The other day, I was trying out one of my student’s chanters and it occurred to me that on occasion I found myself playing a pat that was not a pat. This gradually found its way into my playing over the years, and although I was aware of it, I did not find it to be musically offensive. It has the timing of a pat, but is only a fingering change which changed the timbre of a note, but not the pitch. A single vibrato, if you will, but with the deliberate timing of a pat. Is it still called a pat, or has someone coined a specific term for this?
What do call that little girl?
Ah that’s a patsy, or a tipple, or whatever you will sorr.
Ennis would have probably called it the “Ghost Pat”.
Its called a pitterpat
RORY
Tommy Keane teaches what looks/sounds like what you describe, when playing back D. It cuts the note with a soft effect, and more like a slur. Play back d and lift the B finger slowly and replace. A nice effect in airs. He did tell us who he learnt it from, but memory fails me.
another tip i myself got from tommy keane is to open ghost d finger when playing f# or g - it softens the note and gives it more colour (i especially like the effect of tapping combined with this) - is this the sort of thing you mean?
Probably Tommy Kearney.
RORY