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Jody At Concertinas At Palestine, East Texas, 2015


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Hi Robert,

 

I'm almost finished making the materials for the workshops. My goal is to cover all the learning possibilities, dots or not. We will be working on three or four easy old-time tunes that are good for all systems of concertina including both C/G and G/D Anglo. If you register with Jim Bayliss (jmbayliss@juno.com), he will send the whole package out to you.

 

Yes, there will be printed music with and without the Coover tab system, but also links to recorded examples as well as my concertina sound files that start slow and get up to a moderate tempo. I'm hoping that folks will do their homework and learn the tunes ahead of time so we can work past just playing the notes to playing the style.

 

In addition, I'm asking everyone to come prepared to play something to share with the group. This could be anything you like, an American, English or Swedish tune, a song, a scale, something that your are proud of or something you are stuck with and want help. You could use this time as a mini lesson with me, to get supportive feedback from the group or a chance to showcase your latest musical creation.

 

This workshop will be fun, challenging and valuable for all levels of ability from beginner to advanced, regardless of the dots.

 

Then there is the rest of the festival. Concerts and informal sessions all day and night. The nice thing about old-time sessions is that a good tune might be played over a dozen times through, so if you like learning by ear on the fly, you will be in heaven.

Edited by Jody Kruskal
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"..

. if you like learning by ear on the fly..."

 

It's the only way I know! '=))

Thanks for the response, Jody. I won't be able to make this years' meet but I just retired last January and am looking forward to the upcoming stretches of free time for travel, music and all those other things that work interferes with. Hope to see you all next year.

Rob

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I

 

"..

. if you like learning by ear on the fly..."

 

It's the only way I know! '=))

 

Rob

 

I like putting dots on paper. Reading those dots is less fun but it's a very useful tool. What I like best is "learning by ear on the fly" too and playing tunes all night with a bunch of great players.

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"..

. if you like learning by ear on the fly..."

 

It's the only way I know! '=))

 

Some folks call those dots on the paper "fly specks". :)

 

And they are a useful way to keep track of where the "flies" have been... especially when there are lots of "flies". ;)

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reminds me of a piece of local folklore: Two fishermen, standing into Depoe Bay on a gloomy evening...

First guy, "aren't you going to steer us around those rocks shown on the chart?"

Second guy, squinting, adjusting his glasses:" well, if those rocks are what I think they are, which is flyshit, then we're good to go!"

 

RB

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  • 2 weeks later...

This weekend at Old Pal, it looks like there will be a large proportion of beginners. I'll be offering a dedicated beginners session just for them. As for the experienced players, there are learning materials including dots, Coover tab, links and mp3s for the three tunes we will be focusing on:

 

Been to the East, Been to the West - G

Cora Dye - G

Sandy Boys - A modal

 

These are all tunes I've played at old-time jam sessions over the years. I picked these three because they are relatively easy on any concertina including both C/G and G/D Anglo.

 

So now, the question is... what's the weather like in East Texas?

Edited by Jody Kruskal
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In Palestine, there's a chance of thundershowers on Thursday, but it looks like it's going to be great springtime weather for the weekend. So, if there are any late deciders out there, let me know and I'll get you Jody's workshop materials before it's time to leave. It should be fun. jmbayliss@juno.com

Edited by Jim Bayliss
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