Set of hornpipes (criticism appreciated)

Whistle
1

So, I’ve been fooling around on whistle for about 8 months now, and right now I’m focusing on learning tunes and getting some sort of repertoire together. I’m primarily a singer, but this past weekend I figured I’d bring a whistle to a gig and play a set as a bit of a test. Not my best performance, but pretty close to what I can get on a consistent basis (aka, I can make it through the tunes at a decent speed with a few slip-ups).

The tunes are “The Flowers of Antrim” and “The Rights of Man,” both of which I learned off of recordings by John Doonan.

https://db.tt/raHIUGbx

I would love to hear if you have anything that I can try out or work on while practicing. My main focus is to get muscle memory up and such so that I can think less about what I’m playing and more about how I’m playing it.

Anyway, back to the tunes!

2

Your rhythm is mainly OK, but goes off in a few places, and I think I’ve identified why: you’re not taking enough breaths in places where it’s natural to do so in the tune. I think you need to breathe earlier - not try to keep playing so long on one breath. The trouble is that you’re then running out, and it’s affecting the rhythm. You also tend to fill your lungs too full at some places as well. So, overall, I think you need to go back to the drawing board, slow way down in practice (as ever!) and really concentrate on getting your breathing sorted out. At this stage, I think you should try and work out an optimum breathing pattern for each tune.

Once your breathing is sorted out, the rest sounds to me like it’s there, thereabouts, or at any rate, coming along nicely!

:slight_smile:

3

First of all, I like 'em, the first much more than the second. I think your playing is nice and hornpipey. You’ve obviously put a lot of thought into your settings and execution, and it shows. Overall, I’d say nicely done. :slight_smile:

But I also agree with Ben that your breathing is getting in the way a bit. You start out trying to get through 8 bars at a time on a breath. But you can’t keep that up, and your breath points get more erratic as you go on. For now, try sticking consistently to 4 bars to a breath throughout these tunes, and I think you’ll find that your breathing clears up.

Flowers of Antrim:

I think you’re overdoing that little “triplet” on the high b pickup at the start of the A part - b/c’/b/a/|gfgd - and it’s distracting. Try just playing the note, which will sound fine. To mix things up, besides your triplet, try cutting into it, or sliding up to it, or “flipping” it with a quick mid-cut {bc’}ba|gfgd (which is different from your triplet).

Your hornpipe triplet on the F# in measure 2 and 6 - |cBcA (3FAF DE| - sounds too lazy, slowing the rhythm. Work on the precise timing of your T3 finger, up and back down, and it will sound cleaner and stronger. For variety, also try omitting the triplet entirely |cBcA FADE| or substituting a run |cBcA (3FGA DE|.

Those “snaps” starting around 1:16 sound very tentative. I like the effect of the snaps. But if you’re going to do them, then do them. :slight_smile: Make them nice and crisp.

Rights of Man:

Your breath fatigue is catching up with you, so the rhythm is not as hornpipey, and sloppier. The little trill-y things you start to inject are distracting, too, and don’t help. You can omit them entirely. Overall, it sounds like you’re trying to do too much with the tune. Keep it simpler.

Again, the high b “triplets” (which are really turns here) are distracting - ga|b/c’/b/a/ bg efga|. Instead, you could try an actual long roll: ga|~b3g efga|.

You can occasionally “bounce” F-sharps especially if you like, but your finger movement has to be quicker if they’re not to sound like single trills. And don’t try bouncing them within a hornpipe triplet. That ends up sounding too busy.

The syncopations you try at 3:18 - |dc d/e/f- fe f/g/a-| - don’t work for me. And they cause you to lose the rhythm in the next measure. I’d omit them. They’re not typical, and variety for variety’s sake adds nothing.

Anyway, hope that helps.

4

My main focus is to get muscle memory up and such so that I can think less about what I’m playing and more about how I’m playing it.

You have some detailed technical observations to think about but I think your own observation is one to hold on to. I’m not sure it’s quite so much the muscle memory that will get you there. you’re a singer, get the tune so you have it in your sleep and the fingers will follow. It’s sounds a little more calculated than expressed at the moment. Keep it simple, play the tune, imagine the step dancer, and you’ll have it soon enough.

Think about this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYvU7oBBgKA

PS. I’m not sure that floor would stand up to the Tulla sets! :smiley:

5

I love that vid. It’s been a favourite of mine for years.

6

was the John Doonan recording played on piccolo? (which he’d be best known for). He had quite a jumpy syncopated way of playing, which I think maybe you’re picking up on in parts of the Rights of Man. I find it a little bit awkward but that may be taste. I haven’t heard the recording though.

7

8

Thanks for the replies, I’ve been taking the advice into consideration while practicing. I do think I was breathing particularly badly in that recording; part of it probably has to do with the fact that I practice on my D whistle most often, which takes less air than the Bb (which I prefer if I’m playing solo). I can get through 8 bars a breath just fine on the D, but on the Bb it pushes it a bit, which tends to screw me up.

Yes, I did learn the tunes from Doonan’s piccolo playing, which I actually quite like. He had a very rhythmic and precise way of playing that appeals to me, and the way he ornaments and varies the tunes never gets in the way of the underlying danceable structure. I get what you mean about “jumpy syncopation,” but I actually like that a lot, since he manages to make the tunes quite interesting while playing to a very strict beat.

9

Just listened to these. I think they’re fine, although I agree that the breathing needs work. Unlike MTG I have no problem with the decorations on high b or with a number of other things he mentioned. It’s nice to hear someone who isn’t trying to sound like Mary Bergin and has a nice musical take on tunes. Keep at it.