Does anyone out there know if there is or was an equivalent to canntaireacht for Highland pipe band drumming? i.e. a prescribed system of drum-syllables used for teaching? Royce? Thanks.
Patrick
Not as you mean it.
Modern pipe band drumming is a creation really of the last fifty years or so; it split from miltary band drumming as an art form, well, sometime in the 20th century (although seperate drum corps existed much earlier). Canntaireachd in the traditional sense is literally hundreds of years old, on the other hand.
That said, drummers do have a style of vocalising drum beatings which is very much akin to how canntaireachd is most used, as a simple oral aid than as a fully developed musical transmission system. Zip zip ziggety-plop, etc. It’s in no way formal, but it is usually quite distinct to each individual, as is most informal canntaireachd.
Cheers,
Calum
You might find fast results here: http://www.bobdunsire.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/ where there is a drumming forum.
Calum’s on the mark though from what I know (I’m just a piper). Drummers do vocalize the scores but nothing so specific where you can pick out the technique like in canntaireachd. For example in Netherlorn canntaireachd you know that hindarin is a gracenoted low A with a taorluath.
Classical Indian tabla does have a canntaireachd-like dialect that is very complex and specific.
Cheers,
Aaron
Classical Indian > tabla > does have a canntaireachd-like dialect that is very complex and specific.
Djembe players as well use a phonetic system for notation, but it’s nowhere near as codified as the tabla phonetic system, whcih almost amounts to its own language. A great way to learn new rhythms, though. “If you can sing it, you can play it,” as my instructor told me, although I’m not sure this is going to help you any. But, as a font of mostly-useless or obscure information, I feel that my sterling qualities are wasted if I don’t haul them out and bellow my pontifications to all and sundry.
Mark