the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by ennischanter »

They might as well just stuff a CD player in the bag, like This guy...
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by chrisoff »

AaronMalcomb wrote:The reason does largely seem to be the lack of general idea of what good piping sounds like on the part of the public as well as the new performer.

You might think that, but the large number of awful pipers busking here in Scotland would say otherwise.

There's one here that's just painful. He does seem to be slowly improving though but it's taken a couple of years...
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by CHasR »

so does this qualify as my first zombie thread? :) cool if so.

Even some basic level of competence wouldnt get a complaint out of me.. & of course a good piper having a bad gig, well, thats another story,... but still well within the realm of reason...

Its the complete willful ignorance of any standard whatsoever, and the compulsive obsession to NOT STOP, or seek self improvement, that caused my original rant. It's simply beyond comprehension.
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by Nanohedron »

CHasR wrote:so does this qualify as my first zombie thread? :) cool if so.
A two-month gap? That counts as just nodding off at the tellie. Sorry, Charlie.
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by daveboling »

pancelticpiper wrote: The best players only play when they're paid well to play, and/or will only play in competition. So the public here rarely if ever hears the best local players. Many of the best pipers are successful in other fields and have high-paying "day jobs" and turn up their noses at being paid to play the pipes. (Lawyers, doctors, businessmen, etc.)
I, too, have seen this also among highland pipers. The simplest way to educate a significant portion of the general public is to get a group of good pipers together, and get on the schedule of one of the local "concerts in the park/on the docks/whatever" series. The average person (in the U.S.) will not attend a piping competition or highland games. The only way to expose posers is to get quality players in the public eye. If the best players will only play for pay, have them consider the free advertising a public concert provides. If they still won't come out and play, then in my opinion, they're no better than people who don't vote and complain about the results of an election.
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by ennischanter »

Apparently this man has/or had a website (Can't find it)

He claims to be an Ex-Black Watch. While that may be true, he might be a bit sozzled here...
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by Nanohedron »

ennischanter wrote:Apparently this man has/or had a website (Can't find it)

He claims to be an Ex-Black Watch. While that may be true, he might be a bit sozzled here...
It's also an example of a particular style of busking that I find rude and offensive: he scans the crowd, judging his chances, attempting to engage eye contact and thereby manipulate his audience. It's a form of accosting. Whenever I come upon that predatory "Eye of Sauron" thing - and seasoned scanners see you coming a long ways off, be assured, just as much as you can see them in the offing - I make a point of walking on the other side when I can. I also notice it's usually bad performers who do this rubbernecking. Sometimes they're also Space Invaders: there's a bad fiddleress who will call out to me when I'm on the other side of the walking bridge she frequents. It's like being mugged. They're not interested in improving the day for people; they're just waving a lure with only their gain in mind. Well, at least it's honest of them, I suppose, if you think of it in those terms.
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by MTGuru »

I've stood on that exact spot, in January (the date of the video upload). And with the wind whipping off the Thames, it was bloody, mind-numbingly cold. Even on a nicer day the wind could blow you apart (as heard in this clip), or at least blow your kilt up. :o I guess it's a tourist spot for the view. Otherwise, it's rather a daft spot for busking anyway, when most passers by want nothing more than to get the hell to the other side without hearing your pipes, much less seeing your bits.
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by Nanohedron »

MTGuru wrote:I've stood on that exact spot, in January (the date of the video upload). And with the wind whipping off the Thames, it was bloody, mind-numbingly cold.
I did notice that for the conditions his pipes seemed remarkably well in tune and functioning. I gave him that.
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by chrisoff »

Think there's a couple of pipers use Westminster bridge as their patch. There was 2 different ones when we were there a few weeks ago, neither were the one in that video. They were pretty good though but it was so busy with tourists (ourselves included) that we didn't hang around to listen. Also I didn't really go down to London to hear bagpipes...

This is the guy that treats the public to his daily practice sessions and expects payment in Aberdeen. Despite the video title I don't believe he's local. Apparently he's an American. He's been doing this for a few years now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOIuIAfmmkE
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by MTGuru »

chrisoff wrote:This is the guy that treats the public to his daily practice sessions and expects payment in Aberdeen.
When the car horns and the gulls sound better than you do, you know you're in trouble.
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by CHasR »

MTGuru wrote:I've stood on that exact spot, in January (the date of the video upload). And with the wind whipping off the Thames, it was bloody, mind-numbingly cold.

hmm. sounds just like a typical thursday in st johns cemetery.
Nanohedron wrote: I did notice that for the conditions his pipes seemed remarkably well in tune and functioning. I gave him that.
sarcasm? :D ...one hopes...



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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by Nanohedron »

CHasR wrote:
Nanohedron wrote: I did notice that for the conditions his pipes seemed remarkably well in tune and functioning. I gave him that.
sarcasm? :D ...one hopes...
Just checked it out again and heard that ugly high A properly now. Must be that second cuppa joe kicking in... :o
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by ennischanter »

Maybe he's going for the "Pay and I'll stop" route... :P
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Re: the audacity of it all has become insufferably appalling.

Post by CHasR »

pancelticpiper wrote: The best players only play when they're paid well to play, and/or will only play in competition. So the public here rarely if ever hears the best local players. Many of the best pipers are successful in other fields and have high-paying "day jobs" and turn up their noses at being paid to play the pipes. (Lawyers, doctors, businessmen, etc.)
daveboling wrote: I, too, have seen this also among highland pipers. The simplest way to educate a significant portion of the general public is to get a group of good pipers together, ......
Two great observations indeed gents :thumbsup:

Its also worth pointing out- that good pipers with 'day-jobs' in non-musical careers often do not have basic entertainment industry concepts as a skillset. If their connection with the instrument is founded on (for lack of better term) 'non-social' performance situations; a period of adjustment is frequently needed.

No one can change the gig to suit the piper- and this can be very intimidating for someone who;s used to regularity, accountability, integrity, advance planning, structured hierarchy of personnel , clockwork schedules, osha safety precautions & all those nice things in their 'day-job' workplace. Im not saying its a "blanket" syndrome, there are most certainly fine pipers with secure careers that can straddle both worlds, albeit a minority. Ive been very lucky to find them, and have performance op's ready for them.
So.
What im essentially sayin is, keep yer day jobs peeps, unless you can swim with the sharks. :twisted: 'specially the sharks that have good ears & a few A-Mach's up their sleeves ;)
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