional and unsuspected brilliant flashes of other colors that get a "Whoop" out of me.
If you'll excuse me now, I think I'll go play a polka or two.....
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by RogueFiddler
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
strathspey's
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by flamin fiddler
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
sorry sound's a bit rude to go "strathspey's" (bit like a grumpy teenager which thankfully i am not (yet)!
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by flamin fiddler
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Jiggity jig!
Oh jigs. They're so happy.
Jiggity jiggity jiggity jiggity
Jiggity jiggity jiggity jig
And so forth...
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by kaytee83
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
I agree with Kaytee Jiggity.Jigs are incomparable for the gay abandon that one experiences whilst performing them....
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by cos
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
It's been slip jigs for me from the very start. Even before I properly knew what a slip jig was. Ptarmigan posted some gag about me fancying slip jigs, with his tongue in his cheek, but he was right. I learn the reels and the polkas and the jigs, but the ones that make my insides turn to jelly and spread a big goofy smile under my beard - slip jigs.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by Innocent Bystander
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Probably reels - when yer in the zone, feeling a bit of swing, but rocking away, nothing beats 'em.
I also like the odd march - but only when they are really played as marches. Around these parts, "marches" usually sound more like dirges.
But my preferences and dislikes for individual tunes are much stronger than preference/dislike for tune styles. I even found a polka in a major key that was fun, recently.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by wormdiet
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
I don't know about favourite type, because some tunes of all types stick out to me as great tunes. For example
My Mind Will Never be Easy - Slip Jig
The Dunmore Lasses - Reel
McFaddens Handsome Daughter - Reel
I Buried My Wife and Danced on her Grave - Jig
The Shores of Lough Gowna - Jig
So I don't think any type is my favourite. However, I always find double jigs easier to learn by ear...
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by kjay_bc_box
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Maybe not "type" as in jigs reels polkas etc, but I like tunes with lots of notes in them - Reevy McDermott and Broderick tunes, for example, and ones with some "soul" - Brendan Tonra's is an example here. I honestly couldn't say I like jigs better than reels better than whatever.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
We need all the types. It would be easier to answer, "What's your favorite jig? reel? waltz? slip jig?" etc., etc.
Strathspeys seem to hold my attention more than any other type of tune. Not sure if that makes them a favorite, but I'm often intrigued some atypical, unpredictable melody or rhythm in a strathspey and will play it repeatedly over several days just because of that.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by cathrynb
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
i reckon i like jigs best. reels would come in close second.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by flisstle
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Jigs to cheer me up, waltzes to calm me down, reels when the day's been great and I'm very energetic.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by dmarie
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
I like slip jigs and strathspeys. But I reckon it's because they don't happen that often.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Descending order- jigs, reels, slow airs, strathspeys, polkas, marches, waltzes
...whatever I can play
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Reels. Jigs are okay but they get in the way a bit
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Dow
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Strathspeys and reels. Why? Because generally speaking I find them more satisfying to play, and also because the majority of my most challenging tunes are one of those two types.
Although there are some jigs I just love.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by sara g
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
AlBrown - a man with good taste! i.e. "I enjoy racing through a good brisk set of polkas."
Always like to start off with a few Jigs, & play mostly Reels, but I firmly believe that's just force of habit & complying with the musicians around me.
If I could choose, & find like-minded souls up here, I'd go for 50/50 Reels & Jigs / Polkas & Slides! With a nice selection of Flings, Mazurkas, Hornpipes, Marches & the occasional Waltz thrown in for good measure!
Zat specific enough for you John?
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
I like reels and polkas-mostly because they have the most drive, and I likes drive. However, I'm best at accompanying jigs... go figure. But reels just seem more powerful than jigs for some reason.... it must be in the rhythm.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Zazzaliss
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Zazzalizz I'm confused! In your bio you say that Polkas annoy you? So come on now, let's have some honesty here! Are you trying to confuse us all? Are you really a secret agent, sent to sniff out Polka lovers? Or do you genuinly like them? You say Reels are more powerful than jigs, but be honest, have you ever been hit by a Reel?
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
He doesn't say WHY they annoy him.
Maybe he loves them but they annoy him because he can't play them as well as jigs.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by BegF
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Depends what instrument I am playing...
Pipes, jigs in D.
Whistle, jigs & reels in A minor.
Fiddle, POLKAS!!!!
If I am just listening, polkas & slides.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by feadogin
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
What do you mean - "If I am just listening, Polkas & Slides".
I can fall asleep listening to &/or playing Reels & Jigs, but I positively come alive when I play Polkas or Slides, I simply must tap my feet when playing them, cause they are so full of life & energy.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
I would have always sworn by reels, and still love them, but somehow jigs seem to give me slightly more room to express myself. I think it's listening to Kevin Burke play jigs over the years that has convinced me of this.
I also enjoy a good set dance - King of the Fairies, Downfall of Paris etc.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by kris
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Strathspeys, polkas and hornpipes. I just love the snaps in the strathspeys.
# Posted on November 6th 2005 by rob zouk
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Set dances--yeah! I also love old harp pieces, and pithy single reels.
# Posted on November 6th 2005 by tedium
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
If I am asked to start a tune in a session I invariably play a couple of barndances or slip jigs so I guess they are my favs
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by cluaintarbh
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Slides, swings and roundabouts
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by mikk
Re: What's your favourite type of tune?
Vanilla...sorry, I mean reels.
Although as far as playing goes:
banjo : reels, then jigs or hornpipes, then anything else except waltz's & airs.
mandolin or mandola: jigs or hornpipes, then reels, then anything else as above.
For some reason reels make me incline more to the banjo then the mando-family. I'm never happy with how I play reels on the mandos (above and beyond my baseline unhappiness with my playing)
- Chris
# Posted on November 7th 2005 by ramblingpitchfork