Naomi’s Fancy has started recording for our 3rd CD and plan to have some guest musicians on it.
Matt McNeely of Knoxville, TN (or maybe one of it’s surburbs, anyhow,it’s close) recorded this using a Seth Gallagher concert D 3/4 set.
Sean Reid’s / Maid of Mount Kisco
http://web.infoave.net/~slim1919/matt.html
Enjoy!
It sounds nice.
Depends on the use of the track…
If purpose is to put together a CD to sell at gigs for a few bucks then probably ok.
It purpose is to make a serious CD to sell at a reasonable price in commercial venues then polish and re-record as the drones waver, rhythm varies, and the hops into the second octave fail too often for a professional recording.
aawww…c’mon Glands…I’ve heard plenty of ‘serious’ ‘commercial’ pipes recordings that are just as guilty of the sins you refer to 
My personal criticism is that the backing is a tad too monotonous - a few cross-rhythms and some counterpoint would help. Otherwise, not a bad job.
Cheers,
DavidG
I said it sounds nice. Just wanted to make a recommendation based on intent.
I agree. I am wondering if the accompaniment would be able to take a slight detour from what I call a ‘two-step’ rhythm. I mean no disrespect, really, but I think that it may be beneficial to experiment with chord phrasing and rhytm to enhance the ‘hidden treasures’ that are between the notes and embellishments of these tunes. Although it is easier said than done ( or in my case to practice), never settle for a ‘take’ just because you got through it with the least amount of injury to yourself, your instruments and ‘lookers-on’…rather, focus on the melody (voice) of the tune(s), and with care and taste, try and bring forth the richness and value of each and every note without falling back on standard rhythms and basic three chord progressions.
I like this recording. I would like it so much more if it were altered/adjusted to enhance the tunes a mite better.
I enjoyed listening to Matt play those tunes on his Gallagher pipes. How long has he been playing the UPs?
I think he has had them (starting with a practice set) 4 years. I’ll ask him and let you know for sure.
I think he’s been playing about 6 years now, Phil. You helped him get bitten by the bug back in '97 at Swananoa. 
He just got the regs in August this year.
He’s not following the forum just yet. Says he’d rather spend time playing the pipes than reading about playing the pipes! 
Rick
IIRC, he hasn’t been to Swannanoa, that was at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.
I think he has made it to some tionols, but if he had gone to a school (and I had known about it), I would have found some way to go with him.
I remember Matt saying that mine were the first UPs he had heard live. He wanted to play them, so we tried him doing it with me pumping the bellows since he plays left handed. Lots of laughs, that year.
Tempus fugit, doesn’t it, especially when you have a perfect memory (I forget everything)?
Now, what happened during those missing 2 years? <wanders around in a daze, hunting missing years>
Phil,
Right you are, of course. Grandfather Mountain it was.
Had a Brain Fart. 
I’m just glad he’s taken me under his wing. Oh to progress as he has done, and me at my age!
Rick
Ditto! When he visited, I was tempted to toss mine in the trash.
We swapped Burke suprano D whistles while he was here. I think I got the better deal as I can play this one better and it doesn’t hurt my ears. Just the right volume for my taste.
Hey everyone!
Name’s Matt McNeely or buttermilkpiper. Glad to finally have joined in. Thanks for the interest in Sean Reid’s/Maids of Mount Kisco. If there was any drone wavering/inaccurate tempo issues it was probably because this was recorded at 3 or 4 in the morning after a full week of carousing.
I’ve played the pipes since fancypiper introduced me to them at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. This was about 1996 or 1997. After playing a couple years I was led astray by other forms of music. Since a couple months before the Chapel Hill Tionol, I’ve renewed my interest in the pipes whole-heartedly. Eoin O’Riabhaigh’s playing really opened my eyes, as did lessons with Cillian Vallely.
Thanx!
You also forgot to mention the big difference in altitude and humidity between up here at the top of the Blue Ridge mountains and at Hugh G. Gunn’s (AKA fancypicker) down in the foothills.
Lots of fun for me lately, I came down with the shingles and pulled my back trying to get my elderly next door neighbor on his feet after he fell down.
My practice time has vanished…
Welcome…uh…Matt, sorry for the unintended pun.
Welcome aboard Matt! 
Lots of nice folk here and lots of good information. Just don’t let it interefere with your playing time. But I know that won’t happen. 
Rick
Matt,
Did we meet at Ricks house after the Ulster Project dinner early this year? I was there with Zac Leger. Had my old Daye set with me.
Rick, TOm said he had a ball last week at O’Sullivans. Wish I could’a made it.
Tennesse Pipers, UNITE!!!
OK N.C. pipers can too.
Timmy
Tim,
Wish you could have made it as well. It was fun. Any Thursday you’re in town and not on the ship come join us at Sullivan’s. Tom says you’re progressing on the chanter very well indeed.
We had a good house session yesterday. (We try to have one monthly.) Matt played my Daye chanter with his Gallagher set, since Seth has his just now.
We’ve been offered a regular gig at a local Blues bar. Had a blast there last week. Great, appreciative crowd! We put the music under some feet. We shall see how it turns out.
Have you ordered a half-set? Thought I remembered a rumor… I may have mine by December. If he doesn’t have it finished by then, he’ll try to bring it over in Feb. on his next trip to the States.
All the best to you and yours. Come see us when you can.
Rick
What an idjit I am! That should have been a PM to Tim. Sorry.
Rick
well, for what its worth. you got me interested.
Timmy and all,
Yeah we met at Rick’s a while back. Good to hear from ya. So who did you order the half-set from?
Glands, good to hear of your interest. Let’s try to rope everyone together and have a micro-tionol sometime!
A TN pipers club or association would be cool. I’ve been involved with several pipers from NC and WV for awhile, and it would be fun to make new friends here in my home state.