Shannon Heaton's new book, "Oil For The Chain" is now out. (http://cdbaby.com/cd/shannonheaton - there's some clips there, natch) Dirk gave me a copy for Christmas, thanks, Dirk! (Shannon was Dirk's and my first teacher before she moved to Boston a few years back.) Thought I'd give it a short review here, because I think it's great!
It includes a CD of the tunes (traditional and originals) in the book, played by Shannon and backed by her husband, Matt Heaton. When Shannon first started writing this book, I thought it was simply going to be a collection of her original tunes. Instead, it's something of a primer for people both new to sessions and for people looking for a kickstart to their music.
After a very complimentary intro from Seamus Connolly, Shannon writes, "As I set out to select a wide variety of tunes, the guiding philosophy behind this book emerged: It doesn't matter *what* tunes you play, it's *how* you play them."
The book gives a short, quick, and intense outline of how to get from point A to point Z -- from learning your first tunes ("As much as possible, keep a sense of the big picture.") to sessioning tips ("A session is like any other social gathering--the overall experience is affected by all the participants, and it can take a while for everyone to figure out how to contribute.") to why stories behind tunes are good ("Nothing fills your heart fuller than the association of learning a tune from a friend.").
Shannon covers everything from the above to getting started on variations, how to learn the tunes you know in different keys and why, how to start tunes ("and when to lie low in the weeds"), and even gives some tips to backers (the book includes some standard tuning chords for backers and tips throughout, as befits a book from the spouse of Matt Heaton).
It's not a detailed course of study, nor is it simply a "flute book". But it'd be great for anyone who wants a look at (or a reminder of!) the overall picture of a fairly typical journey through this stuff, with a few words of encouragement and advice along the way.
For those of us who know Shannon, it's great to "hear" her voice as you read through it all. Enjoy it if you get this one, I am!
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
You are welcome Zina!
Really, the positive attitude Shannon has toward the music shows in her words almost as well as in her playing. With the CD, you get a glimpse of both. Duke Ellington said something like "Always Love it." when describing how to approach your music. I can hear it in how Shannon plays, if you know what I mean.
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Sounds like a good book Zina (if I could read that is) but I have to take umbridge with the jist:
OK so I know all the stuff about that it's the elusive feel of it that makes it etc. But come on now. It's about the tunes. When it boils down to it it's about the tunes. If you play boring repetative derivative tunes, you may well have a great feel for the music, but your music wil be boring repetative and derivative
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
I am proud to say Matt Heaton is my guitar teacher (although please don't hold my modest skills against him, it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks). I plan to purchase a copy of this from him at my next lesson.
Now, on to Michael. Yes Michael, it is all about the tunes, but there can be a lot of joy involved in playing simple tunes well.. To use an example of a very basic set, one can do a great job of playing Health to the Ladies, Connaughtman's Rambles and My Darlin's Asleep that leaves everyone tapping their toes and with a smile on their lips. Maybe if you could list some "boring, repetative and derivative" tunes by name, I would understand your point better....
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Yeah where did you get boring, repetitive and derivative from? Has something been deleted from the thread or something? I didn't see any tune names mentioned or anything
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
The first thing is, and there's no disagremant here, simple does not mean boring repetative or derivative. The Connaughtman's Rambles and My Darlin's Asleep are lovely tunes, I'd give them the time of day anyday. (No disrespect to Health to the Ladies though, I may know it, may not. I only know the names of about 10% of the tunes I know. Which brings me to: I'm sorry, but I can't name any boring repetative or derivative tunes, 'cause I don't think I know any, let alone know their names. I hear them all the time though, but nothing registers in my head.)
Dow: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it" just made me think "no it isn't". It's "what tunes you play AND how you play them"
I agree that there are some players who seem to make every tune sound dull, and there are some players who have a terrific ability to make almost any tune sound lovely. But give me anyday, the latter player with a lovely tune
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Michael, you just said it. There are players who have a terrific ability to make any tune sound lovely. That's what we all aim for. If "repetitive" is our only negative criteria for a tune, none of us would play Mountain Road, but we all do, because it's a really lovely tune that's well-crafted though simple. "Boring" is not a function of whatever it is we're looking at; it's a function of judgement, which rests within the beholder. And "derivative" -- well, *everything* is derivative to a certain extent.
