This is an offshoot of another thread but I thought a new thread was warranted. Just curious in terms of years, not the 21 issue ..at what point did you personally feel the Pipes were a “breeze” to play??
I undertstand its different for each person and the definition of “breeze” is subject to interpretation and I know the humble among us will not admit that there even there… but at some point we all must say to ourselves ..yah…I got it! When did that occur?
I’d put it this way…I could finlly do what I wanted to accomplish, ie, play the tunes I wanted to play, with reasonable ease, after I got EXCELLENT reeds. After that, it truely did become about as easy as playing a Bflat whistle, at least mine is close if everything is in order. That’s what I’d shoot for, maybe a little less. I’m sure there are easier sets than mine to play.
Also remember the flat sets are, by virtue of their own dynamics, easier to play.
If you can play complicated reels up to tempo on a Bflat whistle, and maybe you have trouble slowing down, then you’d find an excellent set of uilleann pipes easy, after you get the fingering down, and after playing for a couple or three years. I once heard Aly Bain, flute player with The Boys of the Lough, play the uilleann pipes. Now he’s no piper, but the set he played made him sound like a breeze.
I agree w/ Lorenzo. Poorly reeded pipes could make you give up playing.
If you look at it from the opposite of how Lorenzo has put it, then it will never be easy if you have an iffy chanter or bad reeds. If you don’t have to battle with pressure and tone, you can focus on the music and suddenly it all makes sense.
By the way if you meant Cathal McConnell not Aly Bain as the Boys’ flute player, maybe twenty years ago I saw Cathal with a (half set I think) and I thought he was stuggling a bit. I don’t think he ever got too far along with the pipes and I haven’t heard him play them for many years.
Ken
Right. Cathal…wow, been too many years. 