Sliding F

Uilleann Pipes
1

I am in the NPU 2 video, and it is mentioned that there a number of ways to slide the F note. However, the one way shown (chanter off leg-opening the top E hole-sliding the finger off the F hole) doesn’t sound so great on my chanter (Gallagher). Albeit part of it is probably my technique at this point, but what are the other “number of ways to slide the F”?
Thanks!
Ailin

2

Slides usually work better if you first open the note below the one you want to slide, e.g. to slide F, lift the E finger first, then slide open the F. This is done fairly quickly (opening the E), so that you don’t really hear the E note sounding separately. Make sense?

djm

3

djm
Last night I tried just opening up both E holes and sliding the F finger off, keeping the chanter on the leg, and it sounded much better, much more like the demonstration in the NPU video. I am not sure if that is what you meant but thanks for the help!
Ailin

4

Okay, so now try it all the way up the chanter, i.e. open the Eb to slide up to E, open the F# to slide up to G, open the G to slide up to A, etc. Try the same in the second octave as best you can. Its actually easier, and sounds better in the second octave.

Also, there is more than one way to do the slide. The NPU videos show stiffening the sliding finger to slide open the note. Another method is to curl the finger and slide inwards. This is harder to learn, but has some benefits, like keeping your fingers closer to the chanter, and keeping your fingers more relaxed, especially on the lower hand, where your fingers should be slightly curled to hold the chanter anyway.

Have fun,

djm

5

I’m with DJM.

Another approach, which I seem to remember was Brian Gallahar’s, is to keep the finger on the chanter and rotate it about its longitudinal axis up the chanter until the hole is exposed.

With some of these techniques a lot of trial and error is involved, and it’s partly a matter of finding the one that works best with your chanter/reed combination. Lifting the chanter may enhance the effect with some reeds, but not with others. It’s also a matter of coordinating the different movements. It may work better if you start lifting the chanter before beginning the finger movement - or vice versa.