March of the Kings of Laois - a problem

Uilleann Pipes
1

I am a learner piper and I’m having a roller coaster ride with my pipes. SOme days everything hangs together other days I get shrieks and squeaks or fail to co-ordinate my bellows arm with the air demands of the tune. To cut to the chase - I discovered the music or March of the Kings of Laois and can play a substantial prt of it until I get to a low C. Impossible on my D chanter :sniffle: or is there a work round.

The ABC notation is below and the troublesome bit is highlighted in red



A2F A2D | [D2F2A2]F A2D |
[D2G2B2]G A2F | G2FE2D|
[D2F2A2]F A2D | B>Gd A2G |
F2F E2{FE}D | F>ED G2E |
A3 {B}AGF | E>cG E>GE |
E>cG E>GE| D>ED D>ED | D>ED D2 :expressionless:
|:
B2G d2G | B2{cA}G d2B |
A2d A2F | A2d F2c |
B2e d2A | G>AG E>FG |
F>ED G>AB | A3 AGF|
E>cG E>CE | G>cG E>CE |
D>ED D>ED | D>ED D2:|

TIA

2

Have a look at Mick Coyne’s website: www.uilleannpipestutor.com

He plays a few versions of the March.

3

I think there’s a version on one of the NPU tutor videos, as well. If you’re not using these - why not?

djm

4

Replace the low Cs with low Ds or just do long rolls on E.

5

The Coyne version is really nice for working on chanter control. Listen to the vibratos and stops. He also plays the end part with rolled D’s.

6

Play “ordinary” C not low C for ALL those C’s that you see on that ABC


[cos that’s exactly the way that I play it first time round the tune]


See…its simple, you see!!!


Boyd

[ps I CRAN the D’s and don’t play E in that bit, the 2nd line of your red section]

Some alternatives? Well, the whole of the 2nd half could be completely different, but just looking at your red section:
E3 cE2 G3 cE2
D3 D3 D3 D…

E3 cGE G3 cGE
etc

7

…another version, again, you’ve gotta mess around with it to let it sit properly on the pipes…

X:14
T:March of the Kings of Laois
T:Rory of the Hills
R:march
C:Rory O’Moore
Z:id:hn-march-14
M:6/8
K:Dmix
A2F A2D|A2F A2D|B2G A2F|G2F E>FG|
A2F A2D|A2F A2d|B2d A>dG|F>dF E2D|F>ED G>FE|
A3 A>GF|E>cG E>CE|G>cG E>CE|D>ED D>ED|D>ED D3:|
|:B2G d2G|B>AG d2G|A2d A2d|F2d A>dA|
B2d d>BA|G>FG E>FG|F>ED G>AB|A3 AGF|
E>cG E>CE|G>cG E>CE|D>ED D>ED|D>ED D3:|

8

Most importantly, perhaps…which version/whose version are you listening to ??

Boyd

9

Hi El oscuro, this tune was originally a “Big Pipe”(similar to modern GHB) tune and the lower note was available (as in most European Pipes). In the transition from Pastoral to Uillean pipes the lower note was lost so the only way to get that note is to play it in another key namely A mixolidian (2#). The problem then is that the D drone is incorrect and will weaken the tune.
To my taste loping of the bottom notes seriously weakens the tune, but it’s not a moral issue so make your own mind up.
While I’m here this is an old tune with a version in Playford called “Washington’s March” (1657) and at least 2 pibrochs use the theme.

John S

10

Thanks for the pointer. it’s just what I was after. I like the rest of the stuff there too.

11

The Chieftains and Dan ar Braz are the ones that I listen to. Love them both.