I’ve been playing a whistle for about a month and am using the Larsen book as well as various websites to get the basics. I’m working on rolls and need some advice: I’ve read that the spacing between the initiation of the tone, the cut, the strike, and the ending of the tone should all be equal. And that’s what it sounds like when demonstrated slowly. But when speeded up, the cut, strike, and tail end tone sometimes seem shorter than the initial tone. Sometimes the roll sounds like a short blip at the the end of the note.
I just don’t want to practice speed drills using the wrong timing and have to unlearn.
What you’re hearing is correct – the timing in rolls varies, depending on speed, amount of swing, personal preference, etc. Rolls are very flexible things that people writing explanations like to pigeonhole for some reason…
[What you’re hearing is correct – the timing in rolls varies, depending on speed, amount of swing, personal preference, etc. Rolls are very flexible things that people writing explanations like to pigeonhole for some reason…]
Thanks - I’m a retired engineer and played classical guitar for years (until my arm was injured) so I tend to get a bit overly analytical. Any suggestions for a first jig/reel to get my speed up?
I liked your compositions! What kind of whistle are you playing? I have a Feadog high D which I love, a Clarke Sweetone D and C, and a Walton D. I’ve just ordered a Feadog Pro D. Having a lot of fun.
Hmmm… looking at the Larsen book (at least the one I have), what jumps out at me are “Jimmy Ward’s Jig” and “Rose in the Heather” – both are pretty simple, good jigs for practicing rolls, and hopefully if you’ve got the book, you’ve got recordings of them to listen to.
I liked your compositions! What kind of whistle are you playing?
You’re too kind. Most of the recordings there are an O’Riordan Traveler D. Though at the moment I’m mostly playing my new Humphrey “Trad” D – it’s enough different from the O’Riordan that I think that learning to control it properly will be good for my playing.
Sol is right, rolls are an much an art as a mechanical technique, with subtle variations of timing and execution. But the reason for pigeonholing them is that you have to start somewhere. And a clean, even roll is a good starting point.
There’s also a remarkable aural illusion involved. Sometimes you hear a roll and it sounds like some spectacular finger-twisting blur of notes. But slowed down, it turns out to be an ordinary “dah blip blip” roll, played fairly evenly. It’s the melodic context that magically transforms it.
So I’d say don’t be afraid to practice mastering perfectly even rolls of all the types Larsen describes – long, short, condensed. When you’re ready to experiment with variations, you’ll have a solid starting point. And a dead even roll is one of the musical choices you want to have anyway.
One of my favorite variants is what I’ve heard described as a “bouncing ball”, where the roll starts slowly then accelerates like a ball bouncing on a table. Very effective with long extended rolls and devilish hard to do.
some weeks ago it did not manage to understand very well where and like applying the rollers, but after practicing by 3 days followed without stopping I have but dominion of these.
I recommend the page to you Web of rogermillington.com, and its technique of: Daah-Baah-Blaah. It practices, it practices and I assure to you that you managed to do them well, I recommend to you to practice with the song DonnyBrook Fair, has many opportunities of roll! so to practice friend! luck!