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Author Topic: Witney, what to expect?  (Read 1486 times)

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sharpie55

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Witney, what to expect?
« on: November 10, 2013, 07:56:18 PM »

Hi All,

As a Melodeons at Witney first timer I'm curious to know what to expect and what I should bring to be best prepared, apart from myself, my box and some functioning grey cells?

I'm a relative newcomer to the box and a late starter so I'm never as quick on the uptake as I'd like to be (maybe that's not so rare). I've not been to too many workshops and they seem to vary a lot but at the well attended workshops I've usually been unable to hear myself for all the other boxes around me. Am I right in thinking this may be the case at Witney? Are there strategies to cope with this if this is the case?

I do have a microvox pickup and a headphone amplifier which would help a lot but would that be over the top?

Is there anything anyone else thinks I should know? All polite suggestions gratefully received. Impolite suggestions should at least be funny.

Thanks in advance,

Paul
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Lester

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Re: Witney, what to expect?
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2013, 08:18:55 PM »

Hi Paul

You are correct in your supposition that the workshops can be cacophonous, and I would go with the headphone amp if it's not too cumbersome. I have used a Streb I used to own at Witney for the same reason.

Hopefully you have signed up for Beginner level stuff so you should be fine as the tutors are invariably painstaking in trying to get everyone on board with what they are teaching.

So good luck and I'll be lurking around the Trade Show on Sunday so come and meet and greet.

Bob Ellis

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Re: Witney, what to expect?
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2013, 08:25:14 PM »

Having been a regular attender since 1997, the things I find most useful are a music stand, printed copies of the music and a pencil and rubber.

You will have gained at least a rudimentary idea of how to play the tunes from the MP3s and sheet music provided in advance. Most of what you will learn in the workshops will be about technique, expression, ornamentation and alternative bass lines. I find it helpful to note these things down on the sheet music during the workshops because you won't remember everything that is covered and your notes will give you something to refer back to later. They will enable you to continue learning from the workshops long after they have finished.

Some people like to record the workshops (it is polite to ask, but I have never heard a tutor refuse). I have done this myself in the past, but I never seem to find the time to play through the recordings, so I stopped doing this. The trouble with recordings is that you can't turn instantly to the bit you want, whereas you usually can with written notes.

Oh, and I take some extra money with me because I usually find that I want to buy some of the tutors' CDs.

Enjoy the weekend and don't be shy about going up to people and introducing yourself. It is surprising how much you can learn from other course members and it is also a good way of making new melodeon friends.
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Bob in beautiful Wensleydale, Les Panards Dansants, Crook Morris and the Loose Knit Band.
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sharpie55

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Re: Witney, what to expect?
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2013, 04:27:07 PM »

Thanks for the advice Lester and Bob, I shall heed it all.

I do tend to record workshops and sometimes I do actually cut out the bits I particularly want to keep but most of the time they just take up space on a hard drive.

Regards,

Paul
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Witney, what to expect?
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2013, 05:15:12 PM »

I concur totally with what Bob and Lester have written, but I especially endorse Bob's suggestion of pencil and rubber to make margin and stave notes on the printed written music. The tutors supply a wealth of information and tips, and while these may be preserved on your small recording device, there will almost certainly be things which you will need to write down at the time - fingerings, additional chords/harmonies, etc, which you might well need for the mini-performance showcase of your groups on the Sunday afternoon. 

I look forward to meeting you there. Do make yourself known!
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Steve
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sharpie55

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Re: Witney, what to expect?
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2013, 03:24:49 PM »

Thanks Steve, just remember to wear the hat and I'll be sure to say "Hello".

Paul
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