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
I didn't say "any" tune, I said "almost any". Big difference.
And are you really telling me that it doesn't matter what tunes you play, it's just how you play them?
What is your criteria for deciding what tunes to play?
You see this is one of the problems with diddley music. For years and years people have said to themselves that I'll play a tune for no other reason than because someone else plays it. We joke that they all sound the same, but this is the reason. The homogenization through wooly respect rather than distinction through quality control
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
"What is your criteria for deciding what tunes to play?" Well, because I like it.
I may like it for different reasons from another -- sometimes I *do* in fact like a tune because it reminds me of the friend who taught it to me or the ones I play it with, and you can layer things on top of that -- Exile of Erin I liked immediately, for instance, but now have lots of memories of teaching it to various people who I love dearly and then playing it with them. But it also happens to be a great tune, just like Mountain Road even if they're completely different.
There's nothing inherently wrong with playing a tune because you LIKE it, Michael. And yes, it really doesn't matter to me what tunes one plays -- I'm playing the tunes I play with people because I like playing with them, not because I'm creating deathless art. If I wasn't such a crap player, perhaps I'd care.
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
lets get this straight, I don't want to misquote:
It really doesn't matter to you what tunes you play.
Do you really rate your tunes by where, when and who you learned from or taught?
Have you never said to someone, "that's a crap tune". Not a stranger, of course, you wouldn't want to be rude, but a good freind. Just like you might say, "that new hairstyle does nothing for you".
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
"Have you never said to someone, "that's a crap tune". "
Nope, I never have. I've said (plenty of times), "I just don't care for that tune, somehow," or even "I can't stand that tune." But just because I don't like it doesn't mean that they don't, so why would I tell them that what they like is crap? (Perhaps we've hit a bit of a cultural blockage here, Michael.) But my favorite for that kind of thing is a gentleman I know who never refuses to play a tune: "You play that so well, and it really doesn't sit well on my fingers, I'd like to hear you play it in hopes that I can pick it up off of you."
"lets get this straight, I don't want to misquote:
It really doesn't matter to you what tunes you play."
Of course I like to play tunes that I like. I find that usually a tune that I don't like is simply one I've never heard played in a manner that I like. But the long shot of it is, I don't play tunes to create Art or even just The Music. I play tunes to get together with friends and have a laugh and a good time making something together. Oh, and a drink or two.
Doesn't mean I don't like making excellent music or think that the musicality of the thing should suffer in the name of being nicey-nice. I *do* have standards, as you should know very well by now. But if all other things are just hunky-dory, I'm not going to go messing things up with other people by telling them the tunes they like to play are crap, just because I don't like them. Just because I don't like them doesn't mean that they're crap to someone else.
I leave that sort of thing up to you ruthless sorts. That's what you're there for, aren't you? *smirk*
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Nope, still not then. Someone starts it (and invariably follows it up with the Atholl Highlanders), I play it along with them, put down my fiddle, smile, and say..."God, I hate that tune..."
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Michael,
Upon hearing more, I see your point about the dangers of homogenization--variety of course being the spice of life. This discussion has me musing on two things--first, what is that 'je ne sais quoi' that makes some players stand out from the crowd and makes other players leave me cold (it is NOT necessarily related to technical ability, although some basic level of ability is needed). And what is it that causes me to prefer some tunes to others (neither simplicity or complexity necessarily have anything to do with that). I doubt we can pin down a definitive answer to either, which doesn't necessarily mean we can't have an interesting time discussing them.
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
I suppose the difference is about having the confidence of your convictions. I know I can be arrogant, but I ilke to think I only spout on about stuff I know about. If the best you can do is say you dislike a tune, then so be it. I just implore you to do it. Hopefully, that person who started Atholl highlanders won't do it again in you company.
