Session Tunes

Session Tunes - Instructions

In Irish music, most players will never have exactly the same version of any tune. These recordings and notes should only serve as a guide to your interpretation of whatever tune it is you are learning. This is one of the many features that makes Irish music unique. You could play with ten players in a session and each player might play a slightly different version of the same tune. Because the structure of notes are generally the same, the tune works together in unison. You should keep this in mind when learning any tune. Your version does not have to be perfect. No one is.  

For each session tune you will have the ABC notation as well as two tracks. The first track is played at a slow pace to give you a chance to learn the shape of the tune. The 2nd track will be played a little faster at a ‘steady pace’ to give you a sense of what it feels to play like with pace. Try to play along with the 2nd track without notes after spending some time with track 1. Trust your ear. 

On every track the tune will always be played twice through.

What's the best way to learn tunes?

1.Sometimes it's good to listen to the tune a few times first. See if you can start to whistle or hum the tune. Get an idea of the direction of the tune. Is it a 2 part or can you hear 3 parts or more?

2.Break it into sections. Listen to the first half a few times then try to play along. Use the notes if you need but learning by ear is always best.

3.Some people find it best to learn in smaller chunks. This is up to you. 

4.Keep listening and playing along with the track. The tune will come eventually. You may not be able to play it on your own yet but this is normal. Learning a tune can take 5 mins, 5 hours, 5 days or even 5 weeks. Your learning time just depends on you. Everyone learns at a different pace. 

Good tip when learning tunes: Take one earphone off (if you are a right handed player take off the right earphone and vice versa if you are left handed). This way you can hear your instrument as well as the guide track you are playing along with. Keep the guide track up loud and while you play with it you should be able to tweak any major imperfections.  

Again remember you are only learning the shape of the tune. You will notice that my audio tracks and notation are not perfect for this reason. Sometimes there is a roll, breath or cut where the notation shows something else. This is all part of learning the shape/graph/structure of the tune. 

After learning 2 jigs or 2 reels, see if you can join them together to play a set.

It's always good if you can hear a top player or a band playing the tune you have just learned. Eg Matt Molloy - The Maid Behind the Bar. Some of these recordings are quite fast and are in different keys (Usually E flat). A good tip would be to download an app called ‘The Amazing Slow Downer’. This can slow down tracks to learning pace and can also change the keys into D to suit your own flute.

Good Luck. - If you need any help, please get in touch: dave@tradmusic.ie