uilleannpipe.com - Learn the Uilleann Pipes Online.
  • Home
  • Lessons
    • Beginner >
      • Lesson 1: Introduction and History of the Uilleann Pipes
      • Lesson 2: Parts of the Uilleann Pipe Practice Set
      • Lesson 3: Uilleann Practice Set Fundamentals
      • Lesson 4: UIlleann Pipe G and Metronomes
      • Lesson 5: Uilleann Pipe F#
      • Lesson 6: Uilleann Pipe E & Half Note
      • Lesson 7: Uilleann Pipe D​, Whole Notes & 3 Blind Mice
      • Lesson 8: UIlleann Pipe A & Legato
      • Lesson 9: Uilleann Pipe B & Tied Notes
      • Lesson 10: Uilleann Pipe C# & Dots
      • Lesson 11: Uilleann Pipe C and the Key of G
      • Lesson 12: UIlleann Pipe Back D & 8th Notes
      • Lesson 13: Easy Songs and 3/4
      • Lesson 14: Uilleann Pipe High E
      • Lesson 15: Uilleann Pipe F#
      • Lesson 16: Uilleann Pipe High G
      • Lesson 17: Uilleann Pipe High A
      • Lesson 18: Uilleann Pipe High B
      • Lesson 19: Uilleann Pipe Tunes Using Both Octaves and 2/4 Time
    • Novice >
      • Lesson 1: Tuning Uilleann Pipe Chanter
      • Lesson 2: Uilleann Pipe Low Hand Strikes
      • Lesson 3: Uilleann Pipe High Hand Strikes
      • Lesson 4: Uilleann Pipe Songs with Strikes
      • Lesson 5: Uilleann Pipe Cuts on Bottom Hand
      • Lesson 6: Uilleann Pipe Cuts on Top Hand
      • Lesson 7: Uilleann Tunes with Cuts and Strikes
      • Lesson 8: Uilleann Pipe Slow Airs and Slides
      • Lesson 9: Uilleann Pipe Vibrato
      • Lesson 10: Repeats, Intro's and Endings
      • Lesson 11: Uilleann Pipe Polkas
      • Lesson 12: Ascending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 13: More Ascending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 14: Descending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 15: More Descending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 16: Uilleann Pipe Marches
      • Lesson 17: Uilleann Pipe Triplets and Staccato
      • Lesson 18: Uilleann Pipe Hornpipes
    • Advanced >
      • Lesson 1: Uilleann Pipe Rolls in Jigs
      • Lesson 2: Uilleann Pipe Jigs
      • Lesson 3: Uilleann Pipe Rolls in Reels
      • Lesson 4: Uilleann Pipe Reels
      • Lesson 5: Uilleann Pipe Hard D
      • Lesson 6: Uilleann Pipe Ghost D
      • Lesson 7: Uilleann Pipe Short Rolls
      • Lesson 8: Uilleann Pipe Popping
      • Lesson 9: Uilleann Pipe F Natural
      • Lesson 10: Sessions and Variations in Irish Music
      • Lesson 11: Uilleann Pipe D Crans
  • Tunes
    • Airs >
      • Dawn of the Day
      • South Wind
      • Sally Gardens
    • Marches >
      • Mairi's Wedding
      • Song of the Chanter
      • Brian Boru's March
    • Polkas >
      • Britches Full of Stitches
      • John Ryan's Polka
      • Maggie in the Woods
    • Jigs >
      • Garrett Barry's Jig
      • Sporting Pitchfork
      • Kesh Jig
      • Donnybrook Fair
      • Morrison's Jig
      • The Butterfly
    • Reels >
      • Mountain Road
      • The Ships Are Sailing
      • The Morning Star
      • Merry Blacksmith
      • Cooley's Reel
      • Drowsy Maggie
    • Hornpipes >
      • Harvest Home
      • Off to California
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Contact
Sentry Page Protection
Please Wait...

LESSON 10: SESSIONS AND VARIATIONS IN IRISH MUSIC


​Sessions

When you get to be a good enough player and know a couple tunes you will more than likely want to try and play in a session at your local Pub. These sessions are a lot of fun and great for your playing. Plus, they love having uilleann pipers in them because lets face it not to many people are crazy enough to play these things.

Sessions Tune sets are usually formatted as follows:

Someone chooses a set of Reels, Jigs, Polkas or Hornpipes and player 3 different tunes 3 different times.

Tune A (3 times)
Tune B (3 times) 
Tune C (3 times)

​Check out the Virtual Session for a better understanding of the structure. 

