So, I have foolishly attempted to learn the Uilleann Pipes, I have a relatively inexpensive yet moderately decent set of learning pipes. I also have the only pipering tutorial book that I've seen available in the States. I know the tradition and the music well, just wondering if anyone had any helpful hints or tips to make my learning more pleasant and less of a duck slaughtering experience. Cheers
A far better bet than asking on this site (inhabited largely by fiddlers, fluters and assorted ne'er-do-wells + plus a few goat-whackers) would be to visit http://www.pipers.ie/.
'A far better bet than asking on this site (inhabited largely by fiddlers, fluters and assorted ne'er-do-wells + plus a few goat-whackers) would be to visit ...'
Ne'er do wells- I like to call them banjo players!
I've always been taught that in the tradition their are piperers and what they do is called pipering. The same for fluters and harpers as opposed to flautists and harpists. Simply the odd semantics that my bogtrotting family uses.
Good advice about Ossian, Rook, I do believe my tutorial book and CD is one of theirs but I'll check out if they have more.
Chiff and Fipple is a great resource as well, I've used it for my whistling and fluting in the past. Cheers to all.
To reply to the OP, there's no substitute for getting together with another uilleann piper and have them check what you're doing. If you're doing something wrong they will spot it right away. It might be something simple that, without an experienced eye, you might keep on doing wrong for years.
There are so many ways to do wrong with the uilleann pipes. I've known quite a few players who got in trouble because they didn't seek help.
For example there's a guy here, a very good musician, who began learning the uilleann pipes on his own. His shoulder kept bothering him and ultimately he injured his shoulder and couldn't play for a year. Why? His reed was ten times stronger than an uilleann reed should be so he had to strain his shoulder to play. An experienced player would have corrected the issue at his very first lesson.
Then there's a guy who was playing a chanter that was horribly out of tune. He came over and all I had to do was move the bridle on his reed a tad and the whole gamut came perfectly into tune.
I've had people who were using bad bellows technique. People who were holding the chanter incorrectly. People who were playing ornaments all wrong. People using strange fingerings that would never work. People keeping the chanter off the leg the whole time. People trying to pulse the bag in time with the music. People not sealing the holes correctly. People with a leaking key on the chanter. People with leaking bellows, a leaking stock, a leaking drone shutoff switch. People with the bag at an odd place, or the bellows at an odd place.
All these things are instantly corrected by an experienced eye and ear.
In addition to getting together with an experinced piper, attend as many Tionoil as possible. You'll find that each teacher has something different for you, a facet you wouldn't pick up otherwise.
Advice for Pipering
Advice for Pipering
So, I have foolishly attempted to learn the Uilleann Pipes, I have a relatively inexpensive yet moderately decent set of learning pipes. I also have the only pipering tutorial book that I've seen available in the States. I know the tradition and the music well, just wondering if anyone had any helpful hints or tips to make my learning more pleasant and less of a duck slaughtering experience. Cheers
# Posted on July 8th 2009 by Cloigendragan
Re: Advice for Pipering
A far better bet than asking on this site (inhabited largely by fiddlers, fluters and assorted ne'er-do-wells + plus a few goat-whackers) would be to visit http://www.pipers.ie/.
# Posted on July 8th 2009 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Advice for Pipering
Find another piper and keep a good reed.
# Posted on July 8th 2009 by Feargal French
Re: Advice for Pipering
Cheers for the advice, I'll check that site and keep an eye out for other piperers in the area.
# Posted on July 8th 2009 by Cloigendragan
Re: Advice for Pipering
'A far better bet than asking on this site (inhabited largely by fiddlers, fluters and assorted ne'er-do-wells + plus a few goat-whackers) would be to visit ...'
Ne'er do wells- I like to call them banjo players!
# Posted on July 8th 2009 by shanty
Re: Advice for Pipering
Also, try a visit to the Uilleann piping forum at Chiff and Fipple.
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by Bill Reeder
Re: Advice for Pipering
Contact Ossian USA - they may have a few books and resources worthwhile for the deseprate and displaced as well.
If not, they will likely steer you right in finding them.
Good luck.
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by Piece
Re: Advice for Pipering
Is pipering like piping? Or is it like burglarize and burgle?
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by Joe Wass
Re: Advice for Pipering
I've always been taught that in the tradition their are piperers and what they do is called pipering. The same for fluters and harpers as opposed to flautists and harpists. Simply the odd semantics that my bogtrotting family uses.
Good advice about Ossian, Rook, I do believe my tutorial book and CD is one of theirs but I'll check out if they have more.
Chiff and Fipple is a great resource as well, I've used it for my whistling and fluting in the past. Cheers to all.
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by Cloigendragan
Re: Advice for Pipering
It's more like jewelry and jewellery. Or sewage and sewerage.
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by gam
Re: Advice for Pipering
I believe my swerage flows through pipering under my flat. If I rememberer correctly, it was placed there by piperers.
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by Cloigendragan
Re: Advice for Pipering
or piperingerers?
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by pipewatcher
Re: Advice for Pipering
Good point, pipewatcher. I guess there is a lesson in this thread, don't let the Kerryman bogtrotter near the computer.
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by Cloigendragan
Re: Advice for Pipering
in case you missed it on another thread
http://www.patricksky.com/Files/reedadjust.pdf
pat's a very great resource and a swell guy too
# Posted on July 9th 2009 by pipewatcher
Re: Advice for Pipering
To reply to the OP, there's no substitute for getting together with another uilleann piper and have them check what you're doing. If you're doing something wrong they will spot it right away. It might be something simple that, without an experienced eye, you might keep on doing wrong for years.
There are so many ways to do wrong with the uilleann pipes. I've known quite a few players who got in trouble because they didn't seek help.
For example there's a guy here, a very good musician, who began learning the uilleann pipes on his own. His shoulder kept bothering him and ultimately he injured his shoulder and couldn't play for a year. Why? His reed was ten times stronger than an uilleann reed should be so he had to strain his shoulder to play. An experienced player would have corrected the issue at his very first lesson.
Then there's a guy who was playing a chanter that was horribly out of tune. He came over and all I had to do was move the bridle on his reed a tad and the whole gamut came perfectly into tune.
I've had people who were using bad bellows technique. People who were holding the chanter incorrectly. People who were playing ornaments all wrong. People using strange fingerings that would never work. People keeping the chanter off the leg the whole time. People trying to pulse the bag in time with the music. People not sealing the holes correctly. People with a leaking key on the chanter. People with leaking bellows, a leaking stock, a leaking drone shutoff switch. People with the bag at an odd place, or the bellows at an odd place.
All these things are instantly corrected by an experienced eye and ear.
In addition to getting together with an experinced piper, attend as many Tionoil as possible. You'll find that each teacher has something different for you, a facet you wouldn't pick up otherwise.
# Posted on July 10th 2009 by Richard D Cook