Does anyone else ever wonder whether the great players throw in A and B rolls just to rub our noses in it, i. e., just because they can? I can do a fair A roll, but B rolls just throw me for a loop, as do A short rolls, and I haven’t begun to tackle B short rolls.
Garry Shannon does a set of mazurkas on “Loozin’ Air” that are just to die for. The first one is a very simple tune, but he does the most incredible A short rolls in it (in addition to his variations). Or how about Deirdre Havlin/Deanta’s rendition of King George, the first tune of the Mighty Clansman set? Great A rolls.
On the other hand, I’ll probably have the mechanics of A and B rolls down pat long before I ever be able to give the music the flow of a Garry Shannon, Deirdre Havlin, Frankie Kennedy, or (insert your favorite players here). Both of the tunes I cite above are shining examples – really simple tunes that I’ve worked on a lot, but especially King George, I just don’t feel like I even make it sound musical, nevermind like one of my favorite flute performances. I really think that’s one of the best examples of someone taking a so-so tune and, by sheer will, making great music from it.
On the other-other hand, year ago I never thought I’d have the mechanics or breath use I have now; maybe a year from now I’ll be saying that I have great rolls and musical flow, so it’s time to move on to the harp. NOT
On a whistle, once in a while, I can do an A roll that works. Since I started flute, forget it! But I love listening to the masters, just to know that it can be done.
Meanwhile I’ll take heart from your reports of progress.
Hmm… on the whistle I could do B rolls way before A rolls…
I still can’t do A rolls that well…
On a side note (sorry) I was taught a new “roll” on G last night: a “double” roll or a “double-cut” roll or something. Anyway, if you think A or B rolls are hard try this:
G(A)G(C)G(A)G<F#> → this is played in the same place as the contemporary G(A)G<F#>, so th intial four Gs and in-between notes are in the same place as the G(A)G of the second… since I just learned it, usually I just gag…
The C could be C or C#, since it was on the pipes I think it was probably C…
PS. I don’t know abc, nor do I care to learn, so in the above () means cut and <> means tap, although that should be obvious.
PPS. I think that the F# tap could be a closed chanter thing, so more of a lack of any note at all than an F# tap. This can be approximated on a whistle by slapping all fingers on the bottom hand down (or, as I do, leaving the ring finger down all through and just dropping the other two).
PPS. Never tell someone you are practising slapping your whistle… it sounds bad.
It’s not balancing, 'cause I have much less trouble with them than I ever did on the whistle. Depending on how you separate mechanics and timing, it’s one or the other or both. I think it’s just the crosstalk between the index finger and the middle or ring finger of the same hand. So, sufficiently slowly, the A roll comes out just fine and the B okay (I think the tap with the middle finger still leaves a bit to be desired), but up to speed, the tap is just sloppy and the rhythm sucks.
I was just listening to Garry Shannon’s Mazurkas, and he does something I just hadn’t picked up. He plays a long roll (A{B}A{G}A) in 2/3 of a beat. It’s a triplet on a single note. That’s why it sounds so cool. He does it on d’s, too, in the same set.
Since then, I’ve learned decent A and B rolls on the left hand, though they still need work and are not as crisp as any of my two-handed rolls.
Since acquiring a Bryan Byrne R&R model with relatively small holes – much smaller than the larger holes on my old McGee R&R model – Ive experimented with the two handed rolls again as per that old thread, and they really do work pretty well on this flute. I’m torn now, whether to keep practicing them only with my left hand, or continue to use the (way more comfortable, for old me) two-handed version Brad described. How can such a simple instrument make us face so many conundrums?
If I remember correctly – which it’s fully possible is not at all likely, I admit – you have a number of small-hole flutes. Maybe you can give the two-handed rolls a try. A glottal on the tap (or tip, or whatever you like to call it) part of the roll can help with its clarity.
So much to learn. Sometimes I’m glad for that, and sometimes it sort of makes me despair. Ah, well.
Thanks for the reference to your previous thread, Aaron.
I think in trying to analyze things this evening, my problem with B rolls is that my middle finger doesn’t really go up and down above the A hole. It kind of sweeps fore and aft, which makes for a tap that’s not at all percussive. It’s kind of muddy, not abrupt. I think that’s something I can work on.