🎻 A case for always traveling with an instrument

Hi Reader!

Today's Irish fiddle story is brought to you by one of my wonderful Tune Library members, Monica (shared with her permission)!

Do you remember when I told you, during our Tune Library feedback meeting, that I get in a lot of practicing/online learning when I'm on the road for work?

Well, I'm in Florida right now, and my flight was among the 5,500 cancelled due to the intense storm that hit the northeast. The earliest I can get back is Wednesday morning, so I have an entire day and a half in this space and am SO glad I brought my fiddle!

I try never to go more than two days without touching strings, which means I usually travel with an instrument. Jazz violinist Andy Stein once advised me to play Bach for 20 minutes a day. "That's how violinists meditate," he said. I like the idea, but it doesn't have to be Bach. Practice of any music, on any instrument, is a meditation, a touchstone. The instrument that travels with me is my home away from home.

It's a good time to review tunes I've already learned, and maybe pick up a new one or two. Thank you for the Tune Library. It's a wonderful resource and splendid company.

Practical tip: anyone traveling with a violin should have both a practice mute and a hotel mute. Also, I often use a hotel mute when learning or playing along with the Tune Library because it allows me to hear more of the nuances of your playing.

Monica's experience has several takeaways for me, which is why I asked her if I could share this with you.

Takeaway 1: Carving out practice time in our daily schedule is so intentional. There is always something else we could be doing.

Monica could have easily said that she needed to focus fully on this work trip and left the fiddle at home. But her fiddle time is a way to decompress and to connect to herself no matter where she is in the world. Her method of self-care involves the fiddle, and so she prioritizes time with it.

Takeaway 2: Life will throw curveballs and flights will be delayed. When you find yourself with unexpected free time, how will you spend it?

This was the main reason I wanted to share Monica's story because I was just so impressed with how she handled the flight delay. We all know the people who make a fuss when their plans are disrupted and take it out on the desk attendant in the waiting area (and as a customer support agent in my other part time role, I can tell you that this approach does not really make us want to help you).

Monica wasn't like that. She found herself with a lot of extra time before she could fly home and get back to the daily routine, and she grabbed that time to do something she enjoys.

Takeaway 3: Mutes don't just have to be for the sake of your neighbors, fellow hotel guests, or shared household. They can be a tool for you to have a deeper listening practice!

This is something I want to try in my apartment more often (even though my downstairs neighbor insists that my daily practice adds a bit of whimsy and calm to her day). When you're learning a tune off a recording, whether that's in the Tune Library or elsewhere, there are several layers you can bring to this kind of practice:

1. Listen without your instrument many times, even after you've learned the tune. What do you hear on this listen that you missed on a previous one? I am constantly marveling at the one-note difference or a new ornament or chord I pick up when listening back to tunes I'm learning!
2. Play along with the recording to match timing and rhythm.
3. Play along with the recording but listen for more phrasing and style details (here's where the mute comes in).

Weekly Tune Library Update

One new reel this week per your request: Spike Island Lasses.

In case you missed it last week, you also have a new training in your bonus section all about tips to pick up tunes live in sessions (and self-assess if it's worth the effort). I'm also walking through how you can use this with Tune Library tunes if you'd rather experiment with this in a more private setting!

As a reminder I'll be taking a mini break in adding new material to visit my parents + play and prep for St. Patrick's Day gigs. However, you can always send requests (Chicago Reel is on the lineup), and I'll get to them when I'm back!

I hope you enjoyed reading through Monica's experience as much as I did (and thank you Monica for sharing this not just with me but with all of us)!

Speaking of Tune Library members... my sourdough starter has a name now, thanks to the suggestion of another TL member: Eleanor! So my starter is named both after Eleanor Plunkett and one of my wonderful TL members!

Happy practicing this week, Reader! Which one of Monica's takeaways got you most inspired?

~Hannah