regarding the low B to high E interval:
should this be difficult? any hints? does one have to grace on high f sharp for example?
regarding the roll in high E:
i am finding this very difficult if i cut with the A finger as you would in the lower octave. but much easier if i cut with the f sharp finger. is that okey technique?
thanks in advance. its always good.
meir
Grace with a high F#, you mean? Getting a high E from low B shouldn’t be difficult at all, just a momentary closure of the chanter is needed, and a very small increase in bag pressure. I lead from the back D or high Eb a lot, too, from these notes the E will be in the high octave automatically if the reed and chanter are working properly.
F# sounds a bit abusive or harsh as a grace note for E to me. I believe most pipers use the same graces in the high octave as the low, and most use the A for gracing the notes in the bottom hand. It shouldn’t make a high E fail, perhaps your reed is playing too hard.
Keep at it!
Meir, another source of problems here can be that you are not closing some holes completely, or that you do not have the chanter closed off against the popping strap (or whatever you use) completely. This is one of my own bugbears for E in the second octave. Nothing seems to cure it but constant, slow, repetitive practise of the fingering to get the finger habits correct.
djm
I’d actually suggest you don’t close the chanter. Depending on how constipated your reed is, a very sloppy slide from something like a ghost D to E should give you a very smooth, quick, legatto, seemless jump from low B to high E. Experiment with closing the chanter to sort-of-leaky-closing the chanter with ghost D not very well or firmly covered for a leaky squealish feel at first but slide instanly into E and it should be smooth. You should basically be able to get high E by accident most of the time without trying or closing at all, but it does tend to be more stubborn from B for some reason. If you’re really working to get a high E from any note on the lower octave you have a reed/chanter problem.
Royce
Meir
I’d grace the e/E with g/ G ie cut the e with your lower hand index finger.
Try that, Doctor, and see if it cures it!!
Personally, I think the upper octave needs good closing of the chanter, [unless perhaps if the reed is really light.]
Boyd