Do you play a trad instrument?

tarbolton

I insanely took up the fiddle in my mid-40s. It's a notoriously difficult instrument and but after about 6 years I'm beginning to get somewhere. it's been a hard road but I am passionate about it. I seriously regret not starting younger. I am doing lessons with Terry Crehan and participating in the adult class/slow session run by Ceoltóirí Chluain Tarbh. That's been a big help.

CharlieOFloinn

tarbolton wrote: »

I insanely took up the fiddle in my mid-40s. It's a notoriously difficult instrument and but after about 6 years I'm beginning to get somewhere. it's been a hard road but I am passionate about it. I seriously regret not starting younger. I am doing lessons with Terry Crehan and participating in the adult class/slow session run by Ceoltóirí Chluain Tarbh. That's been a big help.

oh God ... i am considering taking up the fiddle... never played an instrument before ... 6 years?
Am I mad?
Some positive replies pleaseee!!!!

tarbolton

Charlie,
I wouldn't want to discourage you. In fact I would encourage everyone to play! I have had so much fun and made so many friends since I started.
All I would say is that its a long term thing! You are not going to be playing like Frankie Gavin or Martin Hayes after six months lessons so don't be discouraged when you find that you're not. Success comes from daily practice over a number of years. Along with getting a good teacher and listening to the greats. It's not that you won't have a good number of tunes after a year or two. Of course you will but you will be playing them at quite a rudimentary level. And that's OK!
So go on! Go for it! If you haven't got a fiddle already Crehan's of Carberry Road in Drumcondra do good deals for beginers.

CharlieOFloinn

tarbolton wrote: »

Charlie,
I wouldn't want to discourage you. In fact I would encourage everyone to play! I have had so much fun and made so many friends since I started.
All I would say is that its a long term thing! You are not going to be playing like Frankie Gavin or Martin Hayes after six months lessons so don't be discouraged when you find that you're not. Success comes from daily practice over a number of years. Along with getting a good teacher and listening to the greats. It's not that you won't have a good number of tunes after a year or two. Of course you will but you will be playing them at quite a rudimentary level. And that's OK!
So go on! Go for it! If you haven't got a fiddle already Crehan's of Carberry Road in Drumcondra do good deals for beginers.

Cheers for that tarbolton
I hear ya ... Im not expecting to be too great after a year or two... just want to be still playing after a few years and enjoying it.
Im living in north dublin and im looking for lessons. Everyone seems to say "get a good teacher" ... but im at a loss to know what a good teacher is at this stage .... I'll see how I go!
Cheers again for the advice !!
Im heading down to Crehan's later this week to get me fiddle.

tarbolton

CharlieOFloinn wrote: »

Cheers for that tarbolton
I hear ya ... Im not expecting to be too great after a year or two... just want to be still playing after a few years and enjoying it.
Im living in north dublin and im looking for lessons. Everyone seems to say "get a good teacher" ... but im at a loss to know what a good teacher is at this stage .... I'll see how I go!
Cheers again for the advice !!
Im heading down to Crehan's later this week to get me fiddle.

Charlie. They are right to tell you to get a good teacher. You could ask in Crehans about teachers when you go there. Or I could give some recommendations if you want. I know a few people who teach. Just PM me for details.

CharlieOFloinn

Cheers again tarbolton... I'll get back to you on recommendations if that's ok... I'll see if they recommend someone to me ... thanks again!

HENARRY JAYA

Hi Im in TY too picking my subjects in a few weeks.... The teachers are forever scaring us about 5th year. Well anyways in my year there are plenty of people picking up music who havent done it for junior cert. As long as you play an instrument you should be fine.

daveob1

aoife_xx wrote: »

yep i play the concertina! my whole family play aswel! its gret

Hey Aoife where r u based, we are looking 4 a standin concertina player. Our group is called T.L.C Teacht Le Chéile. There is 6 in the grp age in grp varies from 33 to 50;) can u send me a text or mail if interested on dobyrne@gofree.indigo.ie

gitane007

Hi ,

I play the fiddle and guitar and have just posted a thread about starting up a new group in Dublin. Have a look if you get the chance. All the best !!!

