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[Frank Lee]

It would be nice to think that one had the determination and sufficient ability to isolate oneself from the surrounding noise simply to carry on at the initial speed regardless. I have a lovely mental image of a crowd of puzzled faces as the proceedings become increasingly cacophonous, and then the incredulous looks when they all finish the tune and the initial player still has 24 or more bars to go at the speed at which s/he started.  Sadly, I can't see it happening, though.

This DOES happen, I make it happen, and it wasn't my idea, but at least it's interesting to see just how cacophonous the music has to become before anyone spots what's going on, and great fun to see the faces at the end!  Sorry, should have used past tense here! 

[Lester]

I am somewhat renowned in my local sessions for just shouting Whoooa! and stopping tunes that I have started that accelerate away from the pace I set off at. Recently did it three times when someone, new to the session and the owner of a Bafetti Binci with only one volume setting, seemed much happier playing appreciably faster than the sessions consensus built up over time.

[boxcall]

That would be a hoot Lester I wish I was there.
I don't think you can always hear the person that starts a tune in a big session, so I think it helps if others who are sitting closer to the person that started don't speed up and play the same tune.
I'm pretty lucky most of this stuff doesn't seem to happen at my local session. It's a slow session so most are quite willing to play at a slower pace. Having said that the leaders are good and the group stays pretty consistent.
I think it's good to say hello and goodbye and to thank the people who run it !!!
maybe that's part of being considerate.

Thank you Clive and Theo !! 

[george garside]

trouble occurs if everybody doesn't listen to everybody  so that the tempo is sort of passed round the room  on a continuous basis from the tunes 'owner'. 

 Otherwise   when the tune has to 'pass through'  a group of smartarses  of the loud non listening veriety it can speed up.    Those next down the room can then only hear what is in  effect   a speeded up version and despite or because of good listening speed up accordingly.   The 'Chinese whispers' effect is at its worst in long narrow rooms   and can have what I sometimes refer to as the 'sturmey archer' effect!  aka 3 speed!

george

[Chris Ryall]

… [Bob?] I have a lovely mental image of a crowd of puzzled faces as the proceedings become increasingly cacophonous, and then the incredulous looks when they all finish the tune and the initial player still has 24 or more bars to go at the speed at which s/he started.  Sadly, I can't see it happening, though

This DOES happen, I make it happen, and it wasn't my idea, but at least it's interesting to see just how cacophonous the music has to become before anyone spots what's going on, and great fun to see the faces at the end!  Sorry, should have used past tense here!

I've done that too, rarely, generally I just go with the room

Hey, a lot of posts already for something dismissed early on as a non-issue! Keep ' em coming. Though I think there are good non-melodeon views to be had in the FB page I referenced yesterday.

Both here and there the big theme remains that listening is at least as important as playing

[oggiesnr]

One of my personal rules is that if I play a tune and it's obvious no-one else knows it then I bail out after once through, it's a session not a solo gig.

Steve

[Chris Ryall]

Yes and no. It is a group activity, but how do you think all those tunes started out?

[Frank Lee]

One of my personal rules is that if I play a tune and it's obvious no-one else knows it then I bail out after once through, it's a session not a solo gig.

I often played tunes it appeared no-one knew, but latterly played three times through these if I became aware that anyone was listening (not often!), having been told-off for not giving others a chance to get the hang of it.  But I played tunes learned from my father and from my upbringing in the North-East (of England) and lots of other odd sources,  not, generally, from the latest 'big' CD by the latest 'big name' band.  Antipathy towards anything new, however,  seemed to be a prominent feature of English sessions.   Even on Tyneside,  home of the Folk Degree course,  they thought my Northumbrian tunes came from France, and lost any shred of interest immediately they found they didn't 

[Anahata]

Even on Tyneside,  home of the Folk Degree course,  they thought my Northumbrian tunes came from France

That's bad...

and lost any shred of interest immediately they found they didn't 

That's even worse!

[ACE]

We had one player who was notorious for speed, I sat out once and waited until the end. As the tune finished I waved a small chequered flag that I had been keeping for such an occasion and declared him the winner of the race.

I did keep the flag in my case for a few weeks and just got it out again now and again if things were starting to speed up. It became a bit of a joke but we can all play together now quite sensibly. Well at the start of the evening anyway.

[george garside]

Even on Tyneside,  home of the Folk Degree course,  they thought my Northumbrian tunes came from France

That's bad...

and lost any shred of interest immediately they found they didn't 

That's even worse!



and them musically educated people!

geroge

[Chris Ryall]

I have only a few times achieved play in of Mr Clifford Stapleton's "man in the brown hat", despite the occasional cry of "it's English" or "it's easy" …

MiBH lies on the box's Em scale like a bug on a rug, just keep off that C#

[edit] Zero chance of getting sessional play in in Dm, Bob. I have played it in that key once with Cliff.