Before just showing up to a session for the first time and playing I suggest you go and introduce yourself and tell them you are new to sessions and was wondering if maybe they could suggest a couple tunes you could learn so you can play along next time you come. Most people will be more than gear to help out. Go home learn these couple tunes and come back and play them at the session and then ask for a few more tunes and so on and so forth. Eventually, you will have a similar repertoire and will have no problem playing with the group and then that's when the nerves leave and you begin to have a lot of fun.

Below is a good example of what many Pub Sessions are like. 

Variations in Irish Music

As I mentioned above, you will typically play a tune times before switching to another tune and as you might think people get bored playing the exact same tune over and over again so they start to add variations in the tune. This just simple means they play some bars slightly different each time they go around to make the tune more interesting for themselves and the listener. Below I have written out some variations of a reel you already know so you can see what I mean.


​Mountain road with Variations

Picture
Picture

You  can sub these variations in anywhere you like in-order to add additional flavor and complexity to the tune. It's a good idea to listen to other people playing tunes to get an idea for variations and to also make up your own. 

    SIGN UP FOR NEWLETTER

Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Home
  • Lessons
    • Beginner >
      • Lesson 1: Introduction and History of the Uilleann Pipes
      • Lesson 2: Parts of the Uilleann Pipe Practice Set
      • Lesson 3: Uilleann Practice Set Fundamentals
      • Lesson 4: UIlleann Pipe G and Metronomes
      • Lesson 5: Uilleann Pipe F#
      • Lesson 6: Uilleann Pipe E & Half Note
      • Lesson 7: Uilleann Pipe D​, Whole Notes & 3 Blind Mice
      • Lesson 8: UIlleann Pipe A & Legato
      • Lesson 9: Uilleann Pipe B & Tied Notes
      • Lesson 10: Uilleann Pipe C# & Dots
      • Lesson 11: Uilleann Pipe C and the Key of G
      • Lesson 12: UIlleann Pipe Back D & 8th Notes
      • Lesson 13: Easy Songs and 3/4
      • Lesson 14: Uilleann Pipe High E
      • Lesson 15: Uilleann Pipe F#
      • Lesson 16: Uilleann Pipe High G
      • Lesson 17: Uilleann Pipe High A
      • Lesson 18: Uilleann Pipe High B
      • Lesson 19: Uilleann Pipe Tunes Using Both Octaves and 2/4 Time
    • Novice >
      • Lesson 1: Tuning Uilleann Pipe Chanter
      • Lesson 2: Uilleann Pipe Low Hand Strikes
      • Lesson 3: Uilleann Pipe High Hand Strikes
      • Lesson 4: Uilleann Pipe Songs with Strikes
      • Lesson 5: Uilleann Pipe Cuts on Bottom Hand
      • Lesson 6: Uilleann Pipe Cuts on Top Hand
      • Lesson 7: Uilleann Tunes with Cuts and Strikes
      • Lesson 8: Uilleann Pipe Slow Airs and Slides
      • Lesson 9: Uilleann Pipe Vibrato
      • Lesson 10: Repeats, Intro's and Endings
      • Lesson 11: Uilleann Pipe Polkas
      • Lesson 12: Ascending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 13: More Ascending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 14: Descending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 15: More Descending Uilleann Pipe Cuts
      • Lesson 16: Uilleann Pipe Marches
      • Lesson 17: Uilleann Pipe Triplets and Staccato
      • Lesson 18: Uilleann Pipe Hornpipes
    • Advanced >
      • Lesson 1: Uilleann Pipe Rolls in Jigs
      • Lesson 2: Uilleann Pipe Jigs
      • Lesson 3: Uilleann Pipe Rolls in Reels
      • Lesson 4: Uilleann Pipe Reels
      • Lesson 5: Uilleann Pipe Hard D
      • Lesson 6: Uilleann Pipe Ghost D
      • Lesson 7: Uilleann Pipe Short Rolls
      • Lesson 8: Uilleann Pipe Popping
      • Lesson 9: Uilleann Pipe F Natural
      • Lesson 10: Sessions and Variations in Irish Music
      • Lesson 11: Uilleann Pipe D Crans
  • Tunes
    • Airs >
      • Dawn of the Day
      • South Wind
      • Sally Gardens
    • Marches >
      • Mairi's Wedding
      • Song of the Chanter
      • Brian Boru's March
    • Polkas >
      • Britches Full of Stitches
      • John Ryan's Polka
      • Maggie in the Woods
    • Jigs >
      • Garrett Barry's Jig
      • Sporting Pitchfork
      • Kesh Jig
      • Donnybrook Fair
      • Morrison's Jig
      • The Butterfly
    • Reels >
      • Mountain Road
      • The Ships Are Sailing
      • The Morning Star
      • Merry Blacksmith
      • Cooley's Reel
      • Drowsy Maggie
    • Hornpipes >
      • Harvest Home
      • Off to California
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Contact