I was running through ‘The Old Bush’ and was playing the usual A-C#-A triplets, but on one occassion I accidently left my ‘F#’ fingerhole open whilst playing the triplet.
The result sounded very much like a cran, but performed with the top-hand instead of the usual lower hand. I kinda like the way it sounds, and have started using it in my playing now. I’d be interested to hear if anyone else has tried this, and what they think of this ornament.
I don’t know how to play triplets (or anything else) on the pipes but your discovery sounds like something I stumbled across on the whistle and reported in the following thread, which generated some interesting info.
hi steve,
that is a cool ornament. One I have been using for awhile now is a bcb triplet with the G open, instead of a short roll. Tyler Duncan from Michigan showed it to me. Really, any ornament you play closed can also be used open, at least in the first octave… just experiment! It works both ways too, you can also alter a closed triplet by opening another note (instead of ornamenting an open note by doing a closed triplet…ya dig?). FGA with bottom d open is an interesting one. Basically a cran, but can add a nice touch to the tune, instead of a tight triplet. Try it in the 1st bar of the B part of the mountain road.
-jordan
edited for clarity…I hope.
[ This Message was edited by: jordan on 2002-12-15 18:20 ]
[ This Message was edited by: jordan on 2002-12-15 18:22 ]
f# g a and f#g# b tight triplets can be played off the knee to
regards the a-c#-a triplet with f# finger lifted this sounds similar to playing a-c#-a of the knee (starting on the knee though so that the tight bit snaps against D)
In over 20 years of piping, I’ve never come across this sort of tight fingering over an open note or off the knee. I would urge caution in using it too much unless you are on the cutting edge of modern approaches to piping. I tend to stick to the way the old guys had a tune.
If you study Clancy’s version of the tune you find tremendous variety in the first bar and its subsequent re-appearances. He started with two short As cut by B, followed it with tight triplet on AC#A, then that neat drop down to D and back up via G and A (if you want some tight fingerwork come back up via tight F#GA), then a long A roll with a bit of swell off the knee. More than enough to ensure good pipering and variation.
Don’t put the thing completely away but use it with care.
if you listen to paddy keenan playing ‘the hag at the churn’ both with the bothy band & on his recent solo album you can hear him doing something which sounds half way between a cran and a closed triplet - it might not be the most commonly played ornament but it does go back at least 25 years
You’ll certainly hear the notes with the f# open…then it become someting other thatn a triplet. The triplet is often used for rhythmic variation and accentuation. Some feel that one should not “hear” the notes in the triplet while others believe that they should sound yet be crisp and tight with silence, ever so slight, between them. I’d suggest leaning towards the proper triplet and then using the “new” sparingly.
Thank you indeed to everyone that replied to my original post…I have read the comments with interest, and have learnt a lot as well as now having a list of new triplets and ornaments to try out
Speaking only for myself of course, I feel that I will definitely continue to incorporate the more ‘avant garde’ ornaments into my repetoire, yet will do so sparingly and with what, I hope, will prove to be good taste
I know it is most likely frowned upon, but does anyone (especially highland pipers) use the equivilent of an E doubling (U.P. = C on A then B on A) when playing uillean pipes. Seeing as the two pipes must have a common ancestor, there must be a few abandoned gracenote combinations common to both. If you look at an old David Glenn GHP tutor from the late 19th century, you’ll see a lot of doublings and notes that have all but disappeared from 2oth century playing. Most of these were changed by the prevelance of army piping styles, guys like Logan, Willie Ross, etc.
Marc
I think there will always be those people who push the envelope and those who oppose it - it all really depends on how you view the pipes and your desire to play them.
If you are a fan of “pure drop” playing then innovation such as this might be frowned upon.
If you see potetntial for the U.P outside of Irish music or if you even see Irish music as evolving and going new places then go ahead and use it.
I don’t think you have to “be careful” - figure out who your audience is, figure out what and how you want to play and leave it at that.