(The nack with the jig of slurs though is to do what is says on the tin. You mostly hear it played on the fiddle by people with not much jig skill who tend to bow every note. Articulate all those pairs of notes with cuts and just go with slurring as much of it you possibly can. Great long slow sweeping bowing instead of the stoccato thing you usually hear. It becomes quite a quiet subtle tune and I'm sure that was how it was written. And why it was named such)
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Darling, it's a highland pipes tune. I doubt subtlety was on anyone's mind at the time. Sure, that makes it BETTER, but not with any original intent. But then we're right back to how you play it again.
Yes, most people I've said that to have not started it again around me, although I did teach both tunes at the request of the people in our tune learning session because the sessions where they play do play that set. And that's fine by me. They can like the tunes for all I care; it's no skin off my teeth.
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Actually, I was playing the jig of slurs the other night with a really really good GHB player. Though he was playing a set of border pipes in D. (down a string on the fiddle). There's that lovely open bubbly sound of the scottish pipes. Because you can't stop the reed, (unlike closed fingering on irish pipes, or, heaven forbid, the truly awful northumbrian pipes) the sound you get is similar to a much fingered, no bow fiddle
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
yep, a wonderful thing. And the man does this terrific thing of actually bringing some dynamics to the instrument by playing bits with the chanter slightly under the table and other bits over the table and for the instant extra oomph he rests the bottom of the chanter on the table, there by using the table top block of wood as a resonator.
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
BRIDES! Welcome back, and of course Michael and I are wrangling -- see, nothing's changed.
I'm just on my way out the door! You horrible girl! I'll e-mail you later when I get back, you in the hinterlands of the world. *smooches* darling, and stick your oar in, I've missed YOU too!
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Sigh - I do what I can Dowsie
Hahha - only been back 10 minutes and have already hijacked a thread! Better go before I get into trouble again Which thread are you talking about Dowsie?
"It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
"It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Shannon Heaton's new book, "Oil For The Chain" is now out. (http://cdbaby.com/cd/shannonheaton - there's some clips there, natch) Dirk gave me a copy for Christmas, thanks, Dirk! (Shannon was Dirk's and my first teacher before she moved to Boston a few years back.) Thought I'd give it a short review here, because I think it's great!
It includes a CD of the tunes (traditional and originals) in the book, played by Shannon and backed by her husband, Matt Heaton. When Shannon first started writing this book, I thought it was simply going to be a collection of her original tunes. Instead, it's something of a primer for people both new to sessions and for people looking for a kickstart to their music.
After a very complimentary intro from Seamus Connolly, Shannon writes, "As I set out to select a wide variety of tunes, the guiding philosophy behind this book emerged: It doesn't matter *what* tunes you play, it's *how* you play them."
The book gives a short, quick, and intense outline of how to get from point A to point Z -- from learning your first tunes ("As much as possible, keep a sense of the big picture.") to sessioning tips ("A session is like any other social gathering--the overall experience is affected by all the participants, and it can take a while for everyone to figure out how to contribute.") to why stories behind tunes are good ("Nothing fills your heart fuller than the association of learning a tune from a friend.").
Shannon covers everything from the above to getting started on variations, how to learn the tunes you know in different keys and why, how to start tunes ("and when to lie low in the weeds"), and even gives some tips to backers (the book includes some standard tuning chords for backers and tips throughout, as befits a book from the spouse of Matt Heaton).
It's not a detailed course of study, nor is it simply a "flute book". But it'd be great for anyone who wants a look at (or a reminder of!) the overall picture of a fairly typical journey through this stuff, with a few words of encouragement and advice along the way.
For those of us who know Shannon, it's great to "hear" her voice as you read through it all. Enjoy it if you get this one, I am!
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Tasty playing. It all appears to be from the heart, as I'm sure it is. Best of luck to Shannon.
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Just ordered a copy. Thanks for the heads-up!
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Char B
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
good sales pitch, I just ordered my copy
Bob
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by bt
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Hiya, Bob!
You guys'll like it, I'm sure. I've been just enjoying listening to the practice cd, to be honest. 
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
You are welcome Zina!
Dirk
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by dirk
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Sounds like a good book Zina (if I could read that is) but I have to take umbridge with the jist:
OK so I know all the stuff about that it's the elusive feel of it that makes it etc. But come on now. It's about the tunes. When it boils down to it it's about the tunes. If you play boring repetative derivative tunes, you may well have a great feel for the music, but your music wil be boring repetative and derivative
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
I am proud to say Matt Heaton is my guitar teacher (although please don't hold my modest skills against him, it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks). I plan to purchase a copy of this from him at my next lesson.
