So it’s been a while since I’ve bothered you guys for feedback. Last night after getting back from a session and having one too many pints, I was fooling around recording and this is one of the clips that resulted. There’s a few flubs in it, but I think it’s more or less representative of where my playing is at (at least where it is when I’m slightly full of Guinness)
Feedback is much appreciated.
-Thanks
I’m not the best player so for what my opinion is worth I think your playing sounds solid. That being said, I feel like I’m not truly hearing what you and your flute really sound like. Am I the only one who thinks that most everything uploaded to box.net has the same sort of veil cast over it? I’ve never used their service so I’m not sure how it works. Does it re-compress the files when you upload? It’s seems like all the clips I hear on box have the same overlying compressed sound and you have to try to listen past that to hear what’s really there.
Yes, no? Am I just batty?
Cheers,
Kirk
Yep. As batty as a fruit bat. I mean, as fruity as a bat cake. Or something like that. 
Seriously, I’ve put a bunch of audio stuff on Box.net, and the sound I get back is identical to the originals I put up. If you’re unsure about the online player, download the mp3/wav etc. and use your own favorite player.
I’d guess a lot of clips are meant as one-offs, recorded with handheld recorders and default settings, including over-compression. And recorded with non-optimal acoustics, placement, etc. So what you hear is only as good or bad as what was recorded in the first place.
I kind of figured that might be the case. I just wasn’t sure if Box was doing some kind of upload compression like youTube does to videos and Facebook does to photos.
Fair play to you for putting up a clip of your playing - especially after a few pints. Here’s a couple suggestions.
Think about the phrasing of the tune: Right now, you aren’t breaking the melody into distinctive phrases. It’s closer to a string of notes that aren’t separated to suit the melody. Give a listen to this clip of Patsy Hanley - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjLcfnY8-gY . His phrasing gives the tune great lift, energy, and musicality - at least in my opinion.
Focus on your rhythm: In your clip, you speed up and slow down throughout. More importantly, you also shift back and forth between different rhythm patterns and emphasis. Think about working on establishing a steady, consistent pulse behind the tune. It will help you find that solid dance rhythm that you want for reels. To give you a clip of a different style of player from Patsy, here’ s a clip of Seamus Tansey. Different style of playing, but still has the pulse throughout - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTo5Ae7Vz3c
Hope that is helpful,
Brendan
Good stuff, thanks for that.
I noticed the slowing down and speeding up myself, and now you mention it I do seem to shift between 1st beat emphasis and 3rd beat emphasis (if that’s what you’re referring to.) Will also definitely give the phrasing a make over.
I think I got a bit carried away on trying to ‘bark’ those Ds to the detriment of other things…
The rhythm comment was really more about pulling out the upbeat (don’t know if that’s the right technical term) in the tune to give it lift. Like most Vincent Broderick tunes, it’s great on the flute and really has a built in rhythm that lets you give it great lift and hop. You start to get it at times in the recording, but it is less pronounced in other parts.
I’m better with examples than language for this kind of thing, so I though I would mention that Conal O’Grada has a really nice version of this tune on his most recent Cnoc Bui album. If you haven’t heard it, check it out and see what you think. In my opinion, he has a really nice setting and plays it with both great power and bounce.
Brendan