After having missed an eBay auction for the Brittonized Vignoles practice set, and missing out on an O’Grady half set for $1400, I am about to beat my brains out… but that’s not the point of this post.
I have a set of Northumbrian Smallpipes in F. What I want to know is would that bellows be sufficient to drive an Uilleann practice set? My idea is that this would allow me to put more $ into the Chanter since I already have a serviceable bellows.
Opinions anyone…
… Bueller?
Peace!
Reepicheep
The NSP bellows would work. New uilleann pipes bellows seem to run from $175 to $500.
Sure it would work… it’s just air, after all. The notes and tunes you play won’t have a Scottish tonal quality to them. 
tunes you play won’t have a Scottish tonal quality
And, especially, since your pipes are from Northumberland.
I use my UP bellows for the NSP’s. Richard Evans makes a bellows that is about the same size if not just a wee bit smaller than my current UP bellows…and I have no problem powering a 3/4 set. So, I suspect that if you havea good reed that does not leak, can seal the chanter, etc, you’ll have plenty of air. Go for it!
It would probably work fine. NSP bellows vary. I’ve seen some by Burleigh that are very small indeed; and the Burleigh bellows I used to use took a lot more energy than the nice Liestman bellows I replaced it with. However, it’s all what you’re used to, and if you can run your NSP chanter and drones with the bellows you have now, it will likely be OK for the UPs, IMHO.
Tim
Right.
And the infuence of the music would be… ???
Hint: http://members.aol.com/skyelander/timeline.html
“David I (r. 1124 - 1153) Unity was restored when, on Alexander’s death, David becomes King of Scots. His reign is one of the most important in Scotland’s history, extending Scottish borders to the River Tees, including all of Northumberland. David I institutes many adminstrative changes into Scotland including laws, early schools and gives much land to his Norman friends.”
(besides, it’s easier to spell ‘Scottish’).
Hmmmm…I wonder how the music has evolved over the past 800 years or so? The argument you present would lead one to also assume that current “American music” is to be considered as having been heavily influenced by Spain, Mexico, and native American Indians.
I am a student of NSP’s as well and see it as quite different from Scottish and Irish music. I do see more similarities to Irish as that’s what I’m most familiar with. Perhaps I choose my Northumbrian tunes to enjoy as they are reminiscent of the Irish ones that I like.
Is there such a thing as ‘Northumbrian’ music?
Yes, just as there is Highland, Orkney and Shetland music.
My favourite Shetland tune is “Saddle the Pony”.
djm
Heigh YO-o-o-o-o-o-o-!
Northumbrian music? Why yes. Just follow this link.
Yes. You are a lunatic. Don’t even think of it.
Royce
For more Northumbrian Music info.,
<Northumbrian fiddle music and Northwestern 3/2 hornpipes:
Northumbrian Pipers’ Society: http://www.nspipes.co.uk
Cheshire Rounds: users.powernet.co.uk/mkmarina/tunebook/tunebook.html
Pete Loud’s Collection of north-eastern Fiddle tunes: members.aol.com/DrAJDoyle/music/horn02.html
Great books on the subject include John Playford’s Dancing Master, John of the Greeny Cheshire Way by John Offord (published by the Friends of Folk Music) and Bruce and Stokoe’s Northumbrian Minstrelsy.
FOLKWORKS, based in Gateshead, run great educational programmes in tradional music and also promote many concerts and projects that we have taken part in over the years. They also run the Degree in Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University. For further info go to http://www.musicnorth.org and click on “folkworks”.>
above lifted from http://www.kerrfagan.com
Alan