Celtic Session

Session Etiquette

Simon, or Alison our co-organiser, start each session off and keep it going during the evening.  Other people are welcome, and sometimes invited, to start tunes too.  If you’d like to, best let the session leader know ahead of time to avoid tune congestion. 
We follow a few simple ‘rules’ of etiquette to make sure everyone enjoys themselves and gets to participate, no matter what their level of proficiency.   
First thing is to make sure your instrument is in tune – there are side rooms to do this away from the group, or do it in between tunes/songs but not during them.
We usually play each tune 3 times through (except for really long ones, which are played twice). This rule can sometimes be a bit unruly but the session leader will clarify the situation on the night.
If you’re uncertain of a tune, play a little quieter than normal, and only play the bits you know.  Please avoid guessing notes and hoping that some might be the right ones - this will likely put other players off and spoil their enjoyment.  Make a mental note to practice that tune at home - you'll nail it in no time.

Sets

There are a number of sets of tunes (typically 2 or 3 tunes to a set) we play regularly, and we will go directly from one tune in the set to the next. If the group finishes playing and you know another tune that follows on naturally, then launch into that tune.
The tempo chosen by the person that starts the set is kept throughout (except for Drowsy Maggie which always speeds up – it’s a tradition!). This gives less accomplished players a chance to start a tune or set of tunes at a pace that suits them.

Tempo

We try not to play so fast that hardly anyone else can join in – our session is about participation.  Beginners may find many of the tunes are too fast for them, but with practice and in time they will be joining in more and more – playing an instrument is a journey.  That said, some of us also enjoy playing tunes at or close to dance tempo.  To accommodate the mix of skills in the group, from 2024 we will try something new - run the first half of the session at a slow to moderate pace, and the second half after the supper break at a brisker pace.

New tunes

If you’re introducing a new tune, tell us the key and tune type (eg. a jig in D). You may hand around copies of the sheet music (with chords), although learning by ear is the preferred approach though this does take some time and practice.