remembering fiddle tunes

[Avi Ziv]

Its funny, but I can't see it being any easier to remember lyrics. I am particuarly impressed when someone can sing an entire Child ballad.

I am totally mystified by people who remember long song lyrics while I can remember many tunes. I would probably get better at it if I tried but I'm curious if there is something in my head that makes it easier for me to remember tunes rather than lyrics.

On thing I say say for sure is that I seem to be better at remembering concepts (and deriving conclusions when needed) rather than remembering many facts. Unclear if there is any correlation.

[Eddie Sheehy]

I memorize the tune names... and then just play Soldier's Joy while calling it one of the names I've memorized...

[Ed Goist]

I memorize the tune names... and then just play Soldier's Joy while calling it one of the names I've memorized...

Sheer...Genius...!
Change tempo, note duration and accent...99% of folks would never know!
Thanks Eddie...I'm on it!

[John Flynn]

I memorize the tune names... and then just play Soldier's Joy while calling it one of the names I've memorized...

There's a saying in old-time music and you probably know it: "There are only 12 different tunes in old-time and 10 of them are Soldier's Joy.'"

[Bertram Henze]

I memorize the tune names... and then just play Soldier's Joy while calling it one of the names I've memorized...

That is step one.

Step two is an automatic tune name generator to create those names from words scraped from Google (Examples scraped from your post: The Memorized Soldier, The Kindling Soldier, Calling it Joy).

Step three is an automatic ABC tune generator to create new tunes from snippets found in the Mandolin Cafe Tabledit database. Nobody will be able to tell those apart.

[JeffD]

On thing I say say for sure is that I seem to be better at remembering concepts (and deriving conclusions when needed) rather than remembering many facts. Unclear if there is any correlation.

Well I am an engineer by profession, a math geek physics geek problem solving geek. I learned a long time ago it is much easier for me to understand things than to remember a pile of facts. Just the way I am built. If I can understand it, I can work my way out to the particular facts when they needed. Systems of knowledge as opposed to piles of knowledge.

But this falls apart in my musical life. I have no system to remember fiddle tunes. They just hang out in my head like captured pidgeons in an aviary, and the job is to coax them to my finger.

[billkilpatrick]

That is step one.

Step two is an automatic tune name generator to create those names from words scraped from Google (Examples scraped from your post: The Memorized Soldier, The Kindling Soldier, Calling it Joy).

Step three is an automatic ABC tune generator to create new tunes from snippets found in the Mandolin Cafe Tabledit database. Nobody will be able to tell those apart.

bertram - that's absolutely brilliant ... we could call these new tunes "franken-grass" ... of course the problem remains: how do we know which tune is which?

[JeffD]

of course the problem remains: how do we know which tune is which?

I grew up in suburban New Jersey. When I first started living in rural areas I was overwhelmed with learning the different kinds of trees. I bought a field guide and really studied up. It was really a bit of a task.

Where I came from there were two basic kinds of trees. These over here and, ... umm... those over there. And which were which depended on where you stood.

[Avi Ziv]

Jeff - I am an engineer living in rural wooded NJ here.... really ! LOL

Ok - some real techniques that help me

- It's easier for me to learn sets of tunes (like we do at Irish sessions) rather than single tunes. The whole set becomes almost a composition and I can easily flow from one tune into the next. The ending of one reminds me what comes next.

- It's sometimes enough for me to remember how a tune begins in order to recall the rest. I used to carry notes with the first two bars of many tunes. I don't do it anymore but it had it's purpose .

- This is not as much a technique as an observation about myself - I discovered that I can remember sequences of finger movements on the fretboard. I tend to think of my fingers as dancers and the tune a choreographed performance. Bizarre - no? But there are patterns, jumps, slides and all manner of dance-like movements. I'm very visual and aural oriented. Anything to supplement my feeble dry fact memory.

[Mike Snyder]

I've been learning fiddle tunes off the internet (thanks, Song-a-Week crowd) and find that some stick around and some don't. I've got one just recently that I learned well, three parts- in D- darned if I can't remember the name of it. Getting into a session and playing the tunes tends to lock them in deep memory better that computer interaction, but I'm in a dead zone as far as other musicians who are into playing sessions. The warm months are coming, and we'll start camping soon, and picking.

[Bertram Henze]

If I can understand it, I can work my way out to the particular facts when they needed. Systems of knowledge as opposed to piles of knowledge.

But this falls apart in my musical life. I have no system to remember fiddle tunes. They just hang out in my head like captured pidgeons in an aviary, and the job is to coax them to my finger.

Striking image, ditto for me. Plus, it also applies for people's names - ever so often have I spied a familiar face in a crowd and wanted to call out to him, getting no further than "hey, er... eerrrr...". At least, with tune names I get less embarrassed.

[billkilpatrick]

Striking image, ditto for me. Plus, it also applies for people's names - ever so often have I spied a familiar face in a crowd and wanted to call out to him, getting no further than "hey, er... eerrrr...". At least, with tune names I get less embarrassed.

good way to get around that is to say "sorry, i forgot your name." when they give you that hurt look and say "fred" (or whatever) you say "oh, i know that ... i just forgot your last name."

senior, "still hangin' in there" tips for better living - bill

[JeffD]

This morning I shared the subject of this thread with some family I still have back in NJ. After explaining the whole thing, my brother said: "Names? Trees have names?"

[Randi Gormley]

We call the tree outside our front door "Harold."

[ralph johansson]

Just as JeffD says, you remember by understanding. What are the ideas of this or that tune, what are the elements determine its character? Could be rhythmic ideas, chord changes, variations of key motifs, etc.

And if it has no character why bother with it in the first place?

[billkilpatrick]

And if it has no character why bother with it in the first place?

ha! ... at my level, all tunes have potential - but i take your point.

[Bertram Henze]

And if it has no character why bother with it in the first place?

They all have character, and too many have similar character, hence the problem. Some are soundalikes, like there are lookalikes:



There are two ways out
1 - only play the few crazy tunes that stand out (such as "Banish Misfortune")
2 - separate the soundalikes by adding different character elements, see below

[billkilpatrick]

i've had a mini-success at remembering this tune:

http://slippery-hill.com/c/Charleston1.mp3

... in that i sing the following for the "A" part (bear with me guys):

if you ever find a feather and you put it in the inkwell
better write a letter, better write it right away

... and - oddly enough - it works.

if i could only learn the infuriatingly difficult "B" part i'd be the happiest of pluckers

[billkilpatrick]

btw - if i had to listen julia gillard's incredibly affected voice on the news every evening, i'd go nuts. margret thatcher was bad enough

[Bertram Henze]

btw - if i had to listen julia gillard's incredibly affected voice on the news every evening, i'd go nuts. margret thatcher was bad enough

At least Mrs Thatcher had less of that Cockney accent with it. But it's character, you see? It guarantees you'll never forget her!
Here is more torture for you, Bill

[billkilpatrick]

so true - and this ties in with the thread as politicians with distinctive voices have always stood out.

i'll forgo listening to the link you provided, thanks - when i hear that voice i feel my brain changing shape.

[JeffD]

You best remember the things you want to forget.

[JeffD]

Striking image,

Wish I could take credit for it. A man a lot smarter than me came up with it some 23 and half centuries ago. Comes from Plato.

[JonZ]

Thanks for the www.totallylookslike.com reference, Bertram. I just wasted a half hour of practice time.

[Bertram Henze]

I just wasted a half hour of practice time.

Sorry you had too much fun Jon
This has me anxiously waiting for your next creepy avatar...