Moving to the Music.

Most of us tap our feet, one or other, or both, while we play our music in session and this is recognised as a useful way to keep our own music rhythmically together.

However, it is interesting to watch, in a session, how folk’s bodies move to the music as they play.
For example, I was watching our Australian friend last night positively jiving in his seat to the music, whether he was playing his Bodhran or his Flute.
I commented on this & trust he was not offended, for it was meant as a compliment, but just as on this page, you know how easy it is for these little comments of ours to be misconstrued.
Anyway, it just seems so natural for him to do this and I have noticed ‘other’ great Bodhran players like Jim Sutherland and Tommy Hayes enjoy their music this way.
I think it is as natural for them all as breathing.

Dee Havlin is another natural dancer when she plays, as is Nollaig Casey, and when it is natural it is a joy to watch.
I know from having seen Dee in sessions many times that the eyes of an audience are naturally drawn to this, as was the case last night in Tom’s.

When you consider how most of us do tend to sit stoney faced in concentration when we play, I’m sure this natural visual display of enjoyment must add greatly to the pleasure, for those looking on.

However, when it is affected that is a very different thing altogether, but it is usually so very obvious to all watching, when someone is being pretentious - bit like when an inexperienced MC gets up & tries to funny but just has the audience squirming in their seats with embarassment.

Anyway, it made me think of how other musicians move while they play.
For example you often see Flute players & Fiddle players ‘sway’ when they play, while Whistle players ‘bob’ & Pipers, well, they are naturally moving about so much anyway, they have nothing left to wiggle or jiggle.

Personally, even although I have been playing the fiddle amost exclusively for the past few years I still tend to adopt the bolt upright, rigid & lifeless pose, of my former life - as a banjo player!

So, how do you & your friends move to the music & have you too noticed any patterns of behaviour?

I saw Dervish for the first time a few weeks ago in London. Cathy Jordan completely mesmerised me with her movement. Strangely, while Irish dancers keep their arms still, she tended to keep her feet still and weave patterns with her arms. Affected? Probably. Effective? Certainly. I wouldn’t want to see it catch on though.

Hi! Interesting thread Mr P.

One of the reasons, so I was told, for getting the BTF label was that I was at one with it, and, as so many told me, danced, smiled, laughed whilst playing. Other members of this session know simply that this is how I “play”.

Bx

i get a few laughs when I am playing guitar at some really great sessions. I find to get things really swinging its best to get right into the movement thing. I heard the great guitarist Tommy Emmanual once say that he thinks a motionless guitar player is missing the point

Greetings My Fine Feathered Friend,

Whether playing the guitar, bodhrán, or just listening, I tend to move a bit with the music. One need do SOME exercise to work off the porter and whiskey. I’ve always thought rhythm to be precisely that, movement. Something felt not heard.

It can tend to be a bit of a challenge though in those situations whereby the musicians are crammed in corner. Oh yea, my moving around comes with out any calculation on my part.

Peace,
Ed

I move around so much when playing that I’ve sometimes been referred to as the epileptic bodhran. The music is just so ingrained in me that the movement comes naturally and I don’t even realize I’m doing it. It’s a common thing with so many other musicians that I’ve noticed. Most of them are doing it to keep time but others just flow as the music flows from them.

To see some unusual music & movement, check out this page, scan down the clips & I would recommend you check out the following:

http://www.iranian.com/clips.html

Buskers, especially fiddlers, should make a point of watching:
‘“Blind” violinist, Tehran’

Lovers of the Bodhran should check out:
‘Afghan singer, Tehran,’

If you are a big fan of the Piano Accordion, you should watch:
‘The accordion man’

&

Lovers of the Fiddle, if you want to see & hear the weirdest fiddle I ever saw, you must watch:
‘What Sean Penn heard’

Have fun!

I’ve seen bodhran players sway - especially when they try to put one foot in front (of all place!) of the other.
Some try it with both feet at the same time.

I sway when I am playing Flute and Whistle I don’t know what I do when I am playing Banjo but I do know that I have to concentrate a lot so I probably don’t move it is the complete opposite on Flute, it just comes more naturally to me and I have been playing longer.

A friend of mine and his daughter both play the violin; when they play together they move in the exact same way. Neat to watch. From a symphony stand point, I love to watch an audience when we play Strauss waltzes. I wish American audiences felt the freedom to get up and dance like European audieces.

Good music makes people move, bad music makes them have movements 😉

So what happened to Beethoven with his fifth movement?

