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"Must-know" session tunes

fjkdal

What tunes would make a list of "must know" tunes before a beginner/moderate player should consider joining in at a session?

And, is there any "definitely not" tunes which a beginner/moderate player should avoid playing at a session??

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studiorat

Maid behind the bar, the masons apron The Lark, the kesh Jig, Kerry Polka, ships are sailing.
And the Hoor in the Nettles.

Beanstalk

Pull out the knife and stick it again,
Old hag you have killed me,
I buried my wife and danced on her grave,
an tiochfaidh tu abhaile liom?
....(if only for the quality names of course

)

Click here for a virtual online session, most of the tunes of which are quite popular....

Would definitely make sure I had all these (click on 'tunebook' tab after link)

As for tunes not to learn, I wouldn't really think about that, every time you learn a tune your playing will improve and you'll often find that tunes you know in your head but never learned to play because you thought it wouldn't be popular will sometimes come up in a session and you'll be kicking yourself!

seachto7

Mary cut your toenails, you're ripping the sheets.

the tamlin?

Blade

seachto7 wrote: »

Mary cut your toenails, you're ripping the sheets.

That's now officially the funniest tune name I've heard.

As all sessions are different, the best thing to do is listen to what tunes they tend to play and how they play them. If they don't mind, record them. Get talking to them, ask for tune names if you hear something you like and what key's they're playing them in.

Theres no point learning a heap of tunes that might never get played at your session when you could have used that time to learn the ones they do play. Of course it's never a waste of time learning any tune but if you want to jump into a particular session you should put the ones they play at the top of your list to learn.

fjkdal

Yep, some of the names are great!!

I take the advice about knowing the tunes at the session you wish to join... I suppose the problem is, what do I do if I rock on down there with great intentions of playing and then find I can only play one or two and I'm dropping in and out of sets.

Will that annoy?? And I presume nobody wants me to kick off with Peg Ryan's polka, if they say to play one myself and they'll join in!

Would most people turn up at what they think is a regular session without their instrument the first time, check out the tunes, learn a few and then turn up later looking to join in.....

Is there an etiquette here? I'd hate to be the guy who ruined what is normally a good session!!

Blade

What instrument do you play BTW? And about how many tunes do you know?

fjkdal

I play the box. Haven't played for a few years and was hoping to join a session, get back into it. Used to be decent enough in the day and had a fair amount of tunes under my belt. Most of them in the deep recesses of my mind now, and when listening in at a session, I know I'd be only able to play parts of a tune. Was thinking I'd like to have a good few solid tunes under the belt before I brave it!

Blade

Ah right, I'd imagine it would be harder to get away with it, playing along to a tune you only half know on the box. Compared to say a flute or playing a whistle all in the lower octave in a loud session. Maybe all those old tunes will come flowing back to you while you're actually playing them, I suppose only you can tell, you should practice playing along with that BBC virtual session or youtube recordings and see how you get on.

dunnomede?

Blade wrote: »

That's now officially the funniest tune name I've heard.

The best ones ive heard of are: Varnish me foreskin (Banish Misfortune) and The Trucks of Bohermore (The Bucks of Oranmore)

Also i took a look at the tunebook on thesession and noticed the glasgow reel was fairly high up im a fan of it myself however i've encountered some purists who would be against such a tune

fh041205

I know the glasgow reel but I can't remember it. I'm either appalled by that comment or I agree with it completely. Not sure which yet.

With the help of youtube..........I love that tune, one of my favourites (although I don't know it yet). Very rarely played in sessions from what i've seen.

Concertina Reel, St. Annes Reel, Denis Murphy's Polka, Tripping up the stairs (jig). They're pretty common and pretty easy to learn and they're some of my favourites too.

dunnomede?

I wasn't agreeing with the sentiment of purists that i have experienced, i also quite like the tune however i just felt it appropriate to point out that it may not sit well with some.

Its played after some ballad by a popular 90's(?) group which for the life of me i cant remember, maybe this is the source of indignation amongst die hard traddies?

fh041205

Hmm I wasn;t aware of that. Speaking of tunes that have been mangled (some quite nicely) by 'irish' groups, The Kesh jig , Kerry Polka are two others.

dunnomede?

what versions have these "irish" bands done.
I like the bothys live version of the kesh jig with the bazouki (sp?) knockin out behind them

fh041205

Well, the Kesh jig forms part of at least one, possibly 2 pogues songs called 'Sit Down By the fire' and 'sea shanty', aswell as a Flogging Molly song called 'Salty Dog'.

Kerry Polka is played by the pogues after their version of 'South Australia'. And is also played by a french group called the booze brothers. Not really Irish bands so I put the word in quotations originally. Some gems on youtube from the more 'irish' irish bands like the bothy band. 'Old hag you've killed me' is one I love from them.