I'm glad about that!

I've read through all the post (yet again) and to be quite honest - I didn't feel anyone was ridiculing newcomers - just questioning the need for a "course" on playing at sessions.

I also took Plucking's comment re. "the bar's over there"..... not as a put down for the newcomers more a "tongue in cheek remark about if they have that much money (unlike us poor folkies) they can get a round in... (although our Landlord's do that at most of our session.... lucky us) - and maybe should have been followed by a ;-)

His/her further outburst was just in response to Oaklet's rather scathing and somewhat unfounded personal remarks.

If you have done your homework and there is a need for such a course (what a shame if there is - I hope no one is put off playing at any of our sessions - where even the audiences have been know to pick up and play spoons and even buy Bodhrans etc. just to be even more a part of the session) I wish you luck.

Maybe you might look at an idea that was instigated at a club I went to many years ago when the evening sessions started an hour earlier for "newcomers" when they played chatted and got to know one another - then when the regulars arrived the newcomers were in situ warmed up (and in the regulars seats :-) ) and the evening merged together very well.

Is there no way you could run the event without charging - eg local room in a pub (who would most likely be more than happy to let you have it free especially if the people were buying drinks and food?) and I'm sure plenty of musicians would offer there skills for free.

N.B. I'm not getting at you or the idea just offering my meagre observations and suggestions, I think we all want to encourage new people into music (we steal some of our best songs from them ;-) )

good luck with your venture, and I hope it does what you want it to

hope you still don't lump me with the Trolls :-)


PB