Sessions - Playing in!

Scráib

Ahoy-hoy,

I've started learning the Harp in the past 8 or so months, and I'm wondering how hard would it be to join in a session?

I'll stress here that my repertoire is only about 5 songs so far so I won't be capable of playing in sessions for a good while yet!

Generally I'm interested in how you'd learn to play in a session? Is is a case of getting stuck in? Would you need to know songs beforehand or is it a case of having a good ear and doing imrov on the notes you play?

Thanks a mil.

Blade

Scráib wrote: »

Would you need to know songs beforehand or is it a case of having a good ear and doing imrov on the notes you play?

Well you can do both but obviously knowing them is better. Playing by ear is one thing, but doing it in real time to something you've never heard before can be tricky and will stand out in your playing. You might get away with it from casual listeners but the other musicians will spot it. If you're attending the same session regularly and they keep playing the same songs, it would come across a bit disrespectful of you if they think you haven't bothered your a$$ to learn them properly.

Smuckie

It's really just a case of getting stuck in, nobody will care if you're a talented musician or not, it's all for the craic But good luck to ya finding a session that you can play the harp at...!

fh041205

Smuckie wrote: »

It's really just a case of getting stuck in, nobody will care if you're a talented musician or not, it's all for the craic But good luck to ya finding a session that you can play the harp at...!

In fairness, it depends on the session. People mightn't take kindly to someone taking such a kamikazee attitude amongst a regular group of musicians. I always bring along a small mp3 recorder with me and record the whole session, so I can listen to the tunes and get an ear for them, and then learn them when the time comes. This works best for a regular session so you can go back and play the stuff you've learned. gl

Scráib

The general message seems to be know your stuff well before trying. That makes a lot of sense. I like the idea of an MP3 recorder, it would help things in a lot of ways.

Thanks lads!

aoife2k

When you say songs automatically I think singing... You must mean tunes.

If you've only got 5 tunes then you better know them pretty well if you're going to sit in on a session where you've got one of the most beautiful instruments in Irish Music and everyone will be lookin at you to see what you can do with it.

I'd recommend going to sessions but without the harp and bring a recording device if you want to pick up on tunes... then in your own time learn the tunes but anytime I've been at a session with a harper they've played the chords along with the tune if they didn't know it so maybe brush up on your chording skills too.

Happy Harping!

tarbolton

I participate in a learning session for adults run by Ceoltoiri Chluain Tarbh in Artane on the northside of Dublin. This is designed to be a gentle introduction for learning musicians to session playing.
We meet every Teusday evening. The focus is on repertoire building, ear training and learning to play with others in a session. The evening starts with a class where a tune is taught. This is followed by a slow session guided by an experienced teacher.
Scráib when you mention songs do you mean songs or tunes? Just to clarify - when I say "repertoire" I mean tunes - jigs, reels, hornpipes, etc. If you think this might suit you
you can get more details at http://www.cluaintarbh.net/adult.htm

aoife2k

That sounds like a wonderful class tarbolton... great idea! :-)

tarbolton

Well Aoife I really enjoy it and have learned a lot from it. If you stick with it for a year you have built up a repertoire of more than 40 tunes. That's a sizeable amount!
The tunes taught are, in the main, commonly played in sessions so they are useful wherever you go!

aoife2k

It sounds like something I'd try settin up myself... I'm a fiddle player of nearly 20 years so any opportunity to build up the musicians in an area is a great thing!

Scráib

Hey-hey!

Apologies about the confusion there! I meant tunes: reels, jigs polkas etc. I know about one of each so far. I want to keep it up, so much so that I've ordered a proper harp from a lad in Canada, it'll set me back some but it'll be worth it in the long run!

@tarbolton: Now that's a brilliant idea, I may just drop out to one of them at some point. Thanks for the info and the link!

You've got one of the most beautiful instruments in Irish Music and everyone will be lookin at you to see what you can do with it

No pressure then at all

aoife2k

Well sort of yes! I'm not trying to put you off, i'm just tryin to prepare you instead of makin a fool of yourself and getting talked about. Believe me, it happens and I've witnessed it first hand.

Yay for purchasing a new instrument, I didn't stop playing my new fiddle for a good two or three months solid so that'l be a big boost for you to learn tunes and I'd highly recommend going to tarbolton's classes... :-)

trad

I run the Slow Slow Sets on CCE in Monkstown. We meet on a Tuesday night at 9 pm. The aim of slow slow sets is in the title, it's to get inexperienced players of traditional music accustomed to playing in sessions with the tunes played at a moderate rate (much slower than pub sessions). We go back over tunes if it speeds up or is too fast for someone.

We don't have a harpist or a bodhran player but the group generally consists of flute, fiddle, whistle, accordeon, concertina, banjo and guitar, anywhere between 15 and 20 generally attend.

All are welcome, it's free, there's a bar and if you want a set list pm me. Don't worry about making mistakes or not knowing a tune, we are all there to learn and a friendly bunch