I'm a humble whistler :P but recently I bought a nice set of Walsh Smallpipes (plastic). Yes, I know, plastic is not the best, I know, but this was just to see if I adapt well to piping, so I wanted something relatively cheap for now. I am very satisfied with my pipes, anyway, this isn't the topic of my post.
What I wanted to ask you guys is if you can point me at some nice session tunes (jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, etc) that I may be able to play with my smallpipes. Please note that:
- My pipes apparently only play one octave (8 notes. 9 if you count with the note that uses my pinky). Correct me if i am wrong, but I cannot have a higher range of notes, can I?
- The pipes are in D (mixolydian) so they play: C (pinky), D, E, F#, G, A, B, C, D.
- Preferably I would like to play the tunes in their original key, so that my session mates can join me without having to transpose. I guess this means they would have to be tunes like in G major that dont go higher than high D, right?
- Preferably I would like those tunes to be popular ones, so that there is a higher probability that my session mates know those tunes and join me.
Anyone can help me? Pretty little tunes wanted!! :D
Thanx!
Cesar
look on the briight side - you can play the One Note Samba in seven keys.
More seriously, I'd suggest that you look at polkas - they're the staple of a lot of central european pipe music where very limited scales are also the rule.
First of all, is the chanter in Dmaj or Dmix? Is your C and Csharp or Cnat? I've never heard of a Dmix chanter but they may exist.
Most Scottish pipers I know who play in sessions use either small pipes or border pipes in A. I think this is mostly because Scottish piping and lots of Scottish tunes are in A and also because it increases the range of tunes you can play, since you're straddling two octaves if you imagine a D scale (although you can't play the lower end of it).
That said, there are lots of tunes which will work on your chanter. Some of them have C naturals (anything in G or Dmix will do) so it would be good to figure out how to get Cnat and Csharp out of your chanter.
A few common ones that come to mind immediately are:
The Four Courts
Rip the Calico
Jimmy Ward's Jig
Dick Gossip's
There are lots more but I am blanking right now.
If you're not bothered about transposing tunes, Scottish piping tunes transposed to D if it's originally in A or G if it's originally in D will work as well. You might not get the whole session playing along with you, but it can be good practice to do that on your own.
I was thinking about some of the Northumbrian tunes that come from piping ...
"Drops of Brandy" http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/388
(the version here has a top f# in the B part second ending, but you can play the B part first part there.
I also thought of "Small Coals and Little Money" a hyptnoptic little tune with only 7 notes ... look for the piping version in the comments ... that ones in Ador, so you might need to shift it.
I've had my smallpipes for a couple of months now. They are great fun! One of my favorites is the waltz "Southwind". I also like the five part jig "Franc A' Phoill". I've also composed a march (listed here as a polka) entitled "Long Road Home" on the D smallpipes. My set is convertable (A/D) with four switchable, tuneable drones. I can tune the d's up to e's and play in e minor on tunes like "Morrisons Jig". Or the tenor a' down to a g for "Kesh" and "Southwind". The trick to playing tunes on the pipes is wrapping the tune around the octave limitation. It works pretty well once you get the hang of it. If you e-mail me off-line, I'll send you some rough recordings of the tunes that I've learned to help you get started.
Hi, try some An Dros.
And: Glen Orchy, Jim Ward's, McDonnell's Rant (no 2nd endings version), Rory McLeod, The Lochaber Badger, The Lassie with the Yellow Petticoat, The Low Country Dance, Walking On The Moon. And a cool set: Snug in a Blanket (2-part G major version) & The Ale is Dear in E minor & Jenny Dang the Weaver in G major.
But are your pipes really in D? or in A?
Will you use them in your YouTube videos? Or are they the ones you used in your Amazing Grace video?
- millionyears_bc:
Thanx for the polkas tip. Britches Full Of Stitches seems to fit nicely when I jump down one octave in part of the B. However, other polkas I know like Dennis Murphy's, Ryan's Polka and Egan's Polka, don't seem to be easy to adapt...
- TheSilverSpear:
My pipes are in D mixolidyan. When I have all wholes open (except thumb) it plays a C (natural), not a C#. In general, common scottish bagpipes (being smallpipes or GHB) are also in mixolydian scales (usually A mixolydian). I didn't explore it yet but I believe the pipes can also play in major scale. I believe there is a fingering to make C#, my next step should be to find out how. As in typical A bagpipes, I believe it is possible to play A major if one knows the fingering for G#.
