This thread goes to the music, albeit conceptually. I love to play and listen and not being Irish came to this most beautiful form of music relatively late (with the birth of my daughter 12 years ago)and perhaps not with the same innate “feel” for the music. I had the good fortune to study with Bill Ochs for several years enjoying equal parts inspiration and instruction. I’m a bit deficient with respect to playing by ear, mostly because I’m severely time limited and generally use some combination of ear and written. I have a good sense of rhythm but often probably abuse ornamentation. As Bill has said at times (in addition to “Don’t spit into the whistle”), he wasn’t sure what type of music I was playing (Jazz?), but sometimes it sounded okay. My love for this music began with more well-known traditional music on bagpipes and “The Coolin” literally raises the hairs on the back of my neck. Question is, should it be reserved for pipes? I’m learning it now and have 1 whistle recording of it, and find myself saying, geez, this is really better suited for pipes. I hope shortly to change my own mind by making those neck hairs rise up (that’s a good thing)by playing it on the whistle. Any thoughts? I’m starting to get the phrasing down, which I thought a bit more difficult than usual. PhilO
The only version of that fabulous tune I knew of for many years is a vinyl record by the Dubliners, played on a mandolin, or something very similar-sounding. Not too long ago, someone posted a whistle version and I asked myself why I haven’t learned this tune. (Still haven’t) I look forward to hearing your version (hint, hint, see bottom of post). I have a lot to learn about slow airs. I tried writing out an abc version of The Coombe, a slow air from the Chieftains, for someone who asked and couldn’t come up with a timing scheme. I’ll just have to give over the notes. I listen to these airs and just try to get the feel of them. There’s probably a better way. I’ll make it a point to seek out and listen to some recordings and work on it. Good luck and have fun.
(And you thought I’d be helpful.)
Tony
PhilO
Sounds like you are on a quest for ambience and a more ethereal sound from your playing in order to mimic the haunting sustain that is natural to the pipes (in particular to contemporary recordings of airs like ‘The Coolin’
What I have done in a case like yours is to get hold of a small second hand amplifier with reverb. My inexpensive Shure p.a. microphone I run through a 500 ohm ‘in’ 50 K ohm ‘out’ Line Transformer ($10 from Tandy or Maplins) . . . I needed this to get sufficient volume . . . but you could perhaps buy the right mic. for the job from the outset.
A microphone stand you could lash up as necessary.
The net effect of reverb or ‘Hall effect’ for tunes like The Coolin is inspirational.
Regards . . . Tony P.
I did a version of that on Clips and Snips a while back, that I just used a little reverb with Goldwave, and I thought it a very nice piece.
I played it at my grandfathers graveside this last June. VERY emotional piece for me, but beautiful as well.
Brian~
[ This Message was edited by: Brian Lee on 2001-10-10 20:02 ]
Thanks guys; good ideas all. Tony - I promise that I’ll get this tune in to you. PhilO
AW CRUD!
I just checked, and I remembered my version was about 700 megs, so too large to post to Clips and Snips. I sent it via email to several members of the community here, and if any of them still have it saved and care to make themselves known, I bet they’d send it off to ya!
Sorry about that!
B~
I’m one of the ones Brian Lee sent his mp3 of The Coolin to — send me your email addy, PhilO, and I’ll email you a copy. Thanks for sending it out, Brian - it is a lovely piece. There’s two other versions on Clips&Snips, one somewhat shorter, one a lot shorter. The one by Arto Vallivirta on a Sweetone unaccountably downloads as coolinjMcHaffie.mp3 … go figure.
For anybody that’s keeping track, a full set of Clips&Snips files is now over 100Mb, for over 5.5 hours of music. Wheee! Guess what I’m listening to …
Jake
Hey Jake,
Can I ask that you send it back to me as well?? 
I’d like to archive it this time. Thanks!
Bri~
May I request a copy from someone please? I’ve listened to PV O’Donnell play it on the fiddle, and would love to be able to play a simple version myself. The version in O’Neil’s is daunting, to say the least.
Would some kind soul emal it to me too, please…i think Brian sent it do me but somehow lost it when I tried to save it…I think. Course for all I know it could be lurking somewhere in the system…Thanks a bunch. Gm
I too would love a copy of the Coolin and the Coombe,I’ve been lookin for them for some time now.
thanks,Tansy
Another 2 beautiful versions of the Coolin are to be found on “A Chieftains Celebration”. “No. 6 The Coombe” is on “The Best of the Chieftains” if that’s the right Coombe!
Best wishes, Tom
A search for ‘The Coulin’ turned up several places. It seems the spelling Coulin/Coolin appears to be exchanged.
This MIDI file with a listing of the words.
http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/eire/coolin.htm
and an MP3 file at:
http://www.openface.ca/~congo/coulin.html
and some piping background at:
http://www.uilleann.nl/homepages/kevinRowsome/albums/kelero001/18.html
more reference as: Tho’ the Last Glimpse of Erin, at:
http://www.contemplator.com/folk6/thoerin.html
more reference:
http://www.clubi.ie/ocmp/brass.html
more reference:
http://www.petemcdonald.com/lyrics.html
words and sound file:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~irelandlist/lyrics.html#coolin
album listing with sound file:
http://stage.vitaminic.it/celtic_spirit/
Uilleann pipe album listing:
http://www.cranfordpub.com/recordings/Rowsome.htm
[ This Message was edited by: Tony on 2001-10-13 10:04 ]
Yes, the true version of The Coombe is the one on Best of the Chieftains. Pure magic.
And Brian, send me The Coolin. I’ll post it on Clips and Snips so everyone can hear it. Don’t worry about file size. I’ll work with it.
John McHaffie, how are we for server space??
Tony