My ideal Irish session is a little different than the norm. It would be open to players of all instruments, not just the instruments thought to be the standard Irish trad instruments. It wouldn’t just be jigs and reels, but would feature a broad variety of tune types including hornpipes, slides, polkas, slip-jigs, marches, mazurkas, waltzes, barn dances, and so on. And it wouldn’t be limited to just tunes from Ireland, Scotland, or England, but would expand to include melodies from North America and other places, much like the mixture of tunes found in the Portland Collection, for example.
The pace would be moderately fast, like jam session speed. Not super duper fast, but not slow either. Somewhere in between. The focus would be on playing by ear and memory rather than sheet music so that you can engage with and interact with your fellow musicians in the moment. Everyone would be encouraged to participate and play along with unfamiliar tunes, trying to pick up what you can. Tunes would be played in sets of 2, 3, or more, just like a regular Irish session, but instead of it always being three times through a tune, there would be the option to play it 4, 5, 6 or more times through before moving on.
The setting would be in a pub or café because it's fun to be able to have a beer or coffee or whatever your preference is during the session. Being in a public space adds an element of excitement and pressure that can be a good influence, although on the other hand no one is going to judge you if you make a mistake or flub a tune. If it’s a three hour session, maybe there’s a natural 5 to 10 minute break built in mid-way through to give everyone a breather.
The atmosphere would be loose, with everyone getting an opportunity to call tunes and lead them. If someone walked in with an instrument case, they would be immediately invited into the session. It wouldn’t have to be boom-boom-boom rapid fire one set of tunes after another. There would be time chatting and socializing. A natural ebb and flow. You’d get to know everyone’s name. There would be no strangers. There might even be the occasional song. One or two songs per evening is probably enough.
Musicians would be respected not just on their playing ability, but also on their ability to be a good “hang”. Someone fun to be around. Personality is just as important as chops, if not more so. The only people not welcome back would be those who are obviously just there to be a nuisance and disrupt the good time. No jerks or a-holes allowed.
Seating would be completely democratic, however, self awareness plays a role. If you’re still learning your instrument and are unable to contribute or participate as much as a seasoned fiddler, then it might be better to switch seats and allow the master fiddler to be better positioned than the newbie. Nobody is going to make you do this, but it’s the right thing to do.
The more the merrier. No one would be turned away due to max capacity. Space and a chair will almost always be found. And we won’t be super worried about duplication of instruments. Did two guitarists show up? OK, let’s see what that sounds like!!!
The repertoire would constantly be growing. New tunes would be introduced and passed around. Tune names would be shared. It wouldn’t just be the same old tunes, or same old sets week after week. You'd come prepared to lead something different than last time. Keep it fresh.
The type of etiquette that would be very important is no talking or side conversations while others are playing a tune. If, for whatever reason, you are sitting out a tune then don’t talk over the tune and by all means don’t look at your phone the whole time. You’re under the unspoken obligation to participate as a good, respectful listener even when not playing. That part should be obvious but it’s not.
If I think of anything else I’ll add it!
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