POLL: music lessons

I'm learning Peeler's Jacket and Red-Haired Lass this week, plus reviewing tunes I've already learned. I'm starting to spend part of each penny whistle lesson learning a new tune by ear.

This is a new experience for me; I'm used to the security of learning from sheet music. After a successful learning session with Dave Clement before FKO where he taught me Paige's Polka (St. Mary's Polka) by ear, however, I'm encouraged. Learning by ear is more difficult for me, but I find I retain the tunes more solidly. I learned The Butterfly this way, a slip jig (in 9/8 time) in E minor, and last night Karen taught me Tripping Up The Stairs (jig in D).

I'm learning a great deal from Karen, not just what she explicitly teaches me but also from observation: watching how she plays, especially tunes she's re-remembering or trying for the first time, how she adds ornaments. A great deal of the lesson is sometimes discussion about tunes in general, session player etiquette, origin and tradition of tune-playing, etc.

Another thing I'm learning quickly is that playing WITH someone is a very different experience from playing on one's own. Since sessions at the Tranzac only happen twice a month (and sometimes I have to miss one, or even two in a row), having the chance to go through tunes with an experienced whistle-player like Karen has been helping a great deal.

Taking music lessons as an adult is a contrast to taking them as a child. I've been on both sides as a teacher and a student; when I was teaching piano, my oldest student was in her 60s. Some differences:

- Adults tend to take their lessons more seriously because they're paying for them themselves.

- Adults tend to be more self-conscious about making mistakes.

- Adults are often more motivated to practice BUT they also have less time because of everything else going on in their lives.

A poll question: Did you ever take music lessons? What type? Did you enjoy them? Are you taking any lessons now?

Wrote 850 words yesterday for my novel. Sent out a query for a non-fiction article and did some research for some reprint article markets.

Today we have our second of two official visits to the new house. This time we're bringing our contractor, an insurance appraiser, and someone to measure for carpets.

8 days until we get our house.

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