20th October 2016 - Eamonn Cotter

I'd previously used a quote from this interview but I read it again today.

A few things stood out for me.


"When you’re surrounded by fiddle players, your style is influenced more by fiddle playing"

Maybe more than anything there's a truth in there that is the heart of this blog.
I didn't grow up in a very musical house.  I'm not in the middle of players.
For whatever reasons I want to play the flute to a reasonable degree .. I suppose I'm chasing that feeling you can get when you play the tune and you're in the middle of it and it feels great.
That takes a lot of work.  The work takes commitment and disciple.
When you're surrounded by fiddle players - or players - it soaks itself into your DNA.  You listen a lot.  You play a lot.  You're surrounded by it.
I think that the blog is a way of finding connections to that place.  Looking for those opportunities and not letting them go.  Then telling the story along the road.



"You need to practice tone separately from everything else"

Sometimes I hate slowing things down but you have to don't you?
Years ago when I was working in the Library I was cataloging books as a part time job.  I couldn't type at all and pecking out my work daily didn't appeal.  I started with the home keys .. the asdf and jkl; you'll see under your fingers if you're at a PC now.  It was boring and slow but it worked.  Once they were done I added a key or two at a time until I could pretty competent touch type.  That was twenty five years ago so the bit of slowing down has really paid off in my life.
So now when I do the tunes I make sure to get the tune right piece by piece - try to get the tone well - my cuts nice and neat etc etc.  Hopefully it will pay off in the end.  But - yes - boring now!



"you have to practice each aspect of flute playing"

Kind of like the previous - but just shows the need to slow it all down and do the work.
What do the golfers say - drive for show but putt for dough? (Is dough another theme in this blog?)



"Put very few rolls in jigs, because when you put a roll in a jig it takes up half a bar"

Interesting to hear how a Clare player sees the world.  He mentions his legato style.  I wonder how Sligo players feel?