Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May

Subject: Bull At Ditchling Session 2Nite 29 May?
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 29 May 11 - 08:39 AM

Trying to check whether there's a session at the Bull in Ditchling tonight (29th May 2011)? I know that several of the usual suspects will be at the Blue Shed this afternoon, which may afect this evening. I can't make it to the Blue Shed but it's a fair trek for me to head for The Bull and then find it's not running.

Anyone know?

Subject: RE: Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May
From: Will Fly
Date: 29 May 11 - 08:39 AM

It's on Rob! I'll be there, as will all the regulars - and even old Alan Day will probably turn up and fiddle with his buttons... :-)

Subject: RE: Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 29 May 11 - 08:54 AM

OK, thanks Will!

I'll come along then, and bring Ian's No 30 with me for an outing. I'll at least get it out of the case and may even twang it a bit if the mood takes me :-)

Sorry for the double posting: the system told me my first attempt had failed!

Subject: RE: Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May
From: Will Fly
Date: 29 May 11 - 09:01 AM

Yes - the posts are generating error messages at the moment - but apparently still getting through.

Subject: RE: Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May
From: Alan Day
Date: 29 May 11 - 11:51 AM

see you there
Al

Subject: RE: Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 30 May 11 - 03:26 AM

Great session Will...so different to anything else I go to.

I'll really have to work harder at learning to pick things up on the "fly" ( :-) ). At the moment changing chords fast enough on those jigs, reels and hornpipes is hard going for me, never mind fitting in the walkdowns and fancy bits!!!

It was great to have the chance to give "Drummers of England" an airing though....thanks for the mando accompaniment.

Can't wait for next month.

Subject: RE: Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May
From: Will Fly
Date: 30 May 11 - 05:36 AM

You done good, Rob, my son - you done good! :-) Sitting in at a welcoming and tolerant session - with the right attitude, which you have - is a great way to learn a part of the tradition. And, because the people aren't always exactly the same from month to month, there's always something new to listen to and enjoy.

If you do this sort of thing regularly, it's great training for the ear, and you can eventually - to a certain extent - anticipate melody and probable chords. Sitting and just listening through the first chorus of a strange tune is also recommended. Alan and I go to a monthly singaround where one participant, an experienced but slightly insensitive performer, just digs right in on guitar when people are playing - even if the chords are different and even if he's never heard it before. He's a nice fellow and an old acquaintance, but he's a little over-confident. Gets right up Al's nose sometimes!

Subject: RE: Bull @ Ditchling. Session 2Nite? 29 May
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 30 May 11 - 08:40 PM

Thanks, Will, you're very kind. I've got a long way to go but hopefully the speed, and accuracy, and "ear", will develop with time.

There were a couple of times last night when I knew I was hitting the wrong chords....and I guess you did too as you'd quietly say "C" or whatever! Not talking about the times you pre-warned me of things like an un-anticipatable "E minor" about to happen but the times when we were repeating and A or B parts and I'd bollixed it up the first time :-)

It's a great session to come to as it tends to be more biased towards music than songs (though both feature) and the quality of most of the musicians is excellent...but you don't feel patronised or looked down on as a relative beginner!

Also the variety of songs and tunes is great. At other sessions/ singarounds I go to, the variety of *songs* is often good but the tunes are limited, so it's great to hear some new ones, and a few different instruments. Fiddles appear rarely at the other places I frequent, and flutes, soprano saxes etc are just not there at all.

I'll try and bring a couple more people with me next time. If the visitor from Faversham comes back, who knows, we Men Of Kent might outnumber the locals :-)