Hasn't there has always been a trade off between playing from dots, learning by ear and playing fom memory? Isn't that why so many tunes have survived in so may different variations?

Isn't that why so many tune books have survived in every format from the backs of pieces of paper, via individual musicians tunebooks to a number of re-published versions of The Complete Dancing Master - plundered by CJ Sharp when he stopped collecting tunes.

I simply don't hear all the notes in most country dance tunes. When I learn by ear I then go on to play only some of the notes in the tune. Know, at 66, and after learning to play off the dots 8 years ago and can play all the notes AND generally in the right order.

To repeat another point I have made a number of times - these are mostly country dance tunes ie they survived because people played them for dancing. You can play them for any reason at all. But their is nothing traditional or specailly important about playing them in sets of 3, very quick and withouy saying what any of them are.

In our tunes sessions we ahve dots for those who can use them and most play from memory and a few can pick up the tunes after 1 or 2 hearings.

All good fun

L in C#