UK: Beginner's Session Workshop

Subject: RE: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: PennyBlack
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 08:03 AM

Open welcome to anyone to come along to the following "Open Sessions" - no charge, you'll be welcomed by musicians young & old - amateurs and pros alike - learn from the "Old Timers" and teach us a thing or two as well!


Blackpool area:-

Sunday: The Halfway House(near Blackpool Airport) from 8.30pm

Tuesday: The Bull, Waterloo Rd, South Shore, Blackpool. from 9.00pm

Wednesday: The Falcon, Hardhorn Way, Poulton-le-Fylde, Nr Blackpool. from 9.00pm.


I'm sure there's hundreds of other sessions that would welcome newcomers with "open arms" (and before someone has a go at me - I DON'T MEAN WITHOUT AN INSTRUMENT!) go and make friends and make some good music in the real world....

Subject: RE: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Feb 04 - 07:36 AM

£57 for something people do for free and love every night of the week, this is a BS thread aint it, you are having a laugh !!!

Subject: RE: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: GUEST,One wheel on me Barrow
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 04:05 PM

Skipjack K8 Quote: from Talking in Pubs...... Music Session.....

It isn't for everyone though, and some of the musicians present did get up and leave when the talking started, but then the pub started to fill up when passing trade heard the craic. No doubt there will be some backlash next week, and it'll be back to playing the same old tunes, but it was surprising to see how quickly the pub filled up when there was something worth listening to.

A bit of a put-down for sessions from someone who is charging people for something he treats with such contempt???

Subject: RE: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: GUEST,Plucked from the start
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 03:11 PM

No problems with high standard of musicianship.... or any level of music making - that's what sessions are all about!

The thread to me just looks like a total rip off -- pay £57 and "Ill show you how to play and act at sessions" - Sessions are just that a group of people getting together to make music and open house for everyone who makes music - on whatever instrument - are welcome to join in. Teaching people to play in public is teaching them how to perform.... not session playing, a session is just socialising with music!!!!!

The "Beginners session" put down beginners from the start "Raw beginners will certainly get left behind, but anyone who basically knows their way around an instrument is welcome." that sound like preaching to the converted...

"To ensure a reasonable balance of different instruments on the course, we reserve the right to accept or refuse applications on that basis". Maybe but any good session wouldn't!!!! Open to all whatever they play - and if you've got 10 bodharans so what!!!

"One of our sessions" would be one of the hundreds of locations I have played throughout the World both in pubs/clubs and festivals - the same attitude is held - if there's a session you'll be welcome - with your instrument or voice No charge no rules just join in lead listen learn enjoy making music with like minded people........

I DO NOT RIDICULE MUSICIAN IN PUBLIC OR ANYWHERE ELSE!!!! and sessions are packed as it is - with always room for more!!!! who will be welcome without a certificate!!!!   I haven't barred or played in a session where anyone is barred neither would I want to!!!!

The playing by ear and bring a music stand was from the first posting not from anything I said I only commented on the contradiction in terms!!!!!!!!

I still think if someone wants to invest £57 they should use it in petrol and beer get around the many session in this country and "learn" from the people that go along.... They WILL be welcomed and implying they won't so they sign up for a course in playing at what after all is a FREE FOR ALL is very presumptuous!

Please Don't misquote me or make up scary tales about bogeymen at sessions who will ridicule newcomers - its remarks that scare beginners and stop them from coming to sessions - mind you it might also persuade them to go for paid courses - maybe this was the reason behind your comments??????

I have been playing in sessions for over 50 years and anyone who knows me will tell you I'm the first to welcome newcomers to sessions and offer both help and encouragement - without payment! and so do 99% of the other musicians I have played with over the years.......

Subject: RE: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: Oaklet
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 01:19 PM

God speed, Skip. The ability to publish this sort of post and the sentiment behind it is why I married you. Listen - Plucked from the Start, some might see the high standard of musicianship and singing that is prevalent at your sessions as being a barrier to freely participate. God knows only knows what they'd think of being relegated to the bar whilst the great and good get on with the serious business of playing and singing by ear. Give me strength.

Anyone who has seen Skip's workshops on how to begin to play in public with others without fear of ridicule from the likes of Plucked, will realise that sessions may well be more populous in future due to his encouragement. He offers this through sharing his experiences wittily as a beginner on some instruments despite being an expert on others.

Plucked From the Start has signified via the enlightened posting that there is a profound need for this type of thing. £57 well spent in my opinion. Get yourselves to Cottenham if you can and when you've broken through that the barrier of playing your first tune or singing a treasured song in public, send Plucked (assuming that he or she hasn't succeeded in managing to play where beginners are barred) to the bar to buy you a celebtation drink. And raise a glass to Skip.

I'd love to know "where one of our session" (sic) actually is. Beginners who rely on music stands in our neck of the woods always seem to have such a good time. Doesn't it just get on your nerves, Plucked?

Subject: RE: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: GUEST,Plucked from the Start
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 12:25 PM

Such courses are run all over the World for free - just go along to your local session and join in!!!!

You can't "Teach" such things they're Tradition......   Like the list of requirements "A Music Stand" - very handy at a local session and when learning how to play by ear!!!

And anyone coming to one of our local session with £57 to throw away is more than welcome - "the bar's over there".....

Subject: RE: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: Bloke in the Corner
Date: 14 Feb 04 - 11:32 AM

What's all this, skippy? Trying to pass on your bad habits to poor unsuspecting members of the folk fraternity? Anyway, why wasn't I invited to bring my undoubted playing talent and vocal excellence for a modest fee? OK, maybe I know.
This could be the start of a a nationwide series, to fire the collective imagination of the whole country... you could even franchise the idea out... beats selling oil....

Subject: UK: Beginner's Session Workshop
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 13 Feb 04 - 07:32 PM

Me and my bruv, Freereeder, are running a two-day workshop at Cottenham Summer School (Cambridgeshire) on Monday 1st/Tuesday 2nd August 2004. I have scanned the details, which appear below, so I apologise for the jumble, but if there is any interest form Mudcatters, please PM me, or state it here. The course fee is £57, which includes coffee, lunch and tea, but not accomodation. There is a good deal of local interest, but there is space for any prospective sessioneers on Mudcat.

"Joining in with a pub music session

What's the course all about?

The aim is to enable students to join in a traditional music
pub session with confidence, including learning 'standard'
tunes, session etiquette, playing by ear, sourcing tune scores
and accompaniment. Students will also be able to try out
what they've learned at our own evening pub session.

What instruments are appropriate?

Essentially any portable instrument, plucked, squeezed,
bowed, blown, percussed or otherwise manipulated. In
practice most sessions tend mainly to attract squeezeboxes,
fiddles, banjos, guitars, whistles, flutes, dulcimers,
mandolins, pipes and bodhrans. But other instruments also
sometimes join in. If you play percussion (eg bodhran)
as a second instrument, feel free to bring it along.
To ensure a reasonable balance of different instruments
on the course, we reserve the right to accept or refuse
applications on that basis. So get your application in early!

How competent a player do I have to be?

Raw beginners will certainly get left behind, but anyone who basically knows their way around an instrument is welcome.

Do I need to be able to read music?

No, but it helps if you can. Session players tend to pick up
tunes by ear — something we'll be encouraging you to do,
since 'playing along' is a skill the session player needs to
develop in order to get the best from the experience. But
we'll be providing the dots for the tunes as well.

What do I need to bring with me?

A music stand, something to write with and on, any tunes
you'd like to throw into the mix, bags of enthusiasm
— oh, and a musical instrument would come in handy."