Thanx a lot for the tunes. Jim Ward's is one of the few tunes I play with these bagpipes
- spindizzy:
Thanx for the tunes. And that discussion link will be very useful for me. They mention many tunes that I'll be able to play, thanx.
- jig:
That list of tunes will keep me occupied for some time But, by the way, isnt Athol Highlanders usually played in A?
- jasonlburnfield (Jason):
Thanx, I'm sending you an email.
- Pere (PJ):
It is an honour for me to have your youtube subscription, as you are such an excellent player. Thanks for the long list of tunes.
My pipes are really in D, yes. They are not the ones I used in the Amazing Grace video (although those are also in D). These smallpipes are the ones I use in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5u9aKtfK9s
(forgive my poor performance but I'm very new to bagpipes)
Thanks to all you guys for the tips and tunes. I'll use this discussion thread as my source of material
The smallpipes don't cross-finger accidentals like the GHB because of the narrow, straight bore. My pipes were built by a maker in Queens, NY named Nathaniel Banton. His web site is www.elbowmusic.com. My actual pipes are featured on his site, as he took several photos before they were shipped out to me. They are rosewood, with boxwood mounts. I'm very pleased with them. I have some rough sound samples of me playing tunes on them. www.theburnfieldcastle.com/Southwind.mp3
www.theburnfieldcastle.com/Franc_A_Phoill.mp3
www.theburnfieldcastle.com/Long_Road_Home.mp3
Back to the original questions, on a set of Scottish smallpipes you can play ALL the reels, jigs, hornpipes, waltzes, etc, if you stick to the Highland pipe repertoire. So you can play everything at a session, if the session is playing that stuff.
But I think you mean what IRISH session tunes can be played.
Obviously Scottish smallpipes are very limited, and the vast majority of Irish session tunes don't fit.
It's actually been a huge fad in the Scottish Pipe Band world the last decade or so, adapting Irish trad tunes to the Highland pipes and playing them at Pipe Band competitions.
Often the tunes have to be mangled nearly beyond recognition to be fit onto the Highland scale. Perhaps the worst adaptation that's often heard is The Gold Ring, where only two of the seven parts fit the GHB's one-octave scale. The usual GHB version uses only four of the original seven parts, two of them rather mutilated.
The best book I've seen of trad Irish stuff arranged for the GHB is
"Traditional Irish Music for the Bagpipe" by Dave Rickard.
It would be a great start, as this book has many common Irish session tunes in it, and the arrangements are the best possible given the limitations of the GHB scale.
BTW I bring my Scottish smallpipes to every session. I'm teaching the others to play some of the great Scottish reels I know, one at a time. Many of them sound fantastic on the fiddle.
Oh I should add that a lot of people get the A/D combination Scottish smallpipe sets so as to be able to play more things in the correct keys. But still, things often come out wrong: to play the Kesh Jig in G, if you're playing the common GHB arrangement, would require a G Scottish smallpipe. It comes out in A on A smallpipes and D on D smallpipes.
Jason,
The South Wind mp3 is a broken link... So, you believe there is no way for me to get a C# with my pipes?
Richard,
thanks, I'll have a look out for that book.
Yes i was mostly thinking of Irish tunes but not only. I enjoy Scottish tunes very much. Can you tell me a few nice and popular Scottish session tunes for my smallpipes? Preferably one octave tunes that can be played with my (Dmix) pipes in the original key.
Btw, aren't "Jig of Slurs" and "Athol Highlanders" Scottish?
session tunes for smallpipes
session tunes for smallpipes
Hey everybody.
I'm a humble whistler :P but recently I bought a nice set of Walsh Smallpipes (plastic). Yes, I know, plastic is not the best, I know, but this was just to see if I adapt well to piping, so I wanted something relatively cheap for now. I am very satisfied with my pipes, anyway, this isn't the topic of my post.
What I wanted to ask you guys is if you can point me at some nice session tunes (jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, etc) that I may be able to play with my smallpipes. Please note that:
- My pipes apparently only play one octave (8 notes. 9 if you count with the note that uses my pinky). Correct me if i am wrong, but I cannot have a higher range of notes, can I?
