How long does a trance last?

[Geff Crawford]

You know those times when you're playing in a jam and everybody gets
into that trance state? I was in one at Fiddle Tunes back in the late
90s led by the Canotes, playing "Booth Shot Lincoln" for at least 20
minutes--before they remodeled 204 so it wasn't 204 any more (it's a
building). The simplest of tunes, but it has enough to it so that 20
minutes wasn't too long. I guess it depends on the tune and the people,
but I wondered where 20 minutes fit on the bell curve.

Geff

[Joel]

Curiously, 'trance' is an anagram of 'canter'. Perhaps you need a
loping gait while you play. Kind of like Uncle Dick Hutchison.

Joel

[Joel]

I just realized that 'trance' is also an anagram of 'recant'. Perhaps
one needs to forswear one's oath to abhor and abominate bluegrass
music and start playing three-finger banjo. There's a middle ground
available here - trying to play like Obray Ramsey. It doesn't get much
better than that, after all.

Joel

[FeralReason]

> Joel- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Grinned when I saw the title of this post but on thinking about it, I
have experienced these moments and I suspect there is something
neurophysiological going on. Certain Irish tunes seem to work
especially well for me, e.g. "The Musical Priest." Maybe you are on to
something -- perhaps some of the tribal reasons (and roots) for some
of this music relate to this phenomenon.