Any breathing tips for a newbie zampogna player?
I can blast noise out of the thing for a few minutes, but run out of puff fairly quickly.
http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/caps/diaphrbreath.html
http://www.musicfactory.co.nz/music/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=44
http://bretpimentel.com/breath-support/
3 for a start,although bagpipes present certain differences from other WW instruments; for ex since the air column pressure is 100% bag dependent, the embrochure need not be tightly formed to control back-pressure, but only need be airtight around the blowpipe.
So let the bag do the work for pressure, much like we let the saw do the work when sawing wood.
Other issues may be the strength of your reeds & airtightness of your bag, none of which are diagnoseable and/or correctable over the internet.
Virtually any [competent] local bagpiper (no matter what they play) can assist in hands on making sure your bag is tight, blowpipe valve responsive, and airway clear & free;
and give helpful tips on keeping the bag pressure steady as you develop your “inhlale & squeeze>>exhale & inflate” cycle;
but you will need a zampognari (or at the very least someone who understands composite double reeds quite well) to adjust your reeds for optimal efficiency & performance. Good luck!
hi, i’ve started to play the zampogna a chiave 1 month ago, so i think that we have the same problems.
To fill the bag (i have a medium molise-pattern bag in windtex) you have to try your own correct way, for example: i prefer few but great breaths, another person could prefer many little breaths.
It’s also important the use of the right arm to control the pressure of the bag and maintain it constant, when you breathe in you have to press a bit the bag, when you breath out you must remove the arm.
Plug the drones with corks
what kind of zampogna have you?
I haven’t really been following this cycle, just inhaling and exhaling and squeezing constantly, thus running out of puff.
Thankyou! Will practice this.
Also, I have not been releasing my arm when I exhale.
@ memling: it has 25 cm closed bell pipes, in the key of G, it has a soprano and a bass chanter, with an alto drone by pipe maker Luigi Ricci
Also, why should I plug the drones with corks??
Plugging the drones (naturally) reduces the air consumption while you are still struggling with the blowing-and-pressing technique, and therefore makes your puff last longer.
The problem is not, that you haven’t got enough breath to keep the instrument going, you just haven’t yet the technique to make it available - by not releasing the bag pressure while blowing, you basically are fighting against yourself.
In the beginning it can be a great help to reduce the air consumption, until your technique is good enough to keep all the pipes going without getting exhausted too quickly. You should keep it plugged until you can play easily for about half an hour.
Your zampogna is a “zampogna a chiave” (= “with key”) of the “molisana” type and “25” size, the 25 being the length of the bigger chanter measured in “pollici” which is a little more than an inch (a thumb’s width).
The small drone is most likely a dummy, so you only have to plug the big one to effectively reduce the air consumption.
Wow, You have my same zampogna! I also have a 25 by Ricci.
another thing, when you try to maintain constant the pressure in the bag, don’t cover the holes on the chanters with your fingers, but left the chanters all open, so you can control better your arms and body