Here’s my latest result of time spent in front of the mic.
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12195931
Recorded using a Shaw and a Waltons Irish Whistle. Getting more comfortable with the mic on and the record button clicked. I’m even starting to have a little fun doing this. And hopefully that shows in the playing, especially after fixing a few of the things in my technique that needed improvement.
Enjoy!
I know I know, it’s a march but maybe not take such a straight line through the tune as you did here. I say that having Séamus Ennis’ playing engraved on my mind (just to indicate where I am coming from) and his approach at times was maybe a bit more introspective, more loose with more emphasis on the music than on the marching. Moving in curves rather than a straight line. It’s a lovely old tune and it deserves a bit of care to get the best from it.
Don’t get me wrong, your playing itself is fine, a slightly different approach would bring the tune across better. I think.
Mr. Gumby,
I had to sleep on it after reading your reply. Being what I consider my best recorded performance yet, the critique after the high of recent progress and having a little pride for a change put me too much on the defensive to type anything. It may be a good idea in the future for me to wait a little longer before sharing a recording with other ITM musicians.
That said, I wonder, just how much variance can there be when playing a tune? I know sheet music is frowned upon by many, but it does give a skeletal structure of the music. How far can we add to or vary from that foundation?
After listening to some examples on YouTube of The Eagle’s Whistle besides the track from the Bill Ochs tutorial, it appears there might be more freedom in playing a tune than I thought. I must’ve listened to at least a half dozen renditions, and each one had a slightly different approach. Some tied similar notes instead of playing them separately, and others even added some connecting runs (the best way I can describe it coming from over 20 years of bass playing), etc. If all this variance is a possibility, which I’m suspecting it is and is even encouraged, maybe it would be best to concentrate on the tunes I already know instead of going from one right to another after just getting it under the fingers.
I’m still proud of the track. It shows improvement and I think it is good, especially when considering that I’ve been playing for 2 years, and come from decades of experience playing an instrument where the focus was rhythm and laying the foundation for others to take the musical spotlight.
I’m still proud of the track
And you should be because (as I indicated) it is technically fine. I only wanted to indicate that you should maybe broaden beyond the technical and consider the musical.
And you did, you listened to a bunch of different approaches and hopefully found something to work on. Do have a listen to Ennis playing the tune, he first recorded it during the late fifties and the last time he recorded it was by the late seventies. And it’s safe to say he brought the tune to the rest of us.
Anyhow, don’t get discouraged by comments, take pointers from them if you can.
Yes rhythm is of the utmost importance but you’ll find in this music there are many ways to move within the beat and to subtly play with the whole thing.
Keep at it
Yes rhythm is of the utmost importance but you’ll find in this music there are many ways to move within the beat and to subtly play with the whole thing.
That’s what I started working on today. I’ll admit that sometimes I used a drum machine/metronome, but that was to hear how much I could move around the beat before throwing things out of whack. I had to remind myself that different singers will perform the same song, but not identically, and that the whistle is my voice in a way. I can see how this will open up my playing to new possibilities, no matter what style of music.
Anyhow, don’t get discouraged by comments, take pointers from them if you can.
I’m trying not to get discouraged. The pointers have been helpful. Still trying to have fun too, and I think that your pointers will help with that once I get used to loosening up and not playing right on the beat all the time.
Honestly, I’m amazed that you’ve managed to keep both in tune with each other.
The usual technique to make two whistles play in tune is to put one in the shredder.
Afraid I’m not, because I’d put the timing much tighter than the tuning here.
The B notes were noticeable while I was recording the second track. The Waltons has a few that can be tricky to play in tune, but was within an acceptable range IMO. (Playing fretless bass has made my ear sensitive to this stuff. Get me in a church with a few tone deaf people singing and it takes a strong act of the will to keep from cringing.)
That’s what I started working on today. I’ll admit that sometimes I used a drum machine/metronome, but that was to hear how much I could move around the beat before throwing things out of whack.
This tune is one that will allow you to play a bit with the placement of your cuts & graces, they do not need to go exactly on the beat all the time, you can shift the emphasis a bit by how you place them and create a bit of space in the tune.
Key to it all though is to do a lot of listening to great (and tasteful) players. Brother Steve’s Transcription page, for example, gives a few examples covering a few different styles with some simple comments to guide your ear towards what to listen for.