Now, on to Michael. Yes Michael, it is all about the tunes, but there can be a lot of joy involved in playing simple tunes well.. To use an example of a very basic set, one can do a great job of playing Health to the Ladies, Connaughtman's Rambles and My Darlin's Asleep that leaves everyone tapping their toes and with a smile on their lips. Maybe if you could list some "boring, repetative and derivative" tunes by name, I would understand your point better....
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Yeah where did you get boring, repetitive and derivative from? Has something been deleted from the thread or something? I didn't see any tune names mentioned or anything
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Dow
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
The first thing is, and there's no disagremant here, simple does not mean boring repetative or derivative. The Connaughtman's Rambles and My Darlin's Asleep are lovely tunes, I'd give them the time of day anyday. (No disrespect to Health to the Ladies though, I may know it, may not. I only know the names of about 10% of the tunes I know. Which brings me to: I'm sorry, but I can't name any boring repetative or derivative tunes, 'cause I don't think I know any, let alone know their names. I hear them all the time though, but nothing registers in my head.)
Dow: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it" just made me think "no it isn't". It's "what tunes you play AND how you play them"
I agree that there are some players who seem to make every tune sound dull, and there are some players who have a terrific ability to make almost any tune sound lovely. But give me anyday, the latter player with a lovely tune
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Michael, you just said it. There are players who have a terrific ability to make any tune sound lovely. That's what we all aim for. If "repetitive" is our only negative criteria for a tune, none of us would play Mountain Road, but we all do, because it's a really lovely tune that's well-crafted though simple. "Boring" is not a function of whatever it is we're looking at; it's a function of judgement, which rests within the beholder. And "derivative" -- well, *everything* is derivative to a certain extent.
You and your hobby horses.
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Ha ha! Hey everyone - Zina still plays Mountain Road!
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Q
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
*blink* Good heavens, Matty, don't you? *smirk* It's a great old tune, isn't it?
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
I didn't say "any" tune, I said "almost any". Big difference.
And are you really telling me that it doesn't matter what tunes you play, it's just how you play them?
What is your criteria for deciding what tunes to play?
You see this is one of the problems with diddley music. For years and years people have said to themselves that I'll play a tune for no other reason than because someone else plays it. We joke that they all sound the same, but this is the reason. The homogenization through wooly respect rather than distinction through quality control
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
"What is your criteria for deciding what tunes to play?" Well, because I like it.
I may like it for different reasons from another -- sometimes I *do* in fact like a tune because it reminds me of the friend who taught it to me or the ones I play it with, and you can layer things on top of that -- Exile of Erin I liked immediately, for instance, but now have lots of memories of teaching it to various people who I love dearly and then playing it with them. But it also happens to be a great tune, just like Mountain Road even if they're completely different.
There's nothing inherently wrong with playing a tune because you LIKE it, Michael. And yes, it really doesn't matter to me what tunes one plays -- I'm playing the tunes I play with people because I like playing with them, not because I'm creating deathless art. If I wasn't such a crap player, perhaps I'd care.
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
lets get this straight, I don't want to misquote:
It really doesn't matter to you what tunes you play.
Do you really rate your tunes by where, when and who you learned from or taught?
Have you never said to someone, "that's a crap tune". Not a stranger, of course, you wouldn't want to be rude, but a good freind. Just like you might say, "that new hairstyle does nothing for you".
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
"Have you never said to someone, "that's a crap tune". "
Nope, I never have. I've said (plenty of times), "I just don't care for that tune, somehow," or even "I can't stand that tune." But just because I don't like it doesn't mean that they don't, so why would I tell them that what they like is crap? (Perhaps we've hit a bit of a cultural blockage here, Michael.) But my favorite for that kind of thing is a gentleman I know who never refuses to play a tune: "You play that so well, and it really doesn't sit well on my fingers, I'd like to hear you play it in hopes that I can pick it up off of you."