Don’t know about moving, maybe I do, but I’ll tell you what, if I’m animated enough to get into a set, I sweat like pig and go bright red. Like a big porker. I’ve had to change t-shirts in the middle of a sesh (in the loo) as I don’t look as becoming in a wet t-shirt as the traditional sporters of this attire. Sweaty work for a sweaty. I’ve seen other players perspire, but I seem to be the worst offender. I guess it’s all those years running cross-country that have made my sweat glands as well as my legs “fit” - ie will function maximally with minimal drain on body’s resources. I can’t explain it any other way.

I do that too Danny. It’s the high metabolism. The worst is when you’ve put in a bit of hair gel (to look pretty for the ladies, ha) and then it boils over and runs into your eyes and stings like a beeyutch while you’re playing so you squeeze your eyes tightly shut or else they get all watery and then everyone thinks you’re way passionate about the tunes but really you’re wishing the set would just finish so you can rush to the bathroom and flush them out with some cold water.

Oh wait, that *is* just me, isn’t it? Feck ’t… I’m growing my locks out; can’t be having with that mod scheidt no more.

None of this is true, btw.

Ah Q, so there is an advantage in being a baldy auld git after all…

Hair gel? WTF is that? Personally, I use Pledge wax polish on my head and have none of these problems. 🙂

When at university in Aberystwyth (Wales), I used to go to sessions in a great pub called the Coopers Arms (Yr Cwps - in Welsh) where a fiddler used to play. While playing, this guy used to rock back and kick his legs in rhythm which resulted in him being known as the pedalling fiddler! Though one of the strangest things I saw was in the Crane Bar in Galway. An American girl had the brass neck to sit amongst themusicians in a session and swing her head, hair ’n all from side to side, almost like sideways moshing! It was very embaressing and the poor fiddler next to her didn’t know what to do.

You say a ‘brass neck’ Aberandy? You sure she didn’t have a rubber neck? 🙂

Well, my pate is too thin to worry about hair gel, but I don’t quite have the high albedo factor requiring Pledge…but it won’t be too long I suspect.
Wish I’d known there was a session in Aberystwyth, Aberandy. I’d been on holiday near there once or twice. Nice town. As for the Crane I wonder if the unfortunate fiddle player was Mick Finn. His wonderful playing could drive anyone to insanity.

Danny, the Aberystwyth Session is on the last sunday of every month durung university term time, from about one in the afternoon. The coopers arms is at the foot of Penglais hill where the university main campus and hospital are situated. You can’t miss the Cwps as it has both Welsh and Irish flags hanging outside.

We have a fat fiddler, whose belly wobbles in time to his playing.

Zat you bragging again showadds ’bout your multi-tasking abilities? 😀

You guys are great; I have all sorts of fun images to fill my head today. Pledge🙂 there is a new young teacher at my school who shaves his head and it’s very shiny--I’m going to ask him if he uses Pledge. Does lemon-fresh or regular work best? And the fat-bellied fiddler; well, that would apply to our band director but ’nuff said about that.

Listen pal - I can’t even wobble my belly in time to my flute, never mind taking up the fiddle too.

Oh yes dmarie, it HAS to be the lemon-fresh Pledge. The regular has the unfortunate side effect that it makes you go regularly…

Hey dmarie, don’t listen to Ron P, - sure he’s just tryin‘ tae keep a’ the gid stuff fur himsel’ - :

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/for-a-FINE-looking-finish-original-HEAD-POLISHtattoo_W0QQitemZ5639117899QQcategoryZ16705QQcmdZViewItem

Don’t panic Showadd, with a bit more practice, you’ll get the hang of it! - ‘The Funky Flute Belly Wobbly’ 🙂

Very good Dick, I’ll put that on my Christmas list. But, what does the following ingredient help to attract?

CERTIFIED ORGANIC VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

😉

Ron, I think we would have far more chance of success with ‘Hair Restorer’ than that oil!

Well Dick, lets be realistic - we’ve got nae chance at a’…..

Oh I don’t know Ron, I’ve no chance o‘ ever havin’ hair on ma heed again, but as for the other, I think I’d just need to get a good wig, lose about 8 stone, kick that dorian grey painting into gear, splash out on a top class face lift and acquire a new wardrobe of trendy hip gear & sure I’d be flyin’ - I wouldn’t even need the oil then!

Aye, ah see what your sayin’………………………………………sob

Back from school and you guys are still cracking me up. Ron P. I’m confused--are you wanting to attract virgins or do you want your virginity back?? And don’t let the people at Johnson&Johnson realize that Lemon-fresh Pledge acts as a furniture polish, a head-shiner and a laxative--they’ll triple the price.