I'm a new member chiming in so please take this with a large grain of salt and don't assume any zealotry.  This is not a big deal with me, just an opinion I hope will be helpful.  Some time ago I switched exclusively to learning by ear.  Prior to that I learned mostly from sheet music.  For session playing, I find ear-learning more effective for several reasons:

1. For me, the selection process for learning a new tune is simply that I hear a tune I like, so the browsing-for-tunes activity translates to listening to a lot of CD's, Youtubes, performances, sessions, etc., which I find an easier and more fun activity than playing through books.

2. Listening to several different renditions (and variations within the renditions) of a particular tune makes it clear that there are a many ways to play a tune, a fact that is usually not captured in sheet music.  The recordings give me lots of ideas for variations.  Ceili bands, especially in competitions, stick to very precise renditions and don't permit much variation, maybe because it would be chaotic with the large number of instruments.  In a small session, I think the different simultaneous variations and ornamentation among the players fills out the music in a way that is unique to Irish traditional music.  There is a strong melody line at the core of a tapestry of  player- and instrument-specific ornaments and variations.  In think this is one of the things that makes "playing in unison" exciting instead of boring.

3. Item #2 above, relaxes my concept of the "right" way to play a tune, which makes it easier to learn a tune because I can re-engineer notes or phrases to make them easier to play on my instrument without feeling guilty about betraying the sheet music (and I learn a little bit about rudimentary "arranging" in the process).

4. Becoming a more proficient sight reader made it harder for me to "memorize" the tunes.  I was basically using external memory instead of internal memory to store the tunes, making it impossible to play in spontaneous situations like sessions.

I think there are some very good reasons to become a good sight reader (trying out tunes with fellow readers, playing arranged pieces with multiple parts, etc.) but I find ear learning a better vehicle for developing session-playing skills.

One big obstacle to learning by ear was setting up an infrastructure where I could easily listen to recordings, repeat parts, slow them down, adjust the pitch, and do it all while holding an instrument.  My tune-learning rig consists of a notebook computer running Transcribe, and an Infinity IN-USB-1 dictation foot pedal that the program supports.  The total cost for the software and foot pedal was about $125.  I can "set up" a tune in a few minutes and work on it very conveniently with this arrangement.

I would like to check out your session one of these Sundays.

Regards,
Brian J. Butler



TedCahill@... wrote:

Hey Ralph,

 

I appreciate al the work you are doing on the Yahoo Group.  It might be a good idea to poll the members to see who uses the sheet music you are posting.  I know it's a lot of work, and I'd hate to see you spending all this time if people are not using the music.

 

I know I don't only because I don't read music, and learn/play by ear.  I do point people to the group if they are new because I tell them the play lists and music is on the group site.  Maybe we should put some of the recordings that Ted and I use on the Group page so people can hear the versions we play.

 

Any comments from the members?

 

Ted Cahill
86 Main St.
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

413-834-1055

 

In a message dated 6/22/2009 9:32:43 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, palmer.r.violin@gmail.com writes:

Thanks, Ted and Arbo. I'm still going to have to look a little more closely, I think. I have "Ashplant" notated in G, Em, E dorian, F#m, and G dorian. The only online version I could find of "In the Taproom" is in E dorian, and "Kitty's Gone a-Milking" is in G.

Ralph

On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 8:51 AM, Ted Soulos <soulost@arps.org> wrote:

I agree with Arbo,

I think those are right. One common variation I find in these tunes is in the B part of Ashplant where there are phrases that jump up. The version I know (Shannon Heaton's) hits a B. Other versions go to the A. Tap room has a lot of variations, too. Mine came from a recording with Eamon Cotter on banjo.

TED

>>> Arbo Doughty <imnotirishdoughty@yahoo.com> 6/20/2009 5:11 PM >>>

The Ashplant is in Em, Kitties is in G, and the Tap Room, which I am just learning, I believe might be in Em aas well.

Arbo

--- On Wed, 6/10/09, Ted Soulos <soulost@arps.org> wrote:

From: Ted Soulos <soulost@arps.org>
Subject: Re: [celticsession] More Sets!
To: celticsession@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 8:42 AM

Hi Ralph,

When we see each other next, we can figure out keys for ashplant/kitty/ taproom. I know Ashplant exists in a couple of keys (at least on recordings I have).

TED

>>> "rpalmer_14" <palmer.r.violin@ gmail.com> 06/09/09 4:42 PM >>>

Hi, All -

That's about all I have at the moment. I also have some sets I don't remember ever playing at Mocha Maya's, as well as some sets with tunes (or versions of tunes) I can't find or that don't seem to make sense.

If anyone is interested in helping me track down the version we want to use, or has sheet music for something I'm missing, let me know off-list, please.

I can't figure out what key(s) to use for "Ash Plant / Kitty's Gone a-Milking / In the Taproom".

I can't find "Mighty Pat" for "Rose in the Heather / Cliffs of Moher / Mighty Pat / Morrison's".

"Trip to Carrigaholt" ? I can't find anything like this title.

I anyone has any help or suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Enjoy!

Ralph

--
Ralph Palmer
Montague City, MA
USA
palmer.r.violin@gmail.com

---

Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill.

-- Brian J. Butler
BJB Software, Inc.
76 Bayberry Lane
Holliston, MA 01746
E-mail: bjbutler@...
Web: http://www.bjbsoftware.com
Phone: 508-429-1441
Fax: 419-710-1867