San Diego Folk Song Society

Come on over and join in the pickin' and singin'

The San Diego Folk Song Society meets every second Sunday of the month, from 2:00 to 6:00 PM, at Old Time Music in North Park. A special leader picks a theme and leads the song circle. The leader starts the circle off, plays some songs related to the theme, then the rest of us follow, playing theme related songs, first time around the circle. After that, it's open choice. So please join us, for an exciting musical time, sing some songs, just listen, play your instruments and enjoy being a part of the great folk tradition.

 

Old Time Music
2852 University Avenue
San Diego, CA. 92104-2930
Telephone: (619) 280-9035

www.SDOldTimeMusic.com

MAP

Bob Page, the owner of Old Time Music, wants us to feel at home and help make Old Time Music the premier traditional music store in San Diego. He has requested that a couple of rules be adheared to.

        Please!....

  • No Food in the meeting room, so no refreshments will be had at our meetings.
  • Do not handle or sample the store's musical instruments that are on display and take care to
    respect and protect the floor displays and wall displays.

Water bottles are okay.

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If you have ideas for themes, suggestions for circle leaders (yourself or others) or just want to talk or vent, e-mail me at allens@allensinger.com. See you at our next meeting. Until then, keep on pickin' and singin'!

--Allen Singer

 



2009

 

Next Meeting: Sunday, November 8th, 2009 ---- 2:00 - 6:00 PM
Location: Old Time Music, 2852 University Ave., San Diego

Theme: "Songs of Recapitulation"

Leader:  Allen Singer

 

 

To celebrate another aging milestone (my new Medicare card), I'm going to recall time and places I've been and bring back songs I've sung along my improvised musical journey. I figure that as long as I'm breathing, I'll have songs to sing and musical memories that recapitulate life's many turns, detours, dead ends, and open road journeys.

Let's all dig into our musical memory trunks and sing songs that recall people, places, events, and musical times that are now a part of our lives. Sometimes memory lane can be more than just another nostalgia trip!

 

 

There will not be a December 13, 2009 Meeting.
Best wishes for a Happy Holiday to all!

 

 



 


TAKE A BREATH, CLOSE YOUR EYES, SING OUT, AND PLAY ON!

I've noticed that some people are still uncomfortable and scared performing at our monthly song circles. All musicians experience anxiety and a fear of not doing well some times. The best way to get beyond these fears is to practice your songs at home, play more often with other people, and enjoy the fun of performing. Nobody is evaluating your song circle performance. We get together to listen, learn, play together, and have a great time. I realize we have people with a variety of musical instruments, talents and skill levels. Our song circles offer us a great learning experience where we can pick along and improve our playing, while widening our song knowledge and singing experience.

We all got involved with our instruments because of the joy and satisfaction the music brings to us. The best way to get past the nervous fingers and voice is to play and let the music out. Mistakes are the roadmap for later improvement with practice. When I practice, I test my musical limits to learn, listen, perform, and extend my music vocabulary. Your ear, skills and musical intuition are great guides. Practice slowly and speed up as you develop your material. I find that nothing's more uncomfortable than a "rushed" song. So next time, take a breath, close your eyes, sing out, and play on. It works all the time and nobody will mind if you make mistakes!

--Allen Singer

 

 

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Epitaph on the headstone of a blues musician: “I didn't wake up this morning”

 

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© Copyright San Diego Folk Song Society 2005 - 2009