Updated january 18th 2006
Living in Lokeren, Belgium, I discovered the joys of folk music through folk-metal bands like Cruachan (Irish tunes) and Korpiklaani (Scandinavian), but once I got a taste of Traditional Irish music I rarely look back :)
I started learning the Tin Whistle since January 1st, 2005 and I have been passionately listening & learning ever since. I've been very lucky to have had the privilege of private lessons from Frederik Vandaele (Four-Fingered Fre here on thesession.org), one of Belgium's finest whistlers and common attendee of the Flemish sessions.
Since January 2006, exactly one year after starting the whistle, I decided to switch to the B/C button accordeon. Although I will always love fiddle most of all instruments, I feel that I would not do it justice as I'd never be able to play it as good as it should be played. Also, even though button accordeon is of a whole different level than whistle, it seemed possible to learn, compared to fiddle for which you need a very good relative pitch, something I regrettably lack.
However much I enjoy listening to & playing traditional Irish music, there is one genre I like even more; socalled 'jig-punk', or 'rock-and-reel' if you like. Traditional tunes played with traditional instruments, but backed up by modern instruments like a drum set and / or electric guitars. I am aware of the fact that most traditional musicians disapprove of this kind of music, but I enjoy it very much. To me, nothing beats seeing a crowd of thousands of young people go wild when Flogging Molly plays the Kesh jig (Salty Dog) or O'Keefe's slide (Black Friday Rule)... so one day I hope to be able to make similar music, and by doing so introduce the obscure and prejudiced Irish Folk music to a broader public...
You can find recorded samples of traditional tunes on whistle and accordeon, and attempts at jigpunk (the 'whistle/hip' directory), at my webspace:
http://users.pandora.be/BE_BlackDeath/music/
I'm going to start a 'quotes' section with the best posts from the Discussion board. Some are just too good, funny or witty to be forgotten, lost in the endless database of thesession.
Re: What do you think? ( http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/8819 )
Fact 1: It's easy to play (though not if you can't)
Fact 2: It cannot be written down (though everybody does)
Fact 3: None of the instruments were invented in Ireland (yet they are referred to as Irish to make them sound authentic, re: Irish Bouzouki etc.)
Fact 4: None of the melody forms were invented in Ireland (yet they are referred to as Irish to make them sound authentic, re: Irish jig etc.)
Fact 5: It is undistinguishable from Scottish music (unless you can distinguish it)
Fact 6: THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT: Everybody hates the bodhran (unless you can't play Irish music)
# Posted on Thursday, January 5th 2006 by michael gill
Re: Un oeuf is enough ( http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/8858 )
Danny - the song What Becomes of the Broken Hearted. I can never hear it without recalling some loo graffiti I once saw in a public toilet in Bath. "Here I sit, broken hearted, spent my penny and only f**ted".
# Posted on Tuesday, January 10th 2006 by showaddydadito
Re: Modesty or utter dishonesty? ( http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/8933 )
Some people are just genetically unable to accept a compliment (especially Irish people as KFG said), and often will make a reply that may seem falsely modest or outright arrogant as a result. That's why some shy people occasionally come across as conceited or aloof, when the exact opposite is the case. It's just the way it is - however in the interests of further research I intend to answer any future compliments with a jovial "I know I'm great - it makes me wonder why the rest of you people even bother!!". I expect to often be congratulated for my honesty.....
Regards
# Posted on Wednesday, January 18th 2006 by hurleystick
For me, being self-effacing is part of this music. The best compliment I can get is when someone says, "What a lovely tune!" I'm just the vehicle for the music, not the other way around.
# Posted on Wednesday, January 18th 2006 by Will Harmon
About a month ago one of the punters at our session said to me "You must be the best bodhran player in Ireland". JfiddlerH laughed, the others held their breath.
Finally I said with undisguised scorn "What do you mean "Ireland?"
The world is my oyster.
# Posted on Thursday, January 19th 2006 by bodhran bliss
Re: Is it a HORROR? ( http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/9248 )
...
As for the instrument, as musicfan says, no instrument is intrinsically evil, but some players can be pure E V I L - so they need to be educated!
Examples of evil playing:
TOO LOUD
SPEEDING UP
NOODLING BETWEEN TUNES
NOODLING DURING TUNES
FARTING, OUT OF TIME, TO THE MUSIC
# Posted on February 20th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Nothing to do with Traditional Irish music… ( http://www.sonnyradio.com/chrisbliss.htm )
I wonder if he can do the same with shakey eggs..
Imagine this guy coming to your session, collecting all the shakey eggs from the room and starting his show outside the pub. Wouldn't that be a cunning way to get rid of them?
# Posted on February 24th 2006 by Barfly
Re: Bodhrans PLEASE HELP! ( http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/9385 )
"it seems to have hair coming out of the skin" - Are you sure it's dead?
...
# Posted on March 4th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Quality VS Quantity - What do you think? ( http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/10315 )
A good player can play a wide range of melodic patterns in different keys and rhythms and play them well. Knowing these patterns comes from knowing lots of tunes. That's why you never get pros from Ireland who only know the 20 tunes they play on their album. They know all the tunes. You'll often hear people say that repertoire isn't important and that it's okay to play a handful of tunes really well. That's just an excuse not to get off their arse and learn the repertoire. So, do both. Be patient. Learn lots of tunes and learn to play them well. Don't go for one at the expense of the other.
# Posted on June 10th 2006 by Dow
Re: Learning to sing? ( http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/10701 )
Not all good singers have a good voice, and not all people with a good voice can sing well.
# Posted on July 19th 2006 by showaddydadito
Tunes in BD-'s tunebook: 94
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