ELCBK said

"When groups jam, don't they rotate old tunes to keep them fresh? 

How often do they recycle? "

Im still very much a beginner at the group thing .. spread over a couple of years but if others are like what ive seen it depends on who shows up.  Luckily i also have fellow students working on same repetroire so between us we can call tunes familiar to each of us.   so that helps.   for our group class the rotation for new tunes seems to be about a year and coincides with a spring event we play.   after that new tunes are usually cycled in.  we...or at least i will try and uae the spring event list as tunes to call in the monthly session.  theres seems to be tunes common to everyone kesh, silver spear, out on the ocean...etc... id bet youd hear them in many sessions..no matter the city.   then there seems to be more deep catalog stuff that will show up.  usually by more advaced players.  thats how new stuff will find its way in i think.   as a beginner its important to get some of the common stuff then start adding ( talking about in a group setting).  

But if you never attend a setting like that i think you may have a little more to choose to concentrate on.  trying to memorize even if a good thing really isnt needed.  To be honest the session i go too doesnt frown on people looking up a tune online if they can play along that way.   i just would rather be able to not HAVE to do that on everything.  so if youre not playing with anyone else i wouldnt sweat memorizing evry single thing you try and play.

How often do you go over your old repertoire to keep it fresh in your mind and fingers?

I try to work them in often.   like at least every other time i pick up fiddle.   but my list of memorized tunes isnt that great yet so that is easy to do.

What tactics do YOU employ to keep tunes memorized?

for the trad stuff...talking tunes that are ..what 32 bars or so... you have to also listen alot to recordings and keep it fresh.  or think of a tune youve played and hum or whistle or something every once in a while even if you cant pick up the instrument and actually play it.  you can sorta work on the memorization part of practice away from the instrument that way.  but most of all you have to  practice stuff on the instrument you think youve memorized because theres always something you can do better with it.  speed or variations or ornaments.  so ill listen to music that i like to play and practice it even after some initial success in playing it. 

ELCBK said

Does learning to play a second voice, or back-up, for a tune help with memorizing? 

Because there's more you have associated with a tune? 

Or, does it make it harder - for the same reason? 

 

- Emily

im not sure about the second voice thing because thats not something im deliberate about.  practicing tune on a different instrument yes..that always helps.   i think knowing a tune well helps play backup for it.. as far as picking out chords or improvising melody lines...   im not sure about the other direction..i havent learned the chords first and then tried learning melody.. especially irish because chords vary so much..  they could be anything depending on who plays them.... bottom line for me is i think it all helps..  and the effort put into learning a tune/instrument translates to others so its not time wasted.   not always the most efficient route but they relate.