I try to listen to one of my whistle/ITM albums each night before going to bed. Granted, there are nights I’m so tired that I barely make it through one tune, but some listening is better than none.
Thanks for reminding me about Brother Steve’s site. There’s a lot of great info on there, and I’ll have to check out the Transcription page soon.
Thanks for the help, Mr. Gumby. And thanks also for not picking the tune apart like a pack of dogs on a three legged cat. The encouragement and constructive criticism are appreciated, even though my feathers got a little ruffled at first. Sometimes it’s a little difficult going from experienced musician back to newbie status now with the whistle.
I’m guessing that it’s not so much the new instrument, but rather approaching a form of music with a tradition that is different from what you’ve played (or listened to a lot) before. Gumby’s had the good fortune of being immersed in that tradition and exposed to some of the greats. Check out some of the folks he’s had the chance to listen to, play with, and photograph…
Best wishes.
Steve
Check out some of the folks he’s had the chance to listen to, play with
Did I mention that Gumby also has a haberdashery franchise? (As I understand it, he gets the handkerchiefs from recently deceased Morris dancers.)
Best wishes.
Steve
After some hunting, I found a Seamus Ennis CD that has The Eagle’s Whistle on it! Hopefully the description was accurate and it’s in “like new” condition, because even though I’ve only heard a little bit of his playing on YouTube …wow…
Getting used to the instrument has definitely been the easier part. I now can say with a fair amount of certainty that learning about the tradition of the music is going to be a lifelong journey.
I’ve seen it mentioned on here about the folks he’s photographed and played with, but don’t where to check all this out. Mr. Gumby, do you have a site with this?
In the meantime, I’ll be plugging away and will record and share tunes when time allows. Hopefully my humble offerings will get some of my family more interested in their heritage, music being one of the more fun ways of going about that.
After some hunting, I found a Seamus Ennis CD that has The Eagle’s Whistle on it! Hopefully the description was accurate and it’s in “like new” condition, because even though I’ve only heard a little bit of his playing on YouTube …wow…
I was specifically thinking of the one on Phelim Ton Ri’s Castle, the story recording. The first recording he made of it had a wrong name for the tune, Gol mBan san ar. If I mention something you want to hear but can’t find it won’t hurt to hint at it, it’s easy enough to stick a clip up for a few days.
That aside, I don’t think anyone can listen enough to Ennis’ music. I first saw him play in 1971 and it (very literally) changed the course of my life.
I snapped him (long before I ever considered the possibility taking pictures in a more serious way than just the odd snap) a few months before he died:
The one I found is on “The Bonny Bunch of Roses” album and the title as listed on the site is “Gol Na Mban 'San Ar (The Women’s Lament In Battle)”.
If I mention something you want to hear but can’t find it won’t hurt to hint at it, it’s easy enough to stick a clip up for a few days.
Thanks for the offer, I appreciate it.
And now that I know who you are…
My apologies if I’ve been rude or disrespectful in any way. After enough years of experience with internet forums, I’d all but given up on thinking there are those whose advice/info given is trustworthy beyond repeating Wikipedia search results.
That aside, I don’t think anyone can listen enough to Ennis’ music. I first saw him play in 1971 and it (very literally) changed the course of my life.
As I can imagine it would! As I’ve watched the few clips I could find I knew there was something about this musician. Can’t put my finger on it or even describe the how and why, but he definitely had a gift that I’m sure will effect others for a long time to come.
Thanks for sharing the photo too.
I downloaded it anyway.
Ed where did your “Revisited Eagles Whistle” thread go? as I had listened to it and wanted to leave comment and you being in a similar boat to myself i.e. learning whistle, putting in practice time, learning about and going through the recording process, uploading for prosperity’s sake and to share with the community here. Believe me I know it can be a downer when people take interest in the most frivolous topics and can’t set aside 20 seconds to post reply to encourage a fledgling traditional whistle player. So here I am, and being kind of aware when it was posted I didn’t think it would have been buried in the active material that quickly.458
Sorry about that. I deleted the post thinking that maybe the lack of replies was a hint that newbies posting tunes here was a thing to be discouraged.
Here’s the link to the latest version of it I uploaded:
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12257458
Still working on relaxing more when the mic and record button are on. Today was spent experimenting with mic distances and positions…maybe that will help get me used to it. 