when I first heard that saying , 21 years to master the pipes I thought it was an inspiration . And a goal to focus on. I was not scared off by that since I love the pipes . That was 21 years ago .lol. For me , it is usually the listening part that I see as my challenge . I play by ear, and enjoy it thay way cause I can do what I want there and play the tunes that suit me , and the way ive set up my pipes . I suppose for some, the 21 thing is not relevent . I f you are gifted at the start. tom.
. I would play tunes that are compatible with my ear and that I have set my pipes to play . I have heard … somewhere , that it is important to choose a style , cause that way you become acoustomed to it and … but that is another topic. I was waiting for this thread to get narly, before I posted . joke lol. .
I figure if I can master even just 2 or 3 wonderful songs (airs, of course), and get up on the roof to play them in the middle of the night… I will die a happy man.
–elbogo
If you tried that in my neighborhood, you might die alright, but I doubt you’d be very happy about it. Neither would the neighbors, although their aim is fairly good.
…
Tom- I’m a beginner (playing). When I first heard that saying, I really believed it. I took it (and still do) as an inviting challenge.
Thanks, Paul, it sure would be nice if you could join me on the roof, but I do think we should (or I should) practice a bit more, so that we can at least sound half way decent, before we are both (as Brianc stated) shot!
Peter, you mentioned triplets and bits… are these somewhat similar to chords maybe?
Not particularly, I was meaning to say you can learn all techniques within a few years and sound well enough, but that’s when it’s only starting, you have the notes now you have to breath life into the music. [e.g Sorcha ni Mhuiri did a lunchtime recital during the last Willie week after only five years onn the pipes, I did my first lunchtime for the pipers during WCSS of 85, after 5 years at it]
While in Armagh a few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Vallely and he explained that the chanter isn’t particularly resonant so getting good music out of it depends greatly on how it’s played. He said either you play it, or it plays you. Would you agree, Peter?
I don’t know about his chanter but mine seems respond fine. Seriously though, offcourse it’s important how you play it, and that’s one of the factors that come into those 21 years, you’ll have to explore your instrument and find the expression it has, learn to say whatever you have to say.
If you hear famous young piper so and so play away with his chanter glued to his knee, you may be impressed by the triplets and the skill, I may listen to it differently [and I know a lot of other people do too]and think there’s expression lacking, no exploration of the sound of the chanter, no deeper levels of expression. Yet.
Another important point in this all is the fact that you have to realise that the player makes the sound, the chanter only is part of it. You may have heard Liam Flynn saying in the interview on the ‘Seamus Ennnis story’ how Ennis once picked up Flynn’s pipes and played them ‘And there was that unmistakable Ennis sound’. Vice versa I remember when Flynn first took the Ennis set out to play at a concert, the piping world offcourse full of anticipation. When I asked people who had been what it sounded like the reply was ‘ah well, like Flynn playing a flat set’.
What I am saying is, you need to bring something to it yourself and let that speak through the music.
[fixed a few typos]
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-09-21 03:07 ]
Flynn saying in the interview on the ‘Seamus Ennnis story’ how Ennis once picked up Flynn’s pies and played them ‘And there was that unmistakable Ennis sound’.
Jesus Ennis was good ! Uilleann Pies:)
Finbar Fury was a demon chuffer on the regs.if you like that style of reg playing
[ This Message was edited by: piperben on 2002-09-20 16:57 ]
I’ve just seen John O’Brien at the Chicago Tionól and he does amazing things on the regulators. I’d actually been mildly anti-regs up to this point, finding the frenetic whacking of chords a rather adulterous intrusion on the otherwise lovely marriage of chanter and drone. (I realise this opinion borders on blasphemy, and no offense intended.) But John did some beautiful stuff–counter-melodies against the chanter, the reinforcing of a chanter note here and there, some splendid fifths-y harmonies, and tastefully sparse whacking. It really was brilliant and I’m actually eager to get my hands on regulators now.
Bok
Speaking of regulators, I also didn’t feel a need to venture beyond getting a half set, as I had recently heard (and I don’t remember who it was by) a not very good use of them. Meaning not so much an extension of the pipes, but more like just some out of nowhere additional sounds.
But, after just hearing and re-hearing numerous times already, what I consider to be the gem on the new Spillane/Glackin CD, the last track: “Port na Pbucai”, of Spillane playing solo, and, correct me if I’m wrong, a really excellent example of what can be accomplished when a great piper uses the regulators.
Also, for example, Brendan Rings’ “An Leanbh Sidhe”, on Troublesome Things, unless I’m mistaken, makes the regulators work in unison with the chanter.
Perhaps that’s the key, making them work in unison, as if an extension of, or a blending in, as opposed to just additional accompaniment seemingly at odds with the chanter.
I’m sure there’s more to it. I’m still learning, and I haven’t listened to that much music yet, and I’m working on it… but just these two examples make me reconsider the importance of those regulators.
[ This Message was edited by: elbogo on 2002-09-21 03:35 ]
I’m with you on this one. Davy’s Spillane’s version of Port na bPucai is incredible and worth the cost of the whole cd alone if you ask me. I like how he starts off with just the chanter, then brings in the drones, and then brings in the regs - a very nice build up.
Elbogo, glad you like the track. Regarding Port na bPubcai, Ronan Brownes version on The River of Sound is great, the regs are very subtle and very original.
On the subject of to drone or not to drone, Benedict Koehler has stated the last two times I’ve had lessons with him that he’s recently changed his mind about the traditional practice of waiting a year or so to add drones. He said that the drones will “tell on you”, meaning whether you have consistent steady bag pressure. I can see the logic in this and, coming from Benedict, I’m sure it was well thought out. However, I can see that adding one drone at a time would be wise.
As for regulators, Benedict says wait as long as you can. And speaking of good reg players - he’s one of my favorite - very musical. Another good reg player many of you may not have heard of is Mark Hillmann (of Silver Spring, MD), who also makes pipes.
Ron