I just saw this video of Brian Finnegan playing Rolling in the Ryegrass and I’m completely baffled how he ornaments the A and G notes at the start of each measure in the first part of the song. It sounds like a short roll but I can’t see his fingers move. Either his fingers move faster than I can see or he’s tonging REALLY fast. I’m in awe. Does anyone have any idea what he’s doing and how to do it?
And, Hi! I’m new here.
He’s tonguing really fast. 
The very first roll in the clip is a normal long A roll (3 beats). Those others are not rolls but tongued triplets.
We asked Brian about these last weekend, and he said that his usual preferred articulation is T-T-L (tootle-loo), not the more commonly used T-K-T or T-T-K of triple tonguing. The reason being to soften or smooth out the effect. But you can use whatever combination of T/D K/G and L/R syllables suits you.
These triplets are the equivalent of bowed trebles in Northern fiddling style. They can be thought of as substitutes for 2-beat short rolls (3AAA , or as part of a 3-beat substitute (3AAA A for long rolls.
Of course, finger articulated rolls are more the “norm”.
In workshop, Brian also talked about applying various combinations of tongue articulation on top of finger articulation. For example, applying T-T-L to fingered long rolls, or to (3Bcd triplets.
Oh, and welcome!
Nice of Brian to let you know how he does it. I asked Sean Ryan last year how he does his particular brand of triple tonguing and he said “I don’t know, really, it just sort of happens”. I’m not complaining - Sean’s a lovely bloke, and one of my all-time favourite players - but it’s good when someone like Brian can give us lesser mortals more of a hint.
Learn new stuff all the time. I love this place.
Thanks Mr Guru of immoderation! I didn’t expect to get such an informed answer so quickly. This place is brilliant!
The tonguing at the start reminds me of many Scottish pipe tunes.
The tune could be Mixolydian, there are no C’s or C#'s.
Is there a Scottish connection?
Welcome to the C&F forums SkipJack.
I just thought I would mention that the video is extracted from the whistle tutor Brian Finnegan made for the Mad for Trad series of interactive tutorial CD’s. And he does describe some of his techniques in the text of the tutorial.
Feadoggie
Indeed. I had a experience similar to yours at a B/C box workshop with Paddy O’Brien a few years ago. I really wanted to know how he handles fingering in the 2nd octave, and got a “wiggle your fingers” sort of answer. Very disappointing.
Brian, on the other hand, took pains to make sure that he answered any questions properly, and that his explanations were understood.
I really can’t stress enough what a decent guy Brian is. Modest, friendly, enormous talent, and very giving of his time and counsel - a powerful combination. He’s fully aware and in control of his technique and his deviations from the “norm”, and takes the attitude that any expressive device the whistle is capable of is a candidate for the ITM palette. The criticism sometimes tossed at him bothers him not one iota. And for what it’s worth, he played through several tunes in straight ITM style* that would raise nary an eyebrow at any session.
[* This is very much in keeping with my “pay your dues” view of innovators like Brian Finnegan, Eileen Ivers, Martin Hayes, at al. But that’s a different topic. ]
We had maybe 2 hours of informal chat time with him in all. And after the concert he invited me and a few friends back to his place for tunes with himself and Bill Coulter (which we had to decline because of time). But at the end of the day, it felt less like an event, and more like having made a new friend.
Interesting that you should raise that, Hans. One of the things Brian made clear is the influence of highland piping and pìobaireachd ornament on his style (and by implication, his compositions), at least conceptually. I asked him specifically about Scottish whistling, and he named a number of influences, including some Scottish pipers, fluters and whistlers - while acknowledging the relative weakness of whistle and flute in Scottish trad. But it seems to me that if one were to seek a synthesis that represents modern Scottish whistling, Brian’s unique approach might well be it.
MT wrote:
The very first roll in the clip is a normal long A roll (3 beats).
Normal in that its fingered and not tongued but isn’t he using his little finger to cover the 4th hole for the tap at the end of that first A roll - was there any discussion about that MT?
thanks for sharing - cool thread - I love being on this ITM road.
Cheers,
Deisman
No, not exactly. It only looks like it in the vid. But follow along …
Here, in book order, are captures of 3 video frames surrounding the tap of that first roll (the cut occurs 2 frames earlier):
As he executes the tap, his curled little finger (pinkie, T4) extends out and lands near the ends of his B1 and B2 fingers, which are hovering above the whistle. Then the little finger withdraws, as his right hand prepares for the F#. In the second frame, with the pinkie at full extension, you can clearly still see the open B1 hole between the T3 finger and pinkie. The little finger never actually touches or covers the hole.*
This physical “linkage” between the T3 and dancing top pinkie is pretty common; I sometimes do it myself on G taps and A rolls. And on smaller whistles it’s definitely possible to tap T3 and B1 together with those fingers. But the purpose of moving the little finger is not to tap B1, but to facilitate movement of T3.
Of course, just tapping B1 alone without T3 does nothing to the A, since it produces no distinct change of pitch or “blip” on most whistles (including the Goldie/Overton D).
Brian did talk in general about using 2-finger taps to produce stronger taps, but not in this situation. As far as I could tell watching him live, he plays his A taps normally with one finger T3.
Thanks for the clarification and additional information MTGuru