[Bob Ellis]

I believe that Man in a Brown Hat was written in Dm, which is the key in which we play it in Les Panards Dansants. Yes, Chris, it is English, but it sounds French!

I've never dared start it in a session because other melodeon players would find it hard or impossible (depending on their box) to join in. However, there are plenty of other instruments in a session that have no problem with Dm, so perhaps I will start it at The Old Hill Inn this evening and see whether I get any takers.

What I'm not going to do is to learn it in Em, because the fingering pattern is totally different. When playing, I think in fingering patterns as well as tune patterns, so trying to play it in Em when I know it in Dm would scramble what passes for my brain. 

[Mike Carney]

I often played tunes it appeared no-one knew, but latterly played three times through these if I became aware that anyone was listening

I think yours is the right approach, Frank, and also, to echo Chris, if no new tunes were brought to the session...
The earlier comment about listening and respect (which includes being interested in the other people, ie relationships) covers this and both of those characteristics would have made everyone's experience in your instance more enjoyable.  I introduced a nice Swedish waltz one week at a session, when I was back there someone else started it before I could! What I had played was appreciated and taken up.
Mike

[pikey]

I am somewhat renowned in my local sessions for just shouting Whoooa! and stopping tunes that I have started that accelerate away from the pace I set off at. Recently did it three times when someone, new to the session and the owner of a Bafetti Binci with only one volume setting, seemed much happier playing appreciably faster than the sessions consensus built up over time.

In case you were wondering , this one wasn't me !! 

[Chris Ryall]

Never crossed my mind until you mentioned it, Pikey

[pikey]

I don't know the Belgian version and therefore, presumably, play the "wrong" version.

My version may well be "wrong" as well, but at least it's Flemish wrong, not British wrong!

I play my version. Which to me is therefore right. And I don't care if some one joins in with a slightly different variant. Up here we call that 'folk music'........

[pikey]

I have one pet hate which, I suppose, is both a contravention of 'session etiquette' and good manners. My gripe is against those who take over a tune and deliberately speed it up because that is the speed at which they play it. In my view, the rule is (or at least should be) follow the lead of the person who started the tune and play it at their pace. I can think of several occasions when a set has been ruined because inconsiderate musicians have deliberately speeded the first tune up to such an extent that the second tune is ruined because it can't be played properly at the faster speed.

(Rant over...)

Sorry Bob, I am Spartacus..... I have a recording from Whitby when I did just that to you in Monas Delight.  In my defence,  im deaf, it was a new box, I was out of practice, and ad soon ad I realised I slowed down again !!!!

It would be nice to think that one had the determination and sufficient ability to isolate oneself from the surrounding noise simply to carry on at the initial speed regardless. I have a lovely mental image of a crowd of puzzled faces as the proceedings become increasingly cacophonous, and then the incredulous looks when they all finish the tune and the initial player still has 24 or more bars to go at the speed at which s/he started.  Sadly, I can't see it happening, though.

Graham

Bincis make this possible.........

[Andy Next Tune]

I have one pet hate which, I suppose, is both a contravention of 'session etiquette' and good manners. My gripe is against those who take over a tune and deliberately speed it up because that is the speed at which they play it. In my view, the rule is (or at least should be) follow the lead of the person who started the tune and play it at their pace. I can think of several occasions when a set has been ruined because inconsiderate musicians have deliberately speeded the first tune up to such an extent that the second tune is ruined because it can't be played properly at the faster speed.

(Rant over...)

Sorry Bob, I am Spartacus..... I have a recording from Whitby when I did just that to you in Monas Delight.  In my defence,  im deaf, it was a new box, I was out of practice, and ad soon ad I realised I slowed down again !!!!

It would be nice to think that one had the determination and sufficient ability to isolate oneself from the surrounding noise simply to carry on at the initial speed regardless. I have a lovely mental image of a crowd of puzzled faces as the proceedings become increasingly cacophonous, and then the incredulous looks when they all finish the tune and the initial player still has 24 or more bars to go at the speed at which s/he started.  Sadly, I can't see it happening, though.

Graham

Bincis make this possible.........

......and the 48 bar version of Oyster Girl is a great tune to use - first time through, you'll hear 'the room' head back to the A music while you continue gamely into the C. 

[pikey]

One of my personal rules is that if I play a tune and it's obvious no-one else knows it then I bail out after once through, it's a session not a solo gig.

Steve

Same here. I said that on the Fb site and got flamed.......