Irish Tunes for Fall

[Narayan Kersak]

I posted this on the tune and project board, but maybe only Irish Players would have some input?

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...roject-TWIGATI

Any thoughts or feedback?

Someone told me I need to play with more lilt, but that wasn't on the board.

[foldedpath]

Nice playing!

On your questions with the other post, I'd stick to the faster version. That's still a bit slower than I've heard it in sessions (which doesn't mean you should go faster!), and if you slow down too much you'll lose the rhythm pulse. I have that problem trying to show someone a tune slowed down sometimes. There is a point where it just falls apart if you go too slow.

On the chopped head vs. not on YouTube, personally I prefer the chopped version, but it's not a big deal. Either way is good. It can be distracting if a person is showing facial expressions while playing, and it can also be distracting if viewers spend more time looking at the room you're playing in, than the instrument being played. If you're recording on a Webcam, then closer might be better just because it gets the mic closer to the instrument where it will sound better (less ambient noise). On the other hand, some close-in views are at odd angles where it's hard to see the fretting hand.

A tip of the hat for the tune-a-day project too! All of us Irish trad players live in constant anxiety about not knowing enough tunes. My S.O. and I just spent some time this evening trying to resurrect some Irish repertoire we've forgotten, plus some new things, because a new session opened up in the area we might want to join.

[Narayan Kersak]

Excellent feedback. Thanks. I'll aim to go for the close up of fretboard.

I use a Zoom H2, so it doesn't really matter where the camera is. The Zoom can go anywhere.

As for ambient noise, I don't think that will be helped. The Zoom is pretty sensitive.

Maybe I'll try making a video where I play the sets of tunes slower one time through for folks who want to learn it by ear, or by watching my fingers. And then play it at a relative session tempo for those who want to practice playing along faster?

I'm currently working on Farewell to Whalley Range and going into Monaghan Jig. That will probably be my next posting.

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Also, I'm pasting the original post below for reference. Then I may go delete the one on the other board.

Hello!

Lately I got this strange idea in my head to learn and record 1 tune a day every day for Autumn, which started yesterday.

It was inspired because I realized how FEW tunes I actually know, compared to the body available.

My question is this...

I'm going to be putting them up on my youtube channel, and I am curious what might be the best way to do it in regards to style etc.

Should I record these up to speed? Or should I record them slower?

Here is the first one...

http://youtu.be/EIkUpKkYhiU

The speed is about average. I made sure to play with a metronome because I know I learn a lot of tunes from Youtube and like to practice with youtubers who have good timing.

Or should I go a little slower, like this other video I did way back...

http://youtu.be/CFhaIXI8Gec

Also, is it good to have video of me playing? Or is the little landscape things OK? What about the standard "head chopped off" vs. being able to see the whole upper body?

Here is a head chopped off video...

http://youtu.be/LgNr0O-wSDY

Anyway, I'm doing this to inspire me to learn more tunes but also to make some videos for people to play along with and be able to learn the tunes.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks!

By the way, TWIGATI means, "Tunes for WHEN I Get Around To It", since there are NTAD, I' thought to try something new.

[Tim Griffin]

I have watched a lot of the AMB vids and like all of the styles. The films are cool, up close playing is cool. I don't know that I have a preference. For learning new tunes it helps me to hear the tune played at session speed and then played slower.Coincidentally I am also working on Whalley Range and Monahan Jig.

[Narayan Kersak]

Hey Tim:

Good to see you here!

Thanks for the feedback. Have you put those two tunes Whalley and Monaghan together? it's really great. I will post it in a few days.

I'm going to experiment with playing it slower then up to speed. Up to speed is relative.

I've been to sessions where up to speed was slower than these videos, and to sessions where up to speed was like a bluegrass player high on a white powdery drug!

I'll have to do some research on bpm for jigs, reels, slip jigs etc.

[foldedpath]

I'm going to experiment with playing it slower then up to speed. Up to speed is relative.

I've been to sessions where up to speed was slower than these videos, and to sessions where up to speed was like a bluegrass player high on a white powdery drug!

I'll have to do some research on bpm for jigs, reels, slip jigs etc.

The Golden Rule is always to play it within your comfort range, but there are some accepted and traditional tempos for these tunes driven by the dancers, because this is all dance music we're playing (aside from Slow Airs, O'Carolan and the like).

You can fall down a deep rabbit hole researching the "tempo" topic on sites like thesession.org forum, but I found this explanation by Jamie Laval interesting because he brings it right down to earth on the dancer's feet, and how that works:



This can be a little discouraging when we're learning reels on mandolin, and notice that ... uh yeah, there's a reason why they're played that fast by fiddlers. It's not just racing through the tunes (although that does happen at some sessions). Some of this music just "wants" to be played fast, because it's based in a slower movement of the dancer's feet!