Do you play a trad instrument?

tarbolton · 03-03-2010 8:09pm

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 · 09-03-2010 12:10am

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 · 09-03-2010 8:14pm

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 · 09-03-2010 8:35pm

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 · 09-03-2010 11:53pm

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 · 10-03-2010 10:26am

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 · 10-03-2010 10:51am

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 · 23-03-2010 1:37am

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 · 24-03-2010 5:35pm

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 · 28-03-2010 7:38pm

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 · 29-03-2010 9:11pm

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 · 25-04-2010 7:55pm

I play the tenor banjo,tin whistle and the fiddle

Futurecrook · 29-04-2010 12:32pm

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 · 14-07-2010 12:43pm

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 · 14-07-2010 5:55pm

I plays the harp

coffeelover · 24-07-2010 11:30pm

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 · 25-08-2010 7:38pm

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

Scráib · 26-08-2010 10:35am

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 · 26-08-2010 11:39am

Where are you located

ballinue · 27-08-2010 7:40pm

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

Heisenberg. · 28-08-2010 9:54pm

This post has been deleted.

Pablo_ · 16-09-2010 10:13am

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 · 04-10-2010 7:49pm

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

F5MWG · 12-10-2010 1:02pm

I play guitar!

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

Jon_d · 19-10-2010 2:59am

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 · 24-11-2010 10:57am

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 · 24-11-2010 11:04am

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 · 24-11-2010 11:21am

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 · 24-11-2010 11:28am

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 · 25-11-2010 5:02am

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

EvanRepublican · 01-02-2011 11:24pm

I play guitar and Bodhran...I sing too

brummytom · 05-02-2011 4:24pm

Bill2673 wrote: »

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?

Tin whistle's surprisingly hard, you wouldn't think it though.

Playing piano should give you an advantage to someone who's starting from scratch though. How about the piano accordion?

grymreepor · 12-02-2011 5:22pm

I play guitar(It counts, honestly) banjo, beginner on the Bouzouki and whistle.

conjoe · 25-02-2011 2:10pm

play banjo,guitar am also looking for lessons in trad fiddle in swords or surrounding areas anyone know anyone.

celtictiger32 · 25-02-2011 3:47pm

i used to play the accordian, bodhran and tin whistle. played for years when i was younger kind of got fed up being dragged off to do it every week then though. i was playing with a group and they were mad into it buying cd's etc while i enjoyed playing i didnt find myself THAT much into the music. i now play guitar and a bit of keyboard and sing i find it much more self rewarding writing and playing the style of music that i actually listen to........ dont know about you??

Mongarra · 25-02-2011 4:11pm

I play bodhrán and just-a-little-better-than-3-chords guitar. Sing 'as Gaeilge' but not sean-nós.

Why are bodhrán players like an orgasm? You know they're coming and you can do nothing to stop them!

Session in Kilrane Inn (next village to Rosslare Harbour) every Sunday night, start around 9.45 - 10.00. 2/3 boxes, banjo-mandolin, flute, couple of guitars and bodhrán. Visitors very welcome Handy if going on boat next morning.

johnny_cash · 12-03-2011 11:19pm

Hi i was thinking of buying a concertina does anybody here play it? Where can i buy one online? and does it take long to learn it? sorry for all the questions but seen a guy playing one in the local pub last night and couldn't believe how good it was i would really love to be able play it.

The Scientician · 15-03-2011 1:09am

I play a bit of auld piano accordion, don't know all that many tunes though and have never played other than solo.

Lain2016 · 16-04-2011 6:37pm

Jon_d wrote: »

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

Important to point out that the bagpipes are also a traditional Irish instrument and there are 1580 woodcuts to prove it - older than any evidence from Scotland yeh know

Salty · 25-04-2011 5:44pm

Bill2673 wrote: »

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?

Definitely not the concertina anyway, it's a far cry from the piano.

The piano accordian would be more suitable. The tin whistle is really hard to be any way decent at.

Lain2016 · 11-05-2011 10:54am

Lain2016 wrote: »

Important to point out that the bagpipes are also a traditional Irish instrument and there are 1580 woodcuts to prove it - older than any evidence from Scotland yeh know

mrbagpipes · 31-05-2011 9:53pm

ye i play the bagpipes but its definitley a dying art in ireland!!!!
its a great sound if its played properly:D

siobhgal · 14-06-2011 9:46pm

Unpossible wrote: »

played tin whistle for years, stopped at 15 (when I finished my 3 years with teach siamsa finnuig and didn't get into siamsa tire). Id like to try the illan (sp?) pipes or the banjo. When I get back to Ireland for christmas Im gonna get a bodhan.

exact same thing hapened to me.. love playing whistle but nowhere to play it!:pac:

siobhgal · 14-06-2011 9:49pm

i play the piano, accordian, whistle, violan.. but i never enterred any competitions

would love to though..someday!

glord · 15-06-2011 1:01am

banjo /guitar player , eat breathe and love trad ,live in a ****e part of the country for it though , near mullingar,would to love to play regular sessions and meet some competent musicians to play with . heres me playing a tune on the guitar http://youtu.be/pfGEYwW-seA

Trad Musician · 25-06-2011 5:22pm

Hi,
I'm an experienced guitarist/vocalist with twenty years of gigging behind me playing in pubs and hotels. Recently I have taken a great interest in Trad music. I ve started playing the bauzouki, mandolin and the DADGAD guitar tuning.

I would be very interested in meeting up with other people who can play Trad music or who have just started to play Trad music.

Would like to hear from as many people as possible.

grymreepor · 26-06-2011 2:42pm

how ye,
i'm a guitar/harmonica/banjo player im meath. i have about 15 or 16 tunes on the banjo good folk singer. not bad on the guitar and harmonica but a lot to learn with all three. do ye wan't to meet up for a session, sunday afternoon is good for me. give me a shout back.

ceilishark · 30-09-2011 4:22pm

Accordion player here, only new to Dublin and looking for a few sessions to dust off the cobwebs

sensibleken · 30-09-2011 4:28pm

ceilishark wrote: »

Accordion player here, only new to Dublin and looking for a few sessions to dust off the cobwebs

Devitts on camden street does a fantastic one on fridays. Sin é on a sunday is good, very laid back.

ceilishark · 30-09-2011 4:33pm

sensibleken wrote: »

Devitts on camden street does a fantastic one on fridays. Sin é on a sunday is good, very laid back.

Cheers, I'll have to check them out, a laid back session on a sunday sounds like a great idea

Do you play a trad instrument?

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