Melodeon.net Forums
Discussions => General Discussion => Topic started by: 911377brian on November 02, 2015, 04:22:25 PM
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NickF of this parish kindly took me to my first grown up session in Lewes on Sunday, I'd never have had the courage to go on my own. It was friendly and somewhat challenging for someone who had never played outside the house before apart from a slow and steady session and I was actually encouraged to lead off on two tunes...the thing I found mildly frustrating was that I couldn't hear myself playing most of the time above the playing going on all around me. Is this normal I wonder, or does one eventually learn to tune in to ones own playing? Anyway, it's wet my appetite no end for more of the same... :||: :Ph
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I find it can be difficult hearing yourself at times.
For me it was further complicated by changing from concertina to melodeon some years back so I had to 'learn' what my melodeon sounded like amongst the backdrop of everyone else.
I find now that I've become more comfortable with my instrument in sessions, and also playing for longer, I've tuned into its sound so find it easier to hear what i'm playing.
In my experience, yes you do tune into yourself when at sessions.
Well done for taking the plunge!
Q
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Portable amplifier mate. That's the answer >:E
John
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.. (:)
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That's not necessarily a disadvantage! Can be good to lurk behind the "wall of sound". What I've found slightly worse is naming a tune and starting off and no-one else joins in :-[
However, to echo you; the Lewes group are very welcoming & very forgiving (they put up with me showing up!)
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I quickly learnt that so long as I can't hear my box over the crowd, then I must be playing the right notes at the right time. The problems start when you can hear yourself...
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You went to two sessions in one day Nick? Good work :||:
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Well, if I didn't come up to Dorking on a Sunday I wouldn't meet with you & the inestimable Lester ;D
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Well, if I didn't come up to Dorking on a Sunday I wouldn't meet with you & the inestimable Lester ;D
The inestimable and the incorrigible? ;) :|||:
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Well, if I didn't come up to Dorking on a Sunday I wouldn't meet with you & the inestimable Lester ;D
The inestimable and the incorrigible? ;) :|||:
Me ;)
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inimitable >:E
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Most admirable, don't you know!
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Another session last night, I'm getting ever so slightly addicted I think...But back to the "can't hear my box" bit.Is there a gizmo,like say a rubber sucker that sticks to the box and connects via a thin wire to a hearing aid like thingy you can stick in your ear that amplifies the awful noise coming from my box?
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Stethoscope?
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.. (:)..
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Must remember to pack stethoscope for Witney weekend ! ::) :||:
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Another tip is to try sitting in different parts of the room.Also avoid being next to loud instruments(dare I say banjo's?)
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Another session last night, I'm getting ever so slightly addicted I think...But back to the "can't hear my box" bit.Is there a gizmo,like say a rubber sucker that sticks to the box and connects via a thin wire to a hearing aid like thingy you can stick in your ear that amplifies the awful noise coming from my box?
You really don't want to start thinking that way. It's like certain inexperienced choir singers, especially children who, when asked to sing a harmony part, stick their fingers in their ears to block out the other parts. You need to hear how your sound blends in with the rest. If it blends in so much that you can't identify it, you must be getting it more or less right.
I think you are probably too used to playing alone, and in time you'll learn to distinguish your own sound from the rest. You may find that you can do things to make your instrument more identifiable, e.g. by varying the treble stops, if you have a choice, or by playing just the basses, or just the melody, some of the time. But you do need to keep listening to what else is going on, otherwise you may be playing certain phrases differently from the others, or using different bass chords, or even getting out of time. For now, just enjoy making a useful contribution to the tunes.
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Wise words, Marje, thank you.
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Trying to hear yourself can be even worse in a melodeon workshop.
The options for changing sitting location are limited, and all the noisy instruments ARE melodeons!
Changing the sound of your box using any treble stops can definitely be effective, as can switching boxes (if you have that luxury).
But as Marje said, in time you'll tune in your own sound, and you'll 'know' you played a wrong note almost before you hear it.
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Skipy of this parish offered me some good advice on the subject of "Sticking something in my ear so that I can hear my own box in a session".So,making use of his imparted wisdom I dug out my little battery driven Honeytone amp, clipped the speaker to my box, plugged an earbud cable into the amp and stuck the earbud in my ear. Works lovely! The speaker is designed to fit on the headstock of a uke, sort of plastic crocodile clip, but hangs on to the treble side of my Giordy ok. Thanks Skipy. Respect!
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Wearing a hat with a brim whilst playing can focus your hearing more on your own playing (or so I believe).
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Look, Tom, that there Broadland Boy has already rolled me over with a classic windup today..
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Look, Tom, that there Broadland Boy has already rolled me over with a classic windup today..
Nope, this really works. On a bad morris day when I have to play under an umbrella my box always sounds louder/clearer to me.
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On the top of the crumpety tree.... (Clue...... E.Lear)
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wearing a hat with a brim has a similar effect as cupping the ear with your hand if straining to listen...... I know of a good flute player in my regular session often wears a brimmed hat indoors, Im sure it's to help him hear as there's no rain or wind indoors. Well.... I'll leave the second point hanging.
the umbrella has a similar effect also.
Q
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Damn ! I knew I shouldn't have thrown that sombrero out .... :D
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;D
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Or cover both options with a stylish Umbrella Hat
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smiffys-20355-Umbrella-Hat-Multi-Colour/dp/B004LFC2RE (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smiffys-20355-Umbrella-Hat-Multi-Colour/dp/B004LFC2RE)
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Or cover both options with a stylish Umbrella Hat
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smiffys-20355-Umbrella-Hat-Multi-Colour/dp/B004LFC2RE (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smiffys-20355-Umbrella-Hat-Multi-Colour/dp/B004LFC2RE)
Pity it's not available in a range of colours to match your morris kit.
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I always regard my hats as small, very personal umbrellas :D
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Complaining that I couldn't hear myself, the first couple of times I went to a session, someone said to me : "well, that's good, it means you were playing the right notes. If you were playing the wrong ones, you would hear those!" In my experience, that's true. Ha, ha, I have lots of experience of that (:)