Where does your pinky lie?

Uilleann Pipes
1

Where does your pinky lie?

For years, the little finger of my upper hand was flailing above the chanter–almost embarassingly. The last couple years though, it has assumed a position like the one in this photo.

(mystery piper in this photo taken from the ‘11th William Kennedy Piping Festival’ thread).

A few years ago, I sat in the audience and watched another piper, Tom Creegan of Seattle, playing his pipes. It was amazing to watch…his fingers almost appeared to stay on the chanter–he lifted them so very little, they appeared not to be moving at all. And I was pretty close. (Tom plays with a band called The Suffering Gaels)

2

Hi,

I’m just off to play a few tunes and will check where my little finger is at the same time.

But I was just wondering would the position be an indicator of the overall tension within you left hand?

And would all “good” pipers have there finger around the same vacinity?

David

3

Mine flails all over, especially when tapping my ring finger on A cuts.

I was watching Nollaig McCarthy on the NPU vids - he seems to rest his pinky on his ring finger and it just stays there. I’d need duct tape to hold mine in that position. It might be from having dislocated those fingers on several occasions.

4

Hi,

After 30mins of watching my little finger flapping about it pans out like this:

Rest position, when no top hand movement is happening, is pointing at the C key hinge pin. Otherwise it flaps around following the A finger’s movement.

As brianc notes it moves a lot when playing A cuts.

But interestingly when playing an ACA triplet it moves back slightly (similar to the photo) and then does not move much at all during the triplet itself.

Is this the piping equivilent of navel gazing?

David

5

I’ve been taught that the pinky just doesn’t find a place to reside, the tucked position shown in Lorenz’s post is the way I’ve been shown. The practical reason is that in the tucked position or pulling towards the body, it aids one of the weakest fingers in piping, the ring finger of the upper hand. This is useful when tapping on a roll etc.

My two cents…

6

My Pinkie lies to the left in my underpants! (unless I go Commando, and forget to do my flies up!!) :astonished: :astonished: :astonished:

7

My guess would be to not worry and let it lie where it will. If it is relaxed it will probably tend to follow the ring finger and when when the ring finger is not moving it will probably end up like in Lorenzo’s photo. If you concentrate of putting it anywhere that may be adding unneccessary tension to your hand leading to troubles further down the track.

Cheers,

DavidG

8

Lorenzo,
Pinkie position concerned me when I first started.
Here’s a thread: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?p=145035&highlight=#145035
I noticed on the NPU videos that Nollaig keeps his up or touching the ring finger and Gay’s is like the photo above. Go figure. :roll:
Rick

9