Reading Standard Notation...

[Daniel Vance]

This is my first post on Mandolin Forum, and I am still in my first few months of playing mandolin.

I am a tuba and bass player, so the music notation and chords are not a problem. Holding a pick and strumming was a huge headache, but I think I am getting the hang of how that all goes, although still need a lot of work.

What is really holding me back is that the group I have been playing with meets for about 1.5 hours a week (it is basically an informal session), and just runs through songs they know by heart. So, I hear each song, at most 2 - 4 times.

I spend an additional 1 - 2 hours a day practicing at home, reading music in standard notation, but I have found what people actual do is completely different as far as rhythm and emphasis is concerned.

Is there a good book or resource that explains how, for instance, 8th notes sound in a jig vs a reel, or how and what ornamentations should be used? Or, is the best method to simply listen to a lot of examples?

I have seen other pages on what a new mandolinist should listen to, and am looking into picking up some of that, but wanted to know if there was something else I could read or watch that would explain the most common differences.

Thanks,

[mikeyes]

eldrich,

A book alone is not going to do it for you.

Knowing how to read notation is almost the standard (note to those who disagree, I said "almost") because much Irish and other Celtic music is stored in notation, but the music is both aural and dance music which means that the feel (or "lift") is impossible to convey in notation alone. You have to listen to the music and learn how it sounds.

Because you are coming from a different musical culture it may take a while to realize that what is written on the page is only an approximation especially when what you hear will deviate, often considerably. The best thing to do is to start with the Tune of the Week youtubes and listen, listen, listen and go on from there.

That being said, the Enda Scahill series of tutorials is probably the best way to start. In spite of it being for tenor banjos, it is written by an All-Ireland mandolin player and for beginners the basics hold true. Enda does a good explanation of the music and there are accompanying CDs to listen to.

It will take a while for you to understand the music but if you work at it and use notation as a guideline and not an absolute you will begin to appreciate the ins and outs of the music. A lot of classical violin players go through this process every year and they even seem to enjoy it.

I'd love to hear Swallowtail Jig on the tuba! (I suspect that if you researched it hard enough you will find a tuba in some of the Irish dance bands in NYC during the 30s and 40s.)

[Mike Crocker]

The Fiddlers Fake Book and its companion volume the Mandolin Pickers Fake Book both have descriptions in them, plus lots of tunes.

I suggest you record a few of your sessions too.

[Daniel Vance]

Thanks for the replies. I started going through some of the Songs a Week. Really like having all the different interpretations available. Will try to start getting some up as I get better. Also picked up a copy of the Fiddlers Fake Book, and will hopefully have it soon.

[JeffD]

Listen a lot. A lot a lot a lot.

I love the tunebooks that organize the tunes by type, so you have several pages of jigs, and then several pages of hornpipes, etc. That way, once I get a particular rhythm down I can sight read several new tunes that share that characteristic, but are still new to me.

That is the only objection I have to the Fiddlers Fake Book, and the Portland Book, that the tunes are alphabetically arranged. The older tune books, like Ryan's and O'Neills, and even some newer collections like Phillip's are organized by type of tune.

[JeffD]

(Otherwise I think the Fiddlers Fake Book is wonderful and I believe everyone should get one.)

[James Rankine]

The BBC virtual session is really good. It gives you a good selection of the different types of tunes to play along with plus the notation. Not overly fast pace but if you've just started out don't expect to be able to keep up for a while. You can learn a lot though just by listening and following the notation. Don't know if you are in the UK or if the link works outside the UK (apologies if it doesn't - it's our licence fee that pays for it!).

[Daniel Vance]

Thanks James, The BBC Virtual Sessions do work in the US. That seems like a really great resource.

[Randi Gormley]

Listening is an important (perhaps THE most important) part of learning Irish trad music. The standard notation is (sort of) only a suggestion to what notes you should be playing -- variations happen, different sessions like different versions and you'll go nuts trying to match standard notation to what's being played in session. There are rhythm guides that might help -- think of jigs as 'carrots and cabbages' and reels as 'black and decker' and try to match your notes to the natural emphasis the word syllables have, but mostly it's being able to translate the straight notes you learn from the notation to the rhythms you hear as the music is played (and danced). It's a mind game, but worth it. Eventually, you'll be able to pick up some of this stuff by ear, but that takes time and rethinking the music basics you're used to as a brass player.