Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst 1234
Results 76 to 86 of 86

Thread: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

  1. #76
    Destroyer of Mandolins
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    5,017

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Well, I suppose there's an advantage to playing an unheard instrument. One could sit there and fake it all night and no one will ever know. Works especially well if the musicians are drinking for free. Heck half the bodhran players I know just drag the drum around to hang out with musicians and get the free beer. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time playing if I couldn't be heard, just don't see the point in it. Just different schools of thought I suppose. To each his own.
    Dedicated Ovation player
    Avid Bose user

  2. #77
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Llanidloes, Wales
    Posts
    696

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jill McAuley View Post
    we're mandolin players, we're not going to compete volume wise in a session - for myself, I just want to go along and play and have a bit of craic.
    Hear, hear. The main thing for me is that I can hear myself well enough to play what I want to play. For this reason, I tend to avoid really big or noisy sessions - or use them as opportunities to play an instrument I am less adept on. I am lucky enough to have a few smallish sessions within easy reach and the self-built mandolin I play is fairly loud (although not nearly as loud as some I have played). Also, the fact that my regular sessions do not have a vast common repertoire (something that I frequently bemoan) means that I often play a tune with just one or two other musicians, so there is no problem being heard.

  3. #78
    Celtic Bard michaelpthompson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Arvada CO
    Posts
    630
    Blog Entries
    10

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    I have to admit, I've played with mandolin players and afterward had no idea if they had any idea what they were doing or not. Couple of them I've never actually heard, but they seemed to be having a good time. That's one reason I asked about Celtic/Irish especially. Volume is certainly one aspect of what I'm looking for.

  4. #79
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    0.8 mpc from NGC224, upstairs
    Posts
    10,054

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tim2723 View Post
    Heck half the bodhran players I know just drag the drum around to hang out with musicians and get the free beer.
    Suddenly, I see them in a different light - always wondered what they were up to.

    OTOH, it might be better if they don't actually play. I once witnessed a passionate bodhran player practically getting thrown out of our session because he boomed away shaman-drum-style without dampening the tone and out of time. At least, that can't happen to you with a mandolin.
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  5. #80
    Celtic Bard michaelpthompson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Arvada CO
    Posts
    630
    Blog Entries
    10

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    As a bodhrán player, I always cringe when somebody like that shows up. Gives us all a bad reputation. I've seen some of them mellow out and become decent musicians after a while, but others just never get a clue.

    But are you sure it couldn't happen with a mandolin? I heard mention on this board of people just banging away on chords and annoying their fellow sessioneers. Guess it's a little harder on mandolin, because you actually have to learn some chords or something. Too many people say, "I can't play an instrument so I'll just beat the drum."

  6. #81
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    0.8 mpc from NGC224, upstairs
    Posts
    10,054

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Quote Originally Posted by michaelpthompson View Post
    I heard mention on this board of people just banging away on chords and annoying their fellow sessioneers.
    Yes, but that segment is already dominated by guitar players who ask what key a tune is in and keep strumming that single chord...
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  7. #82
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Hopewell,NJ
    Posts
    1,189

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    Yes, but that segment is already dominated by guitar players who ask what key a tune is in and keep strumming that single chord...
    hey - at least in that segment they ask. We once had a guitar player come in , sit down, and ask if we could play something over a chord progression "groove" that he had in mind.

    he didn't last long....
    Avi

  8. #83
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    0.8 mpc from NGC224, upstairs
    Posts
    10,054

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Quote Originally Posted by improziv View Post
    We once had a guitar player come in , sit down, and ask if we could play something over a chord progression "groove" that he had in mind.
    Oh well. Said the cock dismounting from the duck.
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  9. #84
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    1,971

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    I really wish folks would stop calling people like this "guitar players". They're not.
    Steve

  10. #85
    Destroyer of Mandolins
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    5,017

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Two bodhran players I've played with have small condenser mics wired into their drums and all manner of fancy outboard electronics. One guy uses wireless, another has a sub-mixer to tailor his 'sound'. They actually end up carrying more gear than the rest of us. One fellow always had his wife in tow, laden down like a pack mule. He had two drums, microphones and stands, a special stool, a large case with at least 50 tippers, all manner of paraphernalia.
    Dedicated Ovation player
    Avid Bose user

  11. #86
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    0.8 mpc from NGC224, upstairs
    Posts
    10,054

    Default Re: What kind of mando for Celtic/Irish music?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve L View Post
    I really wish folks would stop calling people like this "guitar players". They're not.
    Their fault is not that they think they can play guitar - it's that they think they can play any genre. The same mistake can be made on any instrument, even mandolins.

    Luckily, there are also positive surprises. I was most impressed 30 years ago while attending a session in McDermot's, Doolin Co. Clare, Ireland when someone with a large syntheziser keyboard (!) joined us. Our faces, distorted with apprehension, relaxed when it turned out he could accompany any tune we played with the most daring and beautiful chords and made it all sound like Clannad.

    Compared to that, the choice of mandolin suddenly seem to be a minor problem...
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •