"Must have" session tunes

Frankiestylee

Just wondering what pieces are "must have" in your opinion. I've no real experience and I'm just wondering what music I should start learning so I won't end up just sitting there looking confused if I ever do fall into a session.

Moonbeam

They are all very different but normally you will get a chance to play a few songs of your choice with others joining in.
So pick a few songs or tunes that you like and your sorted!

Frankiestylee

Any recommended listening then? I'm only really familiar with the same few songs used for dancing, Irish Washer Woman etc.

There must be a few absolute classics though... like I dunno,the Beatles equivalent :P

Mad Hare

Hi Ya,
One of the best ways forward is by going out to sessions and learning, some sessions can be a bit clannish while others are fairly open to new ideas what part of the country are ya in? I might be able to guide ya to one of the more friendly sessions.
Example: in the Naul, Seamus Ennis Centre on Sundays they run a "Slow Session" which is aimed at people learning trad. As opposed to playing the tunes in full flight, they slow it down and it gives less experienced players the chance to learn the notes and rhythm better.

Tunes themselves range from county to county and styles of people you play and learn from, the beauty of Irish music I find is there is no set formula (there are rules but they are to do with the notation, rhythm etc. style is all down to the player/s)
In my travels I found the Kesh Jig and Mason Apron popular among players. But it can differ North, East , West, and South

Popular songs seem to be Ride On by Christy Moore (in various keys), with much older ballads mixed in. Then again you could walk into one of those sessions we're you never heard half the stuff!
All the Best
Mad Hare

banjopaul

http://www.thesession.org/members/
Click on tunebook and you'll see some of the most common tunes with links to their notes aswel, but then again, you could go to a session and hear none of these too! best of luck!:D

Frankiestylee

Thanks, I'll check out the tunebook thing.

Ride On eh? Hmmm... Ballads etc I've no problem with, they're quite straight forward normally, just more the full on Irish trad tunes I'm trying to get to grips with.

Hermy

banjopaul,
Thank you very much for The Session link as I have just used it to get the correct name of a tune I have been searching for, for a very, very long time.
Cheers!

banjopaul

Hermy wrote:

banjopaul,
Thank you very much for The Session link as I have just used it to get the correct name of a tune I have been searching for, for a very, very long time.
Cheers!

No Bother! tis a useful site:)