Advice and criticism please!

[Gusten]

Hi,

for some reason, I start all my threads with some background information... Anyways, for a bit over a year, I've worked on convincing my friends to start playing irish traditional music. I've got a "group" together now, and a week ago we recorded a few songs.

I would love it if anyone could take their time to visit out page at www.gustnet.se/leprechaun and just listen to two of our recordings - Pipe(...) and Bill (...). On Pipe, I'd be delighted to hear you comment on my playing. What should I work on? (Less sloppy playing?)

We're all fairly new to the genre, and most of us to our instruments as well. Do you have any advice on how to make it sound more irish? That... jumpy, light sound that just makes you want to dance! (And if you listen to our singing - yes, we have a very swedish accent, we'll work on that. )

I'm very grateful for all comments!

Oh and, a little late but, have a good 2009 y'all!

[Mike Buesseler]

I thought it all sounded good! Looks like great fun to me--and that counts for a lot! Wish I could scare up a group like that here in Montana...very enjoyable!

[Gusten]

Hi Mike, thanks alot!

Started out with me wanting to start playing irish a year and a half ago. I played some recordings for a few friends who I know are into music, and they thought "why not?" I bought a mandolin, I convinced a friend to buy a banjo, and my kid brother to try the tin whistle (he's an excellent saxophone player). Guitarists aren't that hard to find.

For a year and a half we've grown and had some members quit and join. Our bodhran player is a drummer who had never heard of the instrument before. Our guitarist usually plays rock covers, so he's had to make some adjustments and a LOT of listening to irish music. The accordian and bass players are fairly new, but they're starting to understand what the music should sound like.

And yes, we try to have fun. Lots of fun. When we first tried to record this, everyone was afraid to play something wrong, and it resulted in really boring recordings. So, we decided to have a few beers, and it resulted in a more lively sound. Sure, not 100% correct, but at least we had fun!

[Mike Buesseler]

So, we decided to have a few beers, and it resulted in a more lively sound. Sure, not 100% correct, but at least we had fun!

From what I know about Irish music--especially sessions--those beers were MORE than 100% correct! I think they might be a requirement for getting the "real" feel.

In any case, I think you are on the right track.

[Mando_Danny]

Gusten, sounds great. I love the traditional Irish music and that is primarily what I want to learn to play on my mandolin. I'm new to it and I'm working on my first tune which is Whiskey Before Breakfast. Keep it up!

-Danny

[Howard33]

I liked your sound. Thank you for providing the links. I wish there were more mandolin in the selections you put up though. Please let us know when you have any more samples up on your site.

[Gusten]

Thank you all very much for the encouraging words! Means alot to me, as I'm still new to the mandolin. (Well, played for over a year now, but still consider myself a novice player.)

I uploaded two more songs that have some mandolin in 'em.
Lucy Campbell and a set of two reels. I don't know what the first one is called, and information would be much appreciated. The second tune is Anderson's Reel.

Our flute player has some fun ideas from time to time, and we end the set of those two with playing them both at the same time. Not very traditional way of doing things, but it's a fun idea.

And Danny - mandolin works very very well in irish music if you ask me, I'm surprised it's not more common. I think the light sound of the mandolin sounds much better than the banjo, which seems to be a more popular sound. Of course, most mandolins get drowned in sessions. I'm very happy with my Gypsy Spirit mandolin, as it, when played brutaly, can actually get heard in a session.

Again - thank you very much for the kind words. Any input on how to make us sound more... fun and jumpy, is very welcome. Oh, and definately on my mandolin playing too, I keep trying to move towards playing irish music, rather than just irish tunes. (Please don't comment on my concertina playing though, as I've only been playing for two months )

[Mando_Danny]

Gusten, I am interested in learning some popular Irish pub songs that me and a friend can go out and perform (me on mandolin and him on tin whistle). What are a couple easy ones to start with?

-Danny

[Mike Snyder]

Very nice, Gusten. The triplets on Andersons' sound real clean, and are not easy at any rate of speed. You must be some kinda prodigy, you certainly do not sound like a beginner on mando or squeezebox. I wish you could come to Kansas in September. There are some Carp at Winfield I'd like you to meet. That good Irish music flows thick and fast in the campground.

[Gusten]

Danny, that sounds great, you'll have a lot of fun! I'm not the one to give advice here, but youtube is a great source for music. Just search for irish and pub songs, and you'll have tons to pick from. Learn the ones you think sound the best, and just have fun. You'll soon see that the joy of playing and singing is more important than doing so 100% correct.

