With ornamentation, practice that on its own. Make sure you have the right fingering and the right technique first, and practice slowly and build your speed up. Put very few rolls in jigs, because when you put a roll in a jig it takes up half a bar -- and you're losing a lot of the basic tune. In a lot of ways it's a question of taste. Cranning, well, it's advisable to stay away from it in a lot of ways: it's very hit and miss, it's a piping ornament really and it's very hard. It can work out fine at the back of the stage, but when you go out to perform it -- you know... And that's a common feature with that ornamentation. I think in recordings... I'm sure there's some editing done to get in the cranning -- it just doesn't work out when you want it to work.
It is all in the fingers. Practice your cuts (& taps) a lot. Terry McGee's writeup on ornamentation is very good.
"Crans are piping ornaments, sometimes used on the flute, particularly for low D. (Because there is no note lower than D, a roll on D is impossible.) A cran consists of alternating the note in question with several higher ones. A D cran might sound DADF#DADD"
It all goes back to what Terry says above. You can also play a cran on low E. Usually this is easier than the low D cran.
Try it very slowly to get the fingers right. If you slow it way down it will sound terrible so don't let that throw you. What should always sound good at any speed is the low D. Practice it slowly completing one cut before moving the next finger. Then just work on percision & building your speed.
I know there is a lot of good info on crans, but to put it simply, play a quick D, the perform a cut on F, E, and D, and that's all there is to it. It's easy and a very effective ornament. I strongly disagree that it should be avoided. BTW, in some cases, you won't play the initial D, but simply go right into the succession of cuts. You'll know which version to use when you try them.
I remember participating in a flute class with Mikko Hand in Milltown Malby where there was this obnoxious Yank from New York who thought Mikko should be teaching us crans.
Yank: "Well, you know Matt Molloy can cran!"
Mikko: "Good for him"
End of discussion. The Yank dropped out after a day or two, and I suspect that most of us beginners eventually went on to learn the rudiments of cranning on a flute, which is really about the only ornament you can do on that bottom D.
You can also just do a cut or *gasp* tongue the note. For cranning, at lest on the whistle I was taught to cut using the G, F and E fingers (3, 4 and 5) rather than the D. The order to play them seems to vary from tutor to tutor. I don't think it really matters which direction you go as long as it works for you. I still need to work on my cranning though. I should follow the advice above and practice ornaments on their own rather than just when playing tunes - I'm a bit lazy!
its not that cranns should be avoided, its just that you should avoid playing in public anything that will sound icky--for most people (myself included) that is cranns. the other day they started to pop out of my fingers effortlessly and wonderfully, but i said goodbye to them, because my ego does not need an extra 5 notes in quick succession to puff itself up with. in practicing, though, its all fair game.
it is always a good idea to always work at trying new things and pushing your boundaries, so its great you are trying to learn such a daunting thing. work at it and i hope that in a couple years you can pop 'em out to everyone's chagrin!
Your question got me to thinking about what helped me most as I was learning ornamentation.
It was one tutor - Grey Larsen.
Grey emphasized timing & tone.
Bottom line is a live instructor can be invaluable. Seek them out at sessions, music camp, festivals . . .
Here is a link & I wish I could say is of an Irish flautist. All the same it has a good discussion on ornamentation & session playing.
Liz Carroll is speaking w/Melissa Block on 24/FEB/06 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5232287
Crans
Crans
I am an aspiring Irish flautist and I am trying to learn how to do crans. Does anyone have any helpful hints?
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by dancer1337
Re: Crans
I would suggest this, from Terry McGee's page;
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Learning.html
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: Crans
Hi,
you will find lot of help, hints and tricks of trade in the flute forum by C&F:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/index.php
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by brotherstorm
Re: Crans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHcDY76a_eY&mode=related&search
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by ...
Re: Crans
Eamonn Cotter said:
With ornamentation, practice that on its own. Make sure you have the right fingering and the right technique first, and practice slowly and build your speed up. Put very few rolls in jigs, because when you put a roll in a jig it takes up half a bar -- and you're losing a lot of the basic tune. In a lot of ways it's a question of taste. Cranning, well, it's advisable to stay away from it in a lot of ways: it's very hit and miss, it's a piping ornament really and it's very hard. It can work out fine at the back of the stage, but when you go out to perform it -- you know... And that's a common feature with that ornamentation. I think in recordings... I'm sure there's some editing done to get in the cranning -- it just doesn't work out when you want it to work.
You can read the whole interview at:
http://www.firescribble.net/flute/cotter.html
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by Ottery
Re: Crans
It is all in the fingers. Practice your cuts (& taps) a lot. Terry McGee's writeup on ornamentation is very good.
"Crans are piping ornaments, sometimes used on the flute, particularly for low D. (Because there is no note lower than D, a roll on D is impossible.) A cran consists of alternating the note in question with several higher ones. A D cran might sound DADF#DADD"
It all goes back to what Terry says above. You can also play a cran on low E. Usually this is easier than the low D cran.
Try it very slowly to get the fingers right. If you slow it way down it will sound terrible so don't let that throw you. What should always sound good at any speed is the low D. Practice it slowly completing one cut before moving the next finger. Then just work on percision & building your speed.
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by Ben Steen
Re: Crans
I know there is a lot of good info on crans, but to put it simply, play a quick D, the perform a cut on F, E, and D, and that's all there is to it. It's easy and a very effective ornament. I strongly disagree that it should be avoided. BTW, in some cases, you won't play the initial D, but simply go right into the succession of cuts. You'll know which version to use when you try them.
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by Ailin
Re: Crans
I remember participating in a flute class with Mikko Hand in Milltown Malby where there was this obnoxious Yank from New York who thought Mikko should be teaching us crans.
Yank: "Well, you know Matt Molloy can cran!"
Mikko: "Good for him"
End of discussion. The Yank dropped out after a day or two, and I suspect that most of us beginners eventually went on to learn the rudiments of cranning on a flute, which is really about the only ornament you can do on that bottom D.
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by jtrout
Re: Crans
You can also just do a cut or *gasp* tongue the note. For cranning, at lest on the whistle I was taught to cut using the G, F and E fingers (3, 4 and 5) rather than the D. The order to play them seems to vary from tutor to tutor. I don't think it really matters which direction you go as long as it works for you. I still need to work on my cranning though. I should follow the advice above and practice ornaments on their own rather than just when playing tunes - I'm a bit lazy!
# Posted on April 20th 2007 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Crans
its not that cranns should be avoided, its just that you should avoid playing in public anything that will sound icky--for most people (myself included) that is cranns. the other day they started to pop out of my fingers effortlessly and wonderfully, but i said goodbye to them, because my ego does not need an extra 5 notes in quick succession to puff itself up with. in practicing, though, its all fair game.
it is always a good idea to always work at trying new things and pushing your boundaries, so its great you are trying to learn such a daunting thing. work at it and i hope that in a couple years you can pop 'em out to everyone's chagrin!
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by daiv
Re: Crans
oh, i meant to post one that is simple system. oh well, it looks the same except it has six open holes and 8 keys!
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by daiv
Re: Crans
Your question got me to thinking about what helped me most as I was learning ornamentation.
It was one tutor - Grey Larsen.
Grey emphasized timing & tone.
Bottom line is a live instructor can be invaluable. Seek them out at sessions, music camp, festivals . . .
Here is a link & I wish I could say is of an Irish flautist. All the same it has a good discussion on ornamentation & session playing.
Liz Carroll is speaking w/Melissa Block on 24/FEB/06
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5232287
# Posted on April 21st 2007 by Ben Steen