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THE RECEIVED WISDOM IS that you only really learn by going to sessions and picking up tunes by listening and joining in. This, to me, is just nonsense. I have learned hundreds of tunes from vinyl records, tapes, CDs, tune books and bits of paper given to me by friends. I have learned SOME (quite a large number when I think about it!) in sessions as well. I know that there are traditional musicians who can't read a note of music yet can play thousands of tunes. They have been going to sessions since they were babies, we're told. In fact they were probably even conceived and born in a session. Music, like Guinness, flows in their veins. The rest of us haven't got a chance then! Well, I don't agree. I reckon that, by now, I have learned approximately 500 tunes or more. That's about 50 a year, or one tune a week. On average, of course. The strange thing is that I can't actually REMEMBER learning very many of them at all. That is probably because I ENJOYED learning them. If you want to play Irish harmonica you just have to expose yourself to tunes in whatever ways are available to you. It's vital that you are constantly hearing the music. Listening and joining in at sessions are clearly invaluable. In any case the tunes sink in eventually in some mysterious way.
Sometimes, on recordings, Irish musicians play a semitone higher than the "usual" pitch of the tunes. Also, most well-known groups take occasional liberties with keys in their recordings. In sessions on the other hand the keys are pretty well fixed by tradition for every tune. There is very little scope for compromise in this area if you're going to play with other musicians in sessions. On the other hand, if you're arranging tunes for your gig, or playing a piece solo, you can of course do what you like! Once the tunes have been learned, a certain degree of flexibility is necessary. Many Irish musicians rail against the practice of "learning from the dots" because they fear that it leads to a too-narrow and rigid approach to the tunes. My own opinion is that there is considerable substance to this argument. It is tempting, especially if you can read music quite well, to grab a tune-book and "learn" a whole clutch of tunes as a short-cut to getting started. If you do learn from notation you must also do a lot of listening to the music in order to avoid the pitfall of rigidity setting in. If you're already a seasoned player who appreciates fully the flexibility needed for good Irish playing there is probably little harm in using a tune-book to bone up on the occasional tune or clear up minor confusions about how it should be played. Different groups of musicians will tend to have their own slightly different versions of the tunes. You just go with the flow (unless it's a tune that only you know of course). It's healthy because it shows that there is still scope for tunes to evolve. Learning to blend successfully with musicians in any situation is a skill you have to learn if you want to be a pub session player.
Finally, I've come to realise that if I can't play a tune unless I have to make maverick modifications to it, perhaps by leaving lots of notes out or making other DRASTIC changes, it's best to admit defeat. I've known people - not harmonica players! - who do this type of thing a lot. It does NOT enhance their reputations! I'VE BEEN INSPIRED by a number of recordings of Irish musicians. I revere an album of accordeon/concertina music played by Jackie Daly (Music from Sliabh Luachra Vol.6). I love all the albums of Planxty and the Bothy Band and I know a lot of their tunes. In recent years, Patrick Street, Danu and, especially, Ron Kavana in his various manifestations have provided much grist to the mill. Everyone in our house loves Ron! And just listen to Andy Irvine playing harmonica on any of his records. The epitome of good taste and spirit. There are others: Noel Hill, De Dannan, Altan, the Murphys of Wexford, Brendan Power.... a positive cornucopia. Not all harmonica players of course! A Scottish traditional player, Donald Black, is well worth checking out too. Recently I bought an album called Kevin Burke's Open House, which features the stunning and extremely tasteful harmonica playing of Mark Graham of Seattle. Another recent acquisition of mine is an album by James Conway of Chicago called "Mouth Box" - really characterful playing, mostly on diatonic, of Irish traditional tunes. This guy has techniques that I'm still dreaming about - but that's what inspiration is all about! Another great CD I've just checked out is called "Handy Little Rig," Celtic and old-time harmonica from the Maritimes, by James Thurgood. Listen to clips at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thurgood An album that I've just got hold of and which has rapidly become just about my favourite traditional harmonica CD of all is "Harmoníca, víolon" by Jean Sabot (harmonica) and Laors Dacquay (fiddle). Jean lives in Brittany in northern France, well within the "celtic fringe." He's a wonderful player of great skill and taste. You simply must track this one down!
The traditional music of Northumberland has been a good source of tunes for me as well. There are some lovely recordings by Pauline Cato and Tom McConville that I wouldn't be without: check out "By Land and Sea" and "The Surprise."
It's worth investigating the tune books in traditional music shops. I've listed a few books on my last page. There's a Hobgoblin shop near where I live that's as good a source as any. And that should have earned me a pint! Eh, Tony!
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