Stephen

Lilypad

I play the tin whistle and flute, really love but don't play nearly as often as i used to, would love to get back into sessions:)

brummytom

I play the tenor banjo, mandolin, bouzouki and guitar. (and piano, but not for trad)


Saw John Sheahan playing the tin whistle a fortnight ago; and have fallen in love with it again... how hard is it to learn exactly?

murphy125

I play the tenor banjo,tin whistle and the fiddle

Futurecrook

brummytom wrote: »

I play the tenor banjo, mandolin, bouzouki and guitar. (and piano, but not for trad)


Saw John Sheahan playing the tin whistle a fortnight ago; and have fallen in love with it again... how hard is it to learn exactly?

Like any instrument it just takes some getting used to really. If you already have experience in playing music then it's most likely that it won't take you too long to pick it up at all.

sensibleken

I play mandolin and just bought myself a tenor banjo. Dont bring either to sessions as ive only just got the confidence of being able to play along. my main function has usually been singer, mostly either sean nós or dublin songs.

finding the banjo a lot harder than the mandolin but im putting that down to the bigger frets at the moment. damn you hands! stretch!

Jenneke87

I plays the harp

coffeelover

I play tin whistle and piano
Luv my piano to bits
Used 2 play concertina
Getting a flute this year sooo excited. I just hope i'll be at a good standard for my leaving cert in 2 years :eek:

ballinue

great sessions held in Belmont Offaly also Shannonbridge everyone very welcome all skill levels

Scráib

I'm a Harper. I love it. I've only been playing it a year or so now so a long way to go yet!

ballinue

Where are you located

ballinue

Session tonight Cahills Pub Belmont Co Offaly Friday27th August everyone
welcome all skill levels very welcome

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

Pablo_

I bought irish banjo strings and put them on my guitar , just left the upper and lowest string space free, its in CDGA, and I thought the tension would be too strong for the guitar neck but its holding its tune .... and yes, i'm too broke just to get a banjo learned few tunes already

thefourstrings

i do be playing the tenor banjo. love every moment of it!

F5MWG

I play guitar!


Pablo... That is hilarious. Just buy a Banjo! Is the Banjo much different from playing guitar?

Jon_d

I play the Highland Bagpipes and i love them..im addicted to them literally and kinda play the Highland Snare Drum (i only know a 4/4 score that i taught myself from watching and listening on youtube) 4/4 score is usually played with Scotland The Brave and Rowan Tree set..any piper or drummer from a pipeband will know what im talking about

Kingdom_of _oriel

Learning to play the pipes (Highland) best instrument ever. I wished I had started as a boy. If im lucky enough to have sons and daughters I'd love for them to learn from a young age.

MajorMax

a good few years ago I worked in a bar in Dublin, they had a trad session on a Sunday afternoon and it was very popular.
The band was a tightknit group and had played together for years. The problem was that some eejit would always come up to the bar looking for 2 spoons and they would jump in with the band and join in, now keep in mind that most of these muppets couldn't keep time.
The band asked us to not give any spoons out in future. So anyone who came up to the bar looking for spoons, I would produce 2 teaspoons and when the muppet would ask me WTF? I would innocently say "well we don't do food"

sensibleken

Kingdom_of _oriel wrote: »

Learning to play the pipes (Highland) best instrument ever. I wished I had started as a boy. If im lucky enough to have sons and daughters I'd love for them to learn from a young age.

fair play. I lived near (well not that near but i still heard him) a guy who was learning to play them. most pipes can be discouraging at the start so fair play for sticking with them

Bill2673

as a matter of interest,

I do like the trad. but I didn't grow up in that culture lets say.

I play piano reasonably well, but not reading only by sound. Don't play any other instruments.

How easy would it be to learn an instrument, to the standard required for a pub session? I'm in my mid-thirties. I'd like to give it a crack.

What instrument would be easiest to learn?

In general I am guessing tin whistle. But since i play the piano maybe it is the concertina.

Any thoughts?

Kingdom_of _oriel

sensibleken wrote: »

fair play. I lived near (well not that near but i still heard him) a guy who was learning to play them. most pipes can be discouraging at the start so fair play for sticking with them

Cheers it has always been my ambition it just took me 30 years to get round to it