"lets get this straight, I don't want to misquote:
It really doesn't matter to you what tunes you play."
Of course I like to play tunes that I like. I find that usually a tune that I don't like is simply one I've never heard played in a manner that I like. But the long shot of it is, I don't play tunes to create Art or even just The Music. I play tunes to get together with friends and have a laugh and a good time making something together. Oh, and a drink or two.
Doesn't mean I don't like making excellent music or think that the musicality of the thing should suffer in the name of being nicey-nice. I *do* have standards, as you should know very well by now. But if all other things are just hunky-dory, I'm not going to go messing things up with other people by telling them the tunes they like to play are crap, just because I don't like them. Just because I don't like them doesn't mean that they're crap to someone else.
I leave that sort of thing up to you ruthless sorts. That's what you're there for, aren't you? *smirk*
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Not even the Jig of Slurs?
(ducks, runs for cover)
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Just a person
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Perhaps I've just never heard it played in a manner I like
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Just a person
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Nope, still not then. Someone starts it (and invariably follows it up with the Atholl Highlanders), I play it along with them, put down my fiddle, smile, and say..."God, I hate that tune..."
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Michael,
Upon hearing more, I see your point about the dangers of homogenization--variety of course being the spice of life. This discussion has me musing on two things--first, what is that 'je ne sais quoi' that makes some players stand out from the crowd and makes other players leave me cold (it is NOT necessarily related to technical ability, although some basic level of ability is needed). And what is it that causes me to prefer some tunes to others (neither simplicity or complexity necessarily have anything to do with that). I doubt we can pin down a definitive answer to either, which doesn't necessarily mean we can't have an interesting time discussing them.
# Posted on January 13th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
I suppose the difference is about having the confidence of your convictions. I know I can be arrogant, but I ilke to think I only spout on about stuff I know about. If the best you can do is say you dislike a tune, then so be it. I just implore you to do it. Hopefully, that person who started Atholl highlanders won't do it again in you company.
(The nack with the jig of slurs though is to do what is says on the tin. You mostly hear it played on the fiddle by people with not much jig skill who tend to bow every note. Articulate all those pairs of notes with cuts and just go with slurring as much of it you possibly can. Great long slow sweeping bowing instead of the stoccato thing you usually hear. It becomes quite a quiet subtle tune and I'm sure that was how it was written. And why it was named such)
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Darling, it's a highland pipes tune. I doubt subtlety was on anyone's mind at the time.
Sure, that makes it BETTER, but not with any original intent. But then we're right back to how you play it again.
Yes, most people I've said that to have not started it again around me, although I did teach both tunes at the request of the people in our tune learning session because the sessions where they play do play that set. And that's fine by me. They can like the tunes for all I care; it's no skin off my teeth.
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Actually, I was playing the jig of slurs the other night with a really really good GHB player. Though he was playing a set of border pipes in D. (down a string on the fiddle). There's that lovely open bubbly sound of the scottish pipes. Because you can't stop the reed, (unlike closed fingering on irish pipes, or, heaven forbid, the truly awful northumbrian pipes) the sound you get is similar to a much fingered, no bow fiddle
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Hmmm...down a fifth would sound much nicer, I think!
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
yep, a wonderful thing. And the man does this terrific thing of actually bringing some dynamics to the instrument by playing bits with the chanter slightly under the table and other bits over the table and for the instant extra oomph he rests the bottom of the chanter on the table, there by using the table top block of wood as a resonator.
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by llig leahcim
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
hehe - Ive missed you guys
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by bb
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
BRIDES! Welcome back, and of course Michael and I are wrangling -- see, nothing's changed.
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by Zina Lee
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Darls is back! We've been talking about you heaps on another thread. When are you coming back? We miss you! E-mail me.
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by Dow
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Hey I just found an e-mail from you in my inbox. It's made my day! I'm going to have a stupid grin on my face all day now
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by Dow
Re: "It's not what you play, it's how you play it."
Sigh - I do what I can Dowsie
Hahha - only been back 10 minutes and have already hijacked a thread! Better go before I get into trouble again
Which thread are you talking about Dowsie?
# Posted on January 14th 2006 by bb