MTGuru wrote:tommykleen wrote:For many (me inc.) speed can be the death of good piping.
You're just complaining because you can't keep up with them on the regs.
![lol :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol_144.gif)
Hell, you should see him when he doesn't play a particular tune: he plays the regs as a backup instrument. Pretty darn decently, too. In fact he was doing that last Sunday. My only beef with that was that we already
had a bouzouki, a cittern, and - count 'em -
three guitars, and all of us would-be backup players. Enter the regs. At least
I had the good manners to refrain from playing my cittern in a hell like that. I'm relegated to the position of taking up the slack when a tune's harmonic contour is too challenging for the others with stringy things in their laps. "Okay, li'l backupsters: Here's how you do it. Listen and learn." That's kind of an uphill battle with some of those people, though, to be honest. You give it to 'em on a silver platter, and what do they take home? Bupkes.
Really, we're getting enough backup players now that I absolutely think the same "one bodhran at a time and take your turn" rule should apply to the gizmologists as well (and I
am trying to lead by example on this very idea), with the codicil "If you don't know the tune - or if you know it but haven't worked out what to do with it - have the good grace to not make an embarrassment of yourself, and an irritation to us." I have already put forth this opinion and have run into some objection on the notion, but I have every confidence that the wisdom of it will eventually be seen and taken to heart. Chippin' away. I suppose they say it's easier for me because at least I have flute to fall back on.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Balochi musician