There will be quite a few ‘hints and tips’ in this section and hopefully it will not be overwhelming. But if even just one of these suggestions smooths the path towards you feeling comfortable participating in a session – and wanting to do it again – we will be delighted
It’s also important to clarify that this section relates to the smaller, more intimate session that you might find in a pub. It does not cover the larger, free-for-all sessions that you are likely to find organised as part of a folk festival.
We all had to start somewhere, and have all been through this process. What will drive you on will be your passion for the music and a real desire to play and make a contribution.
For the most part, players at a session will be open and welcoming.. Approach the session in the right way and you will get all the encouragement you need from your fellow musicians.
So, here we go…
- Listen First – If you want to find out about a particular session, do go along and listen first. That way you will find out two important things: 1 – What tunes are being played so you can learn them when you get back home; and 2 – You will get a feel for the dynamics of the session and how you might be able to contribute musically.
- Practice Beforehand. A session is for musicians from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities to come together, play Celtic music, and of course, enjoy the craic. What it is NOT, is a space for novice bodhran players to simply try their hand! If you are not confident that you can play the basic tune types – reels, jigs, polkas, etc – then practice at home first. There is lots of material available on YouTube to play along with, and if you’re an enthusiast, you no doubt have CD’s and DVD’s to draw on as well. Similarly, find out what tunes are likely to be played at the session, and get to know the basic structure of each one and how your bodhran playing would accompany the music. If in doubt…
- Should I be a ‘shrinking violet’? When you start out playing and want to practice in a live music environment, it’s actually much better to be in the background keeping a low profile. If you play quietly, you will hear yourself, but should be inaudible to the rest of the session. This will enable you to build confidence in your own ability; and of course you’ll avoid attracting the ire of the musicians who might otherwise consider your playing to be a distraction. Session players are usually very patient, but eventually they WILL tell you as much!
- The Session Leader – Every session will usually have a ‘session leader’. They will be responsible for organising the session in advance, as well as managing it on the day. If you would like to play along, find out who the leader is, and ask them it it will be OK to join in, even if it’s only in the background. Once you sit down and display your bodhran, you’re effectively part of the session. The leader will be welcoming, but without first hearing you, they will not know what your contribution is likely to be
- Seating Arrangements – Be aware that the session leader will usually expect regular key members of the session to be physically sat together. These core players will be responsible for influencing the musical style of the session – the ‘engine room’ if you will. The message here, is to occupy a seat on the periphery of the session, unless of course you get invited to sit closer. In which case HAPPY DAYS, you’ve been accepted as someone who can make a useful contribution to the session.
- Too nervous to start is a common condition. The first beat you make on your drum – will to your ears anyway – be the loudest noise in the room! No easy answers here other than to practice and learn the tunes; and especially when the tune will benefit from you playing a key percussive phrase – yes, such as in The Wild Rover!
- Bodhran Tuning 1 – You may have a bodhran which has a tuning mechanism…or maybe not. The reason for mentioning this, is that if the bodhran skin is too tight, it will produce a relatively loud and ‘toppy’ sound. This means it will be difficult to play discretely should you wish to. We recommend you get to know your bodhran and find out how it can be tuned down to produce a more mellow sound. If you can’t lower the pitch through tuning, using a padded beater can help.
- Bodhran Tuning 2 – Think about tuning your bodhran before you go to a session. If you tune it at home, it will be normally be fine when you get to the session. If the first thing you do when you get to a session is sit down and start to tune your bodhran, probably without even having played a note, it will be a sure sign that either you are not well prepared, haven’t played your bodhran recently…or worse still you’re trying to demonstrate some sort of competence. Let your playing do that!
- Bodhran Tuning 3 – An extension of the above bullet point, is that the tuning of a bodhran CAN go out during the session, so do not hesitate to re-tune should you need to. It’s worth mentioning that it you’re playing outside under the baking sun and your bodhran skin is particularly thin and pliable – great for making ‘notes’ btw – the skin can tighten very quickly. Even experienced players will be challenged by these conditions.