Waiting for Delivery

A forum about Uilleann (Irish) pipes and the surly people who play them.
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deltasalmon
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Tell us something.: I am a fan of Irish Traditional Music and am currently looking for advice on how to play the Uilleann Pipes to the best of my ability. I also play the C#/D box.
Location: Bordentown, NJ, USA

Waiting for Delivery

Post by deltasalmon »

Hello,

I just ordered a practice set of pipes from David Daye. It'll be a few months until they come so I was wondering what would be the best use of my time to make starting on the pipes easier. I have been playing Irish trad on accordion for a little over 6 years now and know a few tunes. I also have a few tinwhistles laying around the house. Would it be best to start focusing on learning my tunes on the tinwhistle or are the fingerings between whistle and pipes far enough apart that it wouldn't really help? I know the pipes are played with a closed finger style and I'm a big guy and would have trouble stopping the hole at the end of a tin whistle on my knee :D

Cheers,
Sean
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fiddlerwill
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Tell us something.: I play traditional Irish and Scottish music.
"The beginner should approach style warily, realizing that it is an expression of self, and should turn resolutely away from all devices that are popularly believed to indicate style — all mannerisms, tricks, adornments. The approach to style is by way of plainness, simplicity, orderliness, sincerity."
Location: Miltown Malbay

Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by fiddlerwill »

Whistle is a good start, " we all learnt to play the whistle first" was a legendary players comment last week in my kitchen.
Personally id echoe the good advice of patsy touhey, who said roughly, that a begining piper should stick to scales and airs for the first 6month and not under any circumstance attempt to play dance tunes at pace.
The mind is like a parachute; it only works when it is open.


Heres a few tunes round a table, first three sets;

http://soundcloud.com/fiddlerwill/werty
http://soundcloud.com/fiddlerwill/jigs-willie
http://soundcloud.com/fiddlerwill/jigs
JR
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Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by JR »

Never underestimate listening. I recommend 80/20 for listening/playing. If you get stuck into some proper listening while you are waiting for the pipes it will give you a good bit of a head start.

Most will tell you that solo piping is the way to go.
deltasalmon
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:58 am
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Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I am a fan of Irish Traditional Music and am currently looking for advice on how to play the Uilleann Pipes to the best of my ability. I also play the C#/D box.
Location: Bordentown, NJ, USA

Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by deltasalmon »

Thanks for the tips!

Any solo albums you can recommend? I have a few Planxty, Cheiftains and Lúnasa albums along with 2 Cillian Vallely albums (including the duo he did with his brother) but I don't know of much that is just solo piping.
altoclef
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Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by altoclef »

Some good solo piping:

Robbie Hannan's "Traditional Music Played On The Uilleann Pipes"
Mick O'Brien "The May Morning Dew"
Brian McNamara "A Piper's Dream"
David Power "The 18 Moloney"
Kieran O'Hare's eponymous solo album
Ennis/Clancy if you want the older generation
NPU's "The Drones and The Chanters" series
Anything by Paddy Keenan (not solo, I know, but still...)
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An Draighean
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Location: Parker County, Texas, USA

Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by An Draighean »

Listen a lot, as has been said.

The whistle is dandy for practicing rolls and cuts, even though the fingering is not the same as a chanter.
Deartháir don phaidir an port.
awildman
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Location: Washington State

Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by awildman »

There is no real susbstitute for the pipes. They are a unique beast. Anything that helps you grow musically will apply to the pipes. And there are a few technical things that transfer. Cuts, rolls, sliding into notes, and a general approach to the function of wind instruments.

But, ultimately, all of that stuff can be learned on the pipes. Dont force yourself to learn an instrument you're not in love with just to get a small advantage on the pipes. IMO, play the instrument you want to play and dont sweat prepping. Except for the listening.

Not sure how I feel about learning tunes you already know on a new instrument......there is a lot of mental baggage and biases attached to familiar tunes. There is a lot to be said for a clean slate. Dont sweat learning specific pipe tunes yet.
Tou-Che
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Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by Tou-Che »

Listen to this a few million times!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsTk_WJ4y70&t=4585s
nwhitmer
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Re: Waiting for Delivery

Post by nwhitmer »

One thing I found helpful in a small way when just starting out was to buy a B flat whistle and play on it. The finger-stretch begins to approach that on a UP chanter.

BTW, in my experience, almost all pipers can play the whistle, but a few who do will not admit it.

Nick
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