About why Irish tunes are so good with young women.

[Jaime_Dergut]

Hello everybody,

so, yesterday I was playing the Drowsy Maggie gig on the streets and I noticed that a group of college girls (plus short skirted gothic girls and skater ladies with nice figures) went nuts after listening to me playing this at fast tempo, on my old wet tuned Carmen Hohner.

Therefore, my question today for the nice, sensible and friendly accordion community is...

What Irish tunes or music sheet books do you think are a must for every accordionist to learn?

Preferably, something with repeated arpeggios(?), like the Drowsy Maggie song, will do great.

Any recommendation is welcome (except for the Boys of the Blue hill and Irish Washer woman. Please, don't hate me for saying this).

Anyhow, thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,

Jaime the tolerant.

 

[JKJ]

group of college girls ... went nuts

Can't begin to answer your question. But the same thing happens when I take llamas and alpacas out in public - I get surrounded. And I'm 74 so what draws them is obvious. I suspect they are attracted by the unusual.

 

[Tom]

Thinking there are must songs is a dangerous trap I myself was unfortunately drawn into.

Only play songs you love and want to play.

That said, I like to play Kesh Jig, Flowers of Edinburgh, Ash Grove. Not strictly Irish but same islands and sure to have the desired effect.

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

That said, I like to play Kesh Jig, Flowers of Edinburgh, Ash Grove. Not strictly Irish but same islands and sure to have the desired effect.

The Kesh Jig is giving me good vibes.

Also, for everybody, it doesn't have to be a heartbreaker song with girls, I just would like to add some good tunes to my repertoire that you consider a must have!

 

[Ffingers]

The Kesh Jig is giving me good vibes.

Also, for everybody, it doesn't have to be a heartbreaker song with girls, I just would like to add some good tunes to my repertoire that you consider a must have!

If this old man - me- has learned anything in a long life it is that first and foremost you have to present to your audience an honest representation of who and what you are.
Being yourself and projecting that exact image will attract the kind of persons who will appreciate you most.
Remember: "Be yourself - everyone else is already taken"

 

[murathan]

I dont separate Irish music with others (Scottish and English). Look at some melodeon videos in youtube. You may find some good. Makes a starting point. Otherwise its a black hole, hard to decide.

These are long playlists. I choose 3 major players to my liking.

Will Allen


Lester Bailey


Anahata
https://www.youtube.com/@anahatamelodeon/videos

 

[boxplayer4000]

O'Neill's collection of Irish music is considered, by many, as the best and most complete source.

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

If this old man - me- has learned anything in a long life it is that first and foremost you have to present to your audience an honest representation of who and what you are.
Being yourself and projecting that exact image will attract the kind of persons who will appreciate you most.
Remember: "Be yourself - everyone else is already taken"

Of course! Otherwise, I will be pretending to like jazz and rap songs. Usually, what I like to listen is what they get and I attract the right people.
One time, I had a fantastic reaction from crimson haired girls with the song Kalinka. What an interesting surprise!

 

[JeffJetton]

thesession.org maintains a list of the most-popular tunes, based on how many people have added the sone to their "tunebook". Probably a good place to start building your ITM repertoire:

Popular traditional Irish tunes on The Session

thesession.org

While they have links to various notated settings of the songs, I'd recommend trying to learn them by ear first.

As to whether any are better than others at attracting young ladies, well I'm an old married guy who can't help you there.

 

[dak]

What Irish tunes or music sheet books do you think are a must for every accordionist to learn?

If you are out to impress an audience with Irish tunes, by far the most effective way is to sing. With the most basic accompaniment you tend to get more of a response than with comparatively good but purely instrumental chops.

Irish instrumentals tend to come in back-to-back sets of tunes that are somewhat related in character and key (you don't want to force the tin whistle player to swap instruments) and get played at one speed (single tunes tend to be too short to keep potential dancers satisfied). If you want to go there, you better take a look at the typical embellishments which are similar in character to what you'd do on tin whistle and Uilleann pipes (fiddle also uses embellishments that aren't the same as those in classical violin literature, like "trills" and grace notes traversing larger intervals than major seconds).

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

If you are out to impress an audience with Irish tunes, by far the most effective way is to sing. With the most basic accompaniment you tend to get more of a response than with comparatively good but purely instrumental chops.

I beg to differ. Irish sessions are mostly instrumental, unless you want the audience to sing along.

Besides, I am no singer, but an accordion player. Ha.

 

[dak]

If you are out to impress an audience with Irish tunes, by far the most effective way is to sing. With the most basic accompaniment you tend to get more of a response than with comparatively good but purely instrumental chops.

I beg to differ. Irish sessions are mostly instrumental, unless you want the audience to sing along.

I wrote "if you want to impress an audience", not "if you want to do what is typical for Irish sessions". Completely different things.

Besides, I am no singer, but an accordion player. Ha.

The challenged has the choice of weapon.

 

[OuijaBoard]

If all you want is really just to add to your repertoire, perhaps you might want to change your thread title. Perhaps it should be changed on general principles. This site is sometimes quite the toxic environment.

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

I wrote "if you want to impress an audience", not "if you want to do what is typical for Irish sessions". Completely different things.

Nah, I also differ. If you want to impress an audience, play naked. Haha.

I'm joking, I love you, brother.

The challenged has the choice of weapon.

I'm just a simple man! I sit on the streets and play!

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

If all you want is really just to add to your repertoire, perhaps you might want to change your thread title. Perhaps it should be changed on general principles. This site is sometimes quite the toxic environment.

The thread title is good since it's catchy!

There is no toxicity on this site. It is a very welcome community, where we all share the values of mutual respect, compassion and love for one another.


Also, I found this tune on youtube that has this fast, pulsating feeling that appeals to the short attention span of most millennials and younger generations.




I am currently learning it!

 

[Tom]

Btw Jaime, I get the smiles too, but more like your grandmother. And I’m playing the 3rd market today. Perfect!

 

[noelekal]

Thinking there are must songs is a dangerous trap I myself was unfortunately drawn into.

Only play songs you love and want to play.

That said, I like to play Kesh Jig, Flowers of Edinburgh, Ash Grove. Not strictly Irish but same islands and sure to have the desired effect.

Tom got it in three. ^These^!

Also Spanish Lady and Miss McLoed's Reel.

Aw man! I forgot The Lass of Gowrie and East Neuk O'Fife!