There seem to be two schools of thought to the presence of mechanical sounds in piping: one where all non-musical sounds are silenced at all costs and one where the clackier the better. I am of the former camp, having grown up playing clarinet where great effort is applied to grease and cork everything that could possibly detract from your performance. And I bring that to my pipes, with much work being done to silence everything that is not music (mostly the corking of keys, especially the regulator keys). [As a bonus, most corking reduces the ‘throw’ of the key (the arc it travels from closure to full-open stop). Almost all keys on the pipes overthrow in my opinion…but that might just be the ol’ clarinetist in me talking.]
There are plenty of examples where it appears that no corking or silencing has been done to a set of pipes, and every click-clack-thunk is present and part of the performance (again, most notably on the regs).
I think I like the sound of things happening, to some degree. Concertina recordings have this. I think for fluting, I wouldn’t want to hear fingers slapping on the body, but I like to hear the player breathe. Piping; some light clicking leads me to believe things are alive.
I love the mechanical sounds. Same thing with an antique pipe organ where you can hear the action of the keys and tremendous chiff as the pipes speak. There’s something about the artifice peeking through the music that I find really engaging.
This question is really subjective, and not at all pipe specific. My mom couldn’t stand any guitar recording that involved the grating sound of the player’s fingers dragging across metal-wrapped strings. Come to think of it, that annoys me too.
So I’m in the “less mechanical noise is better” camp. The pipes aren’t a percussion instrument, they’re a woodwind instrument. I want to hear wind resonating through wood, not keys smacking into it.
For me there’s plenty enough to make pipes sound “alive” in the music itself, and in the passion the player puts into it. Since when is there any danger of uilleann pipe music ever sounding too perfect? On the contrary, the real trick is to make it sound like you aren’t slaving over some cobbled-together Rube Goldberg contraption.
You can enjoy sausage better without having to listen to the meat-grinder crunching and squishing away.
–Mick (who has yet to add the cork to the undersides of his reg keys that TommyKleen suggested, like, 4 mos. ago)
P.S. Put yet another way: too much extraneous noise screws up the Fourth Wall, which is fragile enough for pipers, if you ask me.
It’s just more natural sounding, more intimate. The imperfections are the parts of the performance that I find the most rewarding on multiple listens.
Much of this feeling has been lost in modern recording technique. A record is a document, a point in time. The more sheen you add the less of the original performance makes it through. This is especially true in trad and in pipes.
I’m not suggesting you record straigh to wax or anything like that, but you have to respect the instrument.
When it’s down to the performer and how ‘greased up’ the set is would be personal preference. I’m for having the noises occur naturally. No less or no more than they normally would.
I’m for having the noises occur naturally. No less or no more than they normally would.
The problem with recording is that the microphones are placed up close, magnifying sounds that would not otherwise be intrusive. Concertinas that are perfectly fine when you sit next to them can suddenly become overwhelmed by the clacking of the pads returning to their rest position for example. Same for clicking reg keys or the closing of the bellows valve on the pipes.
Clicking reg keys or farting valves are unnecessary additions that are best, and easily, avoided.
I like some click and clack, even the occasional stomping foot. I like these imperfections because they sound authentic. Which is why I enjoy listening to old recordings of Séamus Ennis, or Willie Clancy. Even in Jimmy O’Brien’s new album Take Me Tender, it has occasional bellows sounds, and clicks and clicks of the reg keys. And I think in some of Ennis’ recordings you can hear him humming, or that’s something else. I like these imperfections because they sound authentic, and played on the fly.
The pianist Glenn Gould could frequently be heard humming along, while he played on the piano because of his echolalia, which I sort of have.
is anyone familiar with the peculiar noises keith Jarrett makes when he’s playing? I’ve never heard anyone else do this - i understand some of his fans see it as a bit distracting
I think it’s called echolalia. glenn Gould did it too.
Autistic people(such as myself) have been known to do it, especially musicians. Not that I’m saying Keith Jarrett is autistic, but it’s just a thought…
I remember seeing a Brilliant quote somewhere, I don’t remember who said it, but they said
This: If it isn’t perfect, change it. If it still isn’t perfect, change your attitude.
Not that I’m telling anyone to do so, but I run by this philosophy, and it really helps me for things like this.
It doesn’t seem to be echolalia as far as I can see. Except that I’m pretty sure that you’re not the only one to use the word for this purpose, ennischanter, so maybe it now is used for that. As far as I can see, the musician grunting thing is just a phonic tic. I think it’s quite common for musicians to do this.
The noiser the better. I like all the clicking, breathing (flute), rude valve noises, wheezing, foot stomping, Keith Jarrett’s moans and groans, piper’s facial expression, groanings, etc. Makes it all real in some way. The pipes are what they are, an organic, close on untameable beast of an instrument, not some prissy instrument in a classical ensemble
Two answers from me.When listening to live performers its part of the deal and adds to the atmosphere of the performance,but if I buy recorded music I want to hear the music not a load of other stuff that does not belong there .
“Echolalia,” according to my computer, who is generally right about these things, is “Meaningless repetition of another person’s spoken words as a symptom of psychiatric disorder.” ennischanter says he may have it, and thinks Glenn Gould may have suffered from it.
Huh, anthropomorphized my Toshiba laptop there. Bet it hates that. Also attempted to write “accordion to my computer”…time for lunch.
Humming while playing I associate with the true greats - Andy McGann, Erroll Garner, etc. The McGann/Reynolds LP is full of “uggghhhhrrrhhhh” and the like. Discussion: Jazz pianists who make weird humming noises during their improvisations. They mention KJ right off the bat. Didn’t know Jarrett did that. I do remember reading about how he would scream at audiences for making even the slightest of noises while he did his thing, whatever that is exactly, lasts half an hour and is pure piano soloing, right? Oh goody! More of that and now, sir! Sounds like the very embodiment of fun!
Noisy clack valves were a big part of the original Chieftains sound. Downhill ever since if you ask me…
