"What kind of music do you play?" and other pet peeves

[Charlie Bernstein]

I have made peace with people who confront an Irish session with requests for music from LOTR or GOT. Mentally, I treat them like pets, actually: drop them off at some parking lot and drive away...

Someone else's pets, obviously.

[JeffD]

Okay. One more irritant.

People who ask me for suggestions/guidance/help with an instrument/song/whatever and then argue with my suggestion/guidance/help.

Oh my yes. I get this professionally (non musically) all the time. I am often called in to give a professional assessment/recommendation/opinion, only to find I was really brought in to confirm a prejudice. That is when I really earn my money.

[bobby bill]

With respect to the two currently competing threads, I would rather be asked "what is that thing" than "what kind of music do you play?"

The first question is easy to answer, demonstrates some interest and curiosity, and indicates absolutely no expectations of what I should sound like (which puts me at ease).

The second question is pretty difficult to answer, seems to lead to genre-labeling quibbles, and can sometimes indicate an expectation (I guess, depending on the answer) that my sound will fit into a nice and tidy little box (which does not put me at ease).

[Lowlands Blue]

My wife recently said "I really am not in the mood for any of your gidely gidely music..." so I think that's what I'm going to use in the future when asked what do you play?

[foldedpath]

With respect to the two currently competing threads, I would rather be asked "what is that thing" than "what kind of music do you play?"

Same here. You'd think it would be easy for a fairly well-defined traditional genre, but to be accurate I'd have to say...

"Well, I play traditional Irish and Scottish dance tunes and piping tunes, and the related music from Cape Breton, Shetland, Breton... no, not the same as Cape Breton (explanation follows), but not that Riverdance stuff, or Irish drinking and rebel songs (another explanation follows)...

Meanwhile, the poor soul asking the question has already left the room. Or if they've managed to sit it out, they say "Oh, you play Irish music! I'm half Irish, I love that music. How about a round of Danny Boy?"

[Charlieshafer]

I'm not even sure what to call what I play anymore. I don;t mind the question, I just wish I could answer it without sounding like a dolt.