- The pipes are in D (mixolydian) so they play: C (pinky), D, E, F#, G, A, B, C, D.
- Preferably I would like to play the tunes in their original key, so that my session mates can join me without having to transpose. I guess this means they would have to be tunes like in G major that dont go higher than high D, right?
- Preferably I would like those tunes to be popular ones, so that there is a higher probability that my session mates know those tunes and join me.
Anyone can help me? Pretty little tunes wanted!! :D
Thanx!
Cesar
# Posted on June 11th 2008 by cesarpim
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
look on the briight side - you can play the One Note Samba in seven keys.
More seriously, I'd suggest that you look at polkas - they're the staple of a lot of central european pipe music where very limited scales are also the rule.
# Posted on June 11th 2008 by millionyears_bc
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
First of all, is the chanter in Dmaj or Dmix? Is your C and Csharp or Cnat? I've never heard of a Dmix chanter but they may exist.
Most Scottish pipers I know who play in sessions use either small pipes or border pipes in A. I think this is mostly because Scottish piping and lots of Scottish tunes are in A and also because it increases the range of tunes you can play, since you're straddling two octaves if you imagine a D scale (although you can't play the lower end of it).
That said, there are lots of tunes which will work on your chanter. Some of them have C naturals (anything in G or Dmix will do) so it would be good to figure out how to get Cnat and Csharp out of your chanter.
A few common ones that come to mind immediately are:
The Four Courts
Rip the Calico
Jimmy Ward's Jig
Dick Gossip's
There are lots more but I am blanking right now.
If you're not bothered about transposing tunes, Scottish piping tunes transposed to D if it's originally in A or G if it's originally in D will work as well. You might not get the whole session playing along with you, but it can be good practice to do that on your own.
# Posted on June 11th 2008 by DrSilverSpear
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
I was thinking about some of the Northumbrian tunes that come from piping ...
with only 7 notes ... look for the piping version in the comments ... that ones in Ador, so you might need to shift it.
"Drops of Brandy" http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/388
(the version here has a top f# in the B part second ending, but you can play the B part first part there.
I also thought of "Small Coals and Little Money" a hyptnoptic little tune
Also have a look at this discussion about one ocatve tunes in D ( for a beginner flute player)
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/15202
# Posted on June 11th 2008 by spindizzy
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
A few of the top of my head.
High reel
Blarny pilgrim
Athol highlanders
Clumsy Lover
Brian Boru's march
march of the King of Laoise
O'Neils March
Scarce O Tatties
Any GHB tunes.
Enjoy
plenty more when you got that lot
# Posted on June 11th 2008 by piobagusfidil
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
Hi Cesar,
I've had my smallpipes for a couple of months now. They are great fun! One of my favorites is the waltz "Southwind". I also like the five part jig "Franc A' Phoill". I've also composed a march (listed here as a polka) entitled "Long Road Home" on the D smallpipes. My set is convertable (A/D) with four switchable, tuneable drones. I can tune the d's up to e's and play in e minor on tunes like "Morrisons Jig". Or the tenor a' down to a g for "Kesh" and "Southwind". The trick to playing tunes on the pipes is wrapping the tune around the octave limitation. It works pretty well once you get the hang of it. If you e-mail me off-line, I'll send you some rough recordings of the tunes that I've learned to help you get started.
Good luck and have fun!
Jason
# Posted on June 11th 2008 by jasonlburnfield
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
Hi, try some An Dros.
And: Glen Orchy, Jim Ward's, McDonnell's Rant (no 2nd endings version), Rory McLeod, The Lochaber Badger, The Lassie with the Yellow Petticoat, The Low Country Dance, Walking On The Moon. And a cool set: Snug in a Blanket (2-part G major version) & The Ale is Dear in E minor & Jenny Dang the Weaver in G major.
But are your pipes really in D? or in A?
Will you use them in your YouTube videos? Or are they the ones you used in your Amazing Grace video?
# Posted on June 11th 2008 by Pere
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
- millionyears_bc:
But, by the way, isnt Athol Highlanders usually played in A?
Thanx for the polkas tip. Britches Full Of Stitches seems to fit nicely when I jump down one octave in part of the B. However, other polkas I know like Dennis Murphy's, Ryan's Polka and Egan's Polka, don't seem to be easy to adapt...
