Just to get this clear, I am not shopping for uilleann pipes. College student. No money.
I am… ahem, looking around… uh… I’m uh… mmm… interested in learning a bit about them for a much later possible purchase… but I don’t really know anything about them. I play the flute and whistle, so that’s what I got here.
Now, these things have the same fingering as a whistle, right? just pipers grip (which I use on the flutes and low whistles anyhow)?
And they play two octaves? But there is no blowing involved?
And the drones… how does that work? there are Keys all up and down the drones (it lookes like to me), what’s that all about?
And you don’t even need the drones, correct? you can just play the uh… “chanter”?
As you can see, I have no idea about any of this. Just what the hell is up with the Uilleann Pipes?
Unlike most other bagpipes throughout Europe, the bag or air reservoir on the Uilleann Pipes is inflated by means of a bellows operated by the elbow of one arm with the bag being held under the other arm.
The Chanter is the main melody instrument and has a range of two octaves. A two octave range is very unusual among bagpipes.
The Drones, (usually three - base, baritone & tenor) when turned on, supply a continuous ‘drone’ accompaniment to the melody.
The Regulators are keyed chanters, usually three on a full set, which are operated by the musician when various chords as accompaniment are required.
Welcome to the club. Pipers never have any money either. We spend it all on pipes.
Now, these things have the same fingering as a whistle, right? just pipers grip (which I use on the flutes and low whistles anyhow)?
No. They have a different fingering. Pipers’ grip refers to using the joints of your fingers to cover the holes. You have to do this on the pipes because the holes are too far apart. On flutes, players do it to play faster.
You can play staccatto notes by closing off the chanter and opening single notes (you shut off the bottom note by placing the chanter on your knee.) You can also play legato notes with other holes open.
And they play two octaves? But there is no blowing involved?
You supply air with bellows attached by a pipe to the bag. You reach the second octave by jumping the reed with a little extra pressure on the bag.
And the drones… how does that work? there are Keys all up and down the drones (it lookes like to me), what’s that all about?
The drones play three continuous notes to complement the chanter. They can be switched off. The keys you see are regulators, which you use to play simple chords with your wrist.
And you don’t even need the drones, correct? you can just play the uh… “chanter”?
A bag, chanter and bellows is a ‘practice set’, which is the minimum you need to play.
I started on the whistle about 5 months ago, I now have four whistle… and a boehm flute now… and I started my own PVC flute building company a month ago (with some degree of success, strangly).
If that isn’t mad enough, let this picture speak for itself.
Of course, I was actually mad long before I started on the whistle, not that the whistle hurt it any.
occasionaly. If you really want to turn your head in shame, go see my latest thread in the Pub.
Thanks again for all the pointers people.
I live in portage wisconsin. We here don’t know about Irish music. Our trad is polka and bluegrass. We is mostly German (not me, I’m Noweginan and British primarily, but the colletive we is german). There is nobody in this area that can strap me into a set probably until Madison.
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