I like that, whistling in the depths. 
Kind of bad if you get hit by enemy sonar though.
Kind of bad if you get hit by enemy sonar though.
The guy on the enemy’s sonar will be, eh, surprised to hear that
Well. There’s one more problem with my playing that was not pointed here, but is pointed by various people very often. People say that in different words, but the thing they mean is that I play “mechanically” and do not “feel the music”.
Yes, that’s true, I listen my recordings and realize that it’s not actually music, but mechanically produced flow of sounds.
There were two or three times when I felt like “damn, that’s real! i’m making music!” - but only a few times after almost two years of playing. Here’s one of these - youtube](http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=gLDNNnrlFko%22%3Eyoutube) link - and this recording of mine is MUCH better than any of others. I have no idea how to repeat that.
Is it possible - to learn to “feel the music”? What should I do?
Drink heavily?
Stay Hoopy,
Mike
Drink heavily?
Does not work. I’ve made a few tries, ranging from “a bit” to “heavily”, and then listened the recordings next day. No.
Alcohol gives you that feeling “yeah, my music’s sooo cool”, but you sound (well, ok, I sound) not better, but much worse.
Yeah, I was being puckish.
Well, try playing a song you really believe in.
Well, try playing a song you really believe in.
I do. That does not help.
I think rhythm is the key. Feel the rhythm, play the rhythm. This is easy to miss on a melodic, non-percussive instrument like whistle. Remember that reels and jigs etc. are dance music. Think about dancers, playing in a way that makes you want to tap your feet, move your body, and get up and dance. Experiment with phrasing, to drive the tune forward. Imagine the sound of pounding feet or drums as you play. Feel the emotion and energy of the tune, the elusive “lift” or “nyaa”. Let your whistle sing. Don’t relax too much when you play. Sweat a little. Giving life to a tune is hard work!
Amen to that!
BTW, there was only one email after that TSO](http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/19595%22%3ETSO) thread I left on their board. Maybe anyone here?
OK, some news.
I’ve got a new mic. Pretty cheap one, it was $50 for a mic and $45 for a mic stand Shure PG-48. Also I’ve got a stereo adapter instead of mono one, so I have only left channel in my recordings. Will fix that soon.
Here’s a quick test: http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=pILOgF6EvXw
( that hen-line ‘pok-pok-pok’ was bad idea, as I see now And I should practice with the metronome more. )
Transcontinental band has 4 members now (counting myself), and now we’re trying to ho something. Wish us luck
One more thing. I woke up with some tune in my head this morning. Can’t remember what’s that. I tried to play it, but I’m pretty sure I got it wrong. Here’s the mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/nfgs59
Sounds scottish, maybe the 1st part of some march or strathspey. Does anyone know what’s that?
OK, guys from TSO helped me in identifying the tune I posted in prev message. It was Tha Mi Sgith, a strathspey from one of my favorite Silly Wizard’s CDs. How could I forget?
I got it almost right, except for the key - Am, not Em. Learned the full tune and recorded it: http://ru.youtube.com/watch?v=h0xSr_R8GbM
Got a new whistle. Harper high D, “Overton Light” as called by one of fellow whistlers.
That’s a nice one. Louder than any of whistles I had before, and has plenty of backpressure (but not too much). Good thing is that I feel the control of it, bad thing is that I have to work hard to keep that control while playing But that’s OK.
Learned two tunes by ear. Spent lots of time (smth like 4 hours each), but finally got it - thanks to Amazing Slow Downer. First is Lord Mayo march, as played by Lunasa, second is Snowy Path slip jig, as played by Slainte (does anyone know that band?).
Slainte plays that tune on fiddle, with no ornamentation except some slides. That’s OK for slowplay slipjig on fiddle, but on whistle that sounds a bit dull. I checked my hard drive for more recordings of that tune and found Altan’s version. Fiddle and flute there - and no ornamentation again. Bad luck.
Does anyone have whistle/flute/UP recordings of that tune where it is played with some ornaments? I can’t think out any of my own 
OK, I’m back here, after pre-NY rush and after-NY flu. Being ill while living alone and having no medical insurance is a bad, very bad idea.
My playing was stagnating lately, for the same old reason: no goals to aim at. No sessions, no band, the transcont project goes way too slow, etc. But!
I don’t know why didn’t that idea come to me before. No sessions in Moscow? OK, but there is one in Kiev! (oh, sorry, not Kiev but Kyiv, that’s how they write it on the map now). 900 km south-west, one night in train for one way, $75 for roundtrip ticket, and no visa needed. And a great ITM session, leaded by members of well, the best “celtic folk” band of ex-USSR - Rún.
I’ve got the tickets, now trying to learn at least something from their session tunebook. Going there at Jan, 18. Can’t wait!
…chiffboard is evil. I’ve spent here only half of an hour, and the WhOA itch is back. Grrrrr.
My Harper Classic is great. I do not need any other whistle now. And will not need any other whistle in next 6 months. Especially in low G. And in low A also. Even if it is only 65% of retail price. Amen.
BTW. People are selling! Lots of F/S threads, with lots of great whistles, and for low prices. Maybe 3-4 months ago it was not surprising when folks put some burke or overton here for 90% price and it was sold, now prices are down to 60%. What’s going on? Is that some after-christmas relief, or that’s the financial crisis that makes people part with their instruments?
Hell yes!!! 
Solas are coming here at Jan, 31th. And there will be not only a concert in a big hall, but an afterparty with a session in a small pub also - for those who know
And I’m leaving to Kiev tomorrow. So, now I’m somewhat closer to happiness than usual.
And even the fat bitch lady from apt below who hates me and my whistle and tries to drive me out from this apt, can’t spoil that.
No, we did not reach Kiev. (there were two of us, me and my friend, flute player.) In Bryansk we were taken from the train by russian border guards for outdated passports. These were nice friendly guys (you don’t expect that from someone in military uniform here) with soft south-russian accent. They took the $15 fine (a real fine, not bribe) and told us where the railway station is.
What the hell?!! Russian border guards never cared about that! Ukrainian ones sometimes did, but mainly to get a bribe. Seems that fucken gas conflict made them more stern.
Anyway, we’re back in Moscow now, and won’t get to Ukraine in next month or two, before we get the new documents.
Epic fail.
Made some recordings yesterday. One reel from Kiev session tunebook, and one jig for transcont.
Musical Priest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMVeuhbSLIU
Tenpenny Bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTG9ypXr-F0
Here’s my old problem again: speed in reels. In musical priest, the metronome was set to 82 or 86 bpm, I don’t remember. My maximum “comfort speed” in reels is 90 bpm. If I want to speed up to a regular 110-120 bpm, that takes lots of work, kills the ornamentation (which is not too rich even when slow) and the life (which is even less rich then ornaments). After that I sound like someone who pretends to be a midi player, but fails.
So I gave up that “speeding up” some time ago. And now play reels only in that turtle tempo. There are no sessions here, so that’s not a problem, but I hope that one day I will play not only with metronome - and what will I do then?
The most obvious thing is to increase the speed in steps, maybe 1 BPM at a time. Works for most people.
You’ve mentioned about feeling and “life” in the music. I think you’ll be better off if you don’t focus too much on that.
Like MTGuru said. There’s some key elements in the music, such as rhythm, and one can improve them.
There is of course feeling in the sense of what fits good in the music. But it’s just as technique, one can practice it, with the exception that some have a better knack for it than others. Each person has a threshold though. I don’t think a person who plays for 1-2 years reaches his.
Could have written this directly to you on instant messaging, but I like when other people can read and discuss.