And msnyder - I've spent a whole lot of time practicing on the mandolin. My playing is very sloppy, but I'm getting there. I don't follow a very strict practice routine neither - I kick back in the sofa and play, play, play while watching the telly. I think that's why I'm a bit sloppy too - I get alot of dexterity training, but don't pay enough attention to playing correctly. Thanks alot for the kind words though!

[IndianaTim]

Gusten, I listened to a couple of the tunes on your website and I was pleasantly surprised. The musicianship is quite good.

What is missing is an Irish accent to the playing. Many of us in the US have trouble with that aspect as well. The "lift" you're looking for, the "jumpy light sound" is in the accent. Not being a master of the Irish accent, I cannot advise you on how to develop it.

The least "Irish" sounding instrument in the mix, I would say, is the guitar. He's playing toward the back of the beat. You could get everything else right and still not have the lift in the music because the guitar would hold it back.

If I may be so bold, I would suggest losing the Leprechaun if you want to be warmly received by the people who can teach you the most about Irish Traditional Music.

[Jill McAuley]

I have to agree with Tim re: the lack of lift in the playing. Remember that trad music was a dance music - jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, mazurkas - they're all dances. Listening to Irish trad music as it's played for dancers (maybe do a search on youtube for Irish set dances) is a great way to hear the music played with the lift and emphasis needed to facilitate dancers.

Oh, and no offense, but I'm from Ireland and I have to admit that the "Leprechaun" thing does elicit a wee cringe from me, but hey to each his own right? All the best,

Cheers,
Jill

[Gusten]

Tim an Jill,

that's exactly what I was looking for when starting this thread. I have to agree with Tím about the guitar, and what impact the guitar playing has on the whole sound. No other instrument in the group can change the entire sound as much as the guitar player, so I'll keep working with him. (He actually ordered a John Doyle DVD-tutor for christmas, but hadn't checked it out before recording. We already see great improvements.)

About the leprechaun thing - his group isn't very serious. The group itself is just for fun, and "our audience" care more for songs like Wild Rover and Whisky in the Jar, than they do for reels and jigs. Some of us (the guitar player included) try to really embrace the music though, and if we ever start a more serious project, we'll most likely name it in a more traditional manner. The name of this group is just to... surf on the stereotype.

We'll definately work more on the lift. I notice with my own playing that just getting in the right mood, and thinking "dance music", makes a big difference. I hope that I, one day, will have the right feel within me, so I don't have to actively think a certain way. (Just came home from a session now, so I'm writing this after a few beers. A session really does wonders, with trying to get the right "feel".)

[PseudoCelt]

...and a set of two reels. I don't know what the first one is called...

I think the first reel is Brendan McMahon's.

Patrick

[Eddie Sheehy]

Music sounds good. Listening to recordings will give you the feel (lilt). It'll come naturally after a while. Nice clean triplets - wish mine were like that. Also cringing re the Leprechaun... but, live and let live....

[Bertram Henze]

Following what the others said about the lift...
Those recordings have a more four-square firm character that reminds me of that Heigh-Ho song:

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC541psEO8A

...which brings the Lepreachaun back in another context

Irish music, on the other hand, is about flying, not stomping. As dancing is supposed to lift your body off the ground, so is dance music supposed to let your soul ascend like a lark in the morning, away from the daily chores and pains. Picture that in music, and you can even lift any audience out of their seats.

Bertram

[Eddie Sheehy]

... a 1/2 lb of Semtex is good for lifting people out of their seats too.....j/k

[Bertram Henze]

... a 1/2 lb of Semtex is good for lifting people out of their seats too.....j/k

ah, well that's another part of Irish history, strangely counterpointing the music, though I don't think it would count as "percussion"...

At least it features in many Irish songs, but then they call it "gelignite".

Bertram

[Gusten]

A thought struck me - it would be very useful for me if anyone cared to record their own version of any of the tunes we play. For inspiration, learning, and just comparing styles. If anyone could be bothered to do this, I would be extremly grateful!
(Doesn't have to be mandolin neither. If you play kick-### accordian accompaniment, I'd be delighted to hear it! Or just lay down a bodhran track!)

[Bertram Henze]

A thought struck me - it would be very useful for me if anyone cared to record their own version of any of the tunes we play. For inspiration, learning, and just comparing styles. If anyone could be bothered to do this, I would be extremly grateful!
(Doesn't have to be mandolin neither. If you play kick-### accordian accompaniment, I'd be delighted to hear it! Or just lay down a bodhran track!)

Well, my version of Merrily Kissed the Quaker is the second one in this set:

http://www.hologence.de/mp3/Kesh%20J...%20Kitchen.mp3

With regard to what I said about flying above, this is more of an Antonov AN-225...

Bertram

[Gusten]

Thanks alot! Great to have something to compare to, and use for inspiration. (Nice playing btw!)