counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc

Subject: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 11:01 AM

When I first started playing dance tunes, a friend told me to count jigs in 6/8 like this:

one-lol-ly, two lol-ly

Then I took a class at the Irish center, and I learned to change that one-lol-ly to this:

PINE-ap-ple, PINE-ap-ple.

This lengthens the first note just a bit and cuts a little time off the middle note. All well and good.

My question is this: is there a similar word (like pineapple) which changes the stress for a reel, which is in 4/4 time?

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,Anne Neilson
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 11:33 AM

A student on the Scottish Music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (the RSAMD in the day) told me that he was taught -- prior to coming on the course -- to count a reel to the chant Edinburgh (pronounced ED-in-bu-ru).

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 02:11 PM

Rangers Celtic works too !

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 04:20 PM

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 04:22 PM

Try again

liverpool Everton

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 07:51 PM

Trying to remember what it was we had in our class for playing the first 2 bars of a Kopanitsa in 11/16;
I would like a PINT of Guinness with a very good head when you are REA-DY.
(anything in lower case is a semiquaver, those syllables in upper case are quavers!)

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Mar 15 - 04:54 PM

Thanks, all. 'Edinburgh' and 'Rangers Celtic' both seem to work, but perhaps the 'Cel' syllable is a little too strong...

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Musket
Date: 23 Mar 15 - 02:20 AM

Ah Gerry... But slip jigs are Liverpool Everton Coventry.....

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Mar 15 - 04:33 AM

Reels: Salt and pepper, salt and pepper etc.

Jigs: Rashers and sausages, rashers and sausages etc.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Mar 15 - 05:01 AM

If you're going bring football into it:
Jigs: Heart of Midlothian
Reels: I support Hibernian, yes

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 23 Mar 15 - 12:20 PM

Natalie MacMaster tells how she does it beginning a 3:05 of this video.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Mar 15 - 06:26 PM

Thanks, Gillymor. That provides 'deed-el-dee deed-el-dee' for the double jig, which is another form which de-emphasizes the middle note.

Took-uh-took-uh for a reel, with both Tooks having the same volume, seems rather monotonous. I like 'Edinburuh' better, I think.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 24 Mar 15 - 03:02 AM

and with the American songs you can stress the DIN PART in the middle.
FloraG

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 24 Mar 15 - 09:44 AM

When I get off track I use Natalies' 2nd technique for counting reels in the video linked above which is:

"THIS-is how-a REEL goes | THIS-is how-a REEL goes," (1& 2& 3 4| 1& 2& 3 4| ) with the emphasis on the first and third beats. Then I go back to listening and watching the dancers in my head. I picked this up on The Session.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Mar 15 - 08:24 AM

That phrase has only six syllables in it. I don't think I can work with that one.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Snuffy
Date: 25 Mar 15 - 11:17 AM

That works for me - the number of syllables may vary with individual note values, but there will always be two beats in a reel.

I make Gillymor's mnemonic six syllables but only two beats (4 eighth-notes followed by 2 quarter-notes - like Davy Davy Nick Nack)

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 25 Mar 15 - 04:25 PM

Gillymor explained it perfectly: 1-and 2-and 3 4 - yes, think Davy Nick-Nack.
4 quavers followed by 2 crotchets makes your 4 beats in the bar.
(Most reels here are written in 4/4 BTW).

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: Stu
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 04:07 AM

Jigs: Pineapple apricot

Reels: Black and Decker

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,Jon Heslop
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 09:56 AM

How to tell the difference between crocodiles and alligators.
Crocodiles are in 6/8
Alligators are in 4/4
i.e.
CROC-o dile/CROC-o-dile

ALL-i-ga-tor/ALL-i-ga-tor

(NB. Alligators are some times in 2/4
i.e.
ALL-i-GA-tor/ALL-i-GA-tor)

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 10:34 AM

Thanks for the suggestions.

Let us move up a level. I'm going to provide two links, and I want you to listen to the reels. Try not to look at the video - either minimize it or close your eyes.

The first one will be by an unknown player, it's supposed to be for practicing Irish dance. The second is the sound track of for a flash mob. In my opinion, the first musician is head-and-shoulders above the others. The first is interesting, flowing, far-away and magical. The second (at the airport) is thudding and mechanical.

My question is: what's the good player doing to make the reel come alive?

The links will be in the next post.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 10:37 AM

Here's the first link. My favorite part is the minor part, which starts at 45 seconds.

first video

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 10:43 AM

Here's the music from the flash mob. I want to be fair - I think it doesn't start to be truly mechanical till about 1.5 or 2 minutes in.

airport

After a while, it sounds like we're in a very fast-paced factory.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 07:48 AM

It seems like at fast tempos the lilt (or bounce, or swing or whatever you want to call it) gets harder to discern. We've played for a dance group several times and they want most tunes played at a very fast clip and we're just hanging on for dear life. If there is an answer to your question it might be to learn a tune at a speed where you can impart the kind of feel you want and then keep practising until you gradually get it up to speed. Perhaps a more experienced melody player than myself will weigh in.
I really enjoyed the flash mob vid and the music, especially Bill Hart's Jig at the beginning but if it's just listening or playing without dancing I tend to like more moderate tempos where you can feel the swing.

Subject: RE: counting jigs and reels: pineapple etc
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 09:41 AM

I'm with you, Gillymor. I'm just beginning to play for dancers, and much of the music is too fast for me. However, the other musicians have encouraged me to 'hang in there,' and perhaps the speed will come.

For today's dance I noticed a few places where the chords were dead wrong, but I said nothing, because the music goes so fast that nobody will notice.

I like the play the tunes slower, alone and at home, so I can enjoy the subtleties.