- TheSilverSpear:
My pipes are in D mixolidyan. When I have all wholes open (except thumb) it plays a C (natural), not a C#. In general, common scottish bagpipes (being smallpipes or GHB) are also in mixolydian scales (usually A mixolydian). I didn't explore it yet but I believe the pipes can also play in major scale. I believe there is a fingering to make C#, my next step should be to find out how. As in typical A bagpipes, I believe it is possible to play A major if one knows the fingering for G#.
Thanx a lot for the tunes. Jim Ward's is one of the few tunes I play with these bagpipes
- spindizzy:
Thanx for the tunes. And that discussion link will be very useful for me. They mention many tunes that I'll be able to play, thanx.
- jig:
That list of tunes will keep me occupied for some time
- jasonlburnfield (Jason):
Thanx, I'm sending you an email.
- Pere (PJ):
It is an honour for me to have your youtube subscription, as you are such an excellent player. Thanks for the long list of tunes.
My pipes are really in D, yes. They are not the ones I used in the Amazing Grace video (although those are also in D). These smallpipes are the ones I use in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5u9aKtfK9s
(forgive my poor performance but I'm very new to bagpipes)
Thanks to all you guys for the tips and tunes. I'll use this discussion thread as my source of material
# Posted on June 12th 2008 by cesarpim
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
The smallpipes don't cross-finger accidentals like the GHB because of the narrow, straight bore. My pipes were built by a maker in Queens, NY named Nathaniel Banton. His web site is www.elbowmusic.com. My actual pipes are featured on his site, as he took several photos before they were shipped out to me. They are rosewood, with boxwood mounts. I'm very pleased with them. I have some rough sound samples of me playing tunes on them. www.theburnfieldcastle.com/Southwind.mp3
www.theburnfieldcastle.com/Franc_A_Phoill.mp3
www.theburnfieldcastle.com/Long_Road_Home.mp3
# Posted on June 12th 2008 by jasonlburnfield
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
Back to the original questions, on a set of Scottish smallpipes you can play ALL the reels, jigs, hornpipes, waltzes, etc, if you stick to the Highland pipe repertoire. So you can play everything at a session, if the session is playing that stuff.
But I think you mean what IRISH session tunes can be played.
Obviously Scottish smallpipes are very limited, and the vast majority of Irish session tunes don't fit.
It's actually been a huge fad in the Scottish Pipe Band world the last decade or so, adapting Irish trad tunes to the Highland pipes and playing them at Pipe Band competitions.
Often the tunes have to be mangled nearly beyond recognition to be fit onto the Highland scale. Perhaps the worst adaptation that's often heard is The Gold Ring, where only two of the seven parts fit the GHB's one-octave scale. The usual GHB version uses only four of the original seven parts, two of them rather mutilated.
The best book I've seen of trad Irish stuff arranged for the GHB is
"Traditional Irish Music for the Bagpipe" by Dave Rickard.
It would be a great start, as this book has many common Irish session tunes in it, and the arrangements are the best possible given the limitations of the GHB scale.
BTW I bring my Scottish smallpipes to every session. I'm teaching the others to play some of the great Scottish reels I know, one at a time. Many of them sound fantastic on the fiddle.
# Posted on June 15th 2008 by Richard D Cook
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
Oh I should add that a lot of people get the A/D combination Scottish smallpipe sets so as to be able to play more things in the correct keys. But still, things often come out wrong: to play the Kesh Jig in G, if you're playing the common GHB arrangement, would require a G Scottish smallpipe. It comes out in A on A smallpipes and D on D smallpipes.
# Posted on June 15th 2008 by Richard D Cook
Re: session tunes for smallpipes
Jason,
The South Wind mp3 is a broken link... So, you believe there is no way for me to get a C# with my pipes?
Richard,
thanks, I'll have a look out for that book.
Yes i was mostly thinking of Irish tunes but not only. I enjoy Scottish tunes very much. Can you tell me a few nice and popular Scottish session tunes for my smallpipes? Preferably one octave tunes that can be played with my (Dmix) pipes in the original key.
Btw, aren't "Jig of Slurs" and "Athol Highlanders" Scottish?
Cesar
# Posted on June 17th 2008 by cesarpim