Just for curiosity , how many of you dear UP pipers play GHB too?
Which one came first? Whatkinda GHB you play? Does the GHB piping effecting someway to your UP piping and vice versa?
Might as well start this one off.
Like most, I would suspect, GHBs came first. Been playing for about 10 years, although I kinda took a bit of a sabbatical from them last year and am now paying the price for my negligence…Right now I’ve got a pretty basic setup of Hardie drones with a Shepherd Mk. 2 chanter. Henderson synthetic drone reeds (and occasionally cane when I’m feeling reckless) and a sheepskin bag. Would love to get one of Hamish Moore’s Bb chanters for it some time in the near future, though. (Actually, I’d really love to get one of Hamish’s A sets, but given my descent into uilleann piping and flute playing madness, that’s been taken off the back burner and shoved into the fridge for a while).
I’m not sure how huge an effect it’s had on my uilleann piping. There’s a bit but not a whole lot of crossover in my repertoire (I’m too lazy to learn the same tune twice…). I do, however attempt to emulate the percussive articulation so brilliantly exemplefied by my favorite Highland pipers (Fred Morrison, Allan MacDonald, Gordon Duncan, etc.) on all the instruments I play. Er, attempt being the operative word…
Got started on GHBs 20 years ago as a way to sate the piping bug until I could get my hands on/afford a set of UPs. My GHBs are an older Kintail.
I also play GHB. Started playing on practice chanter in 1989 and got my pipes 1990. I have a set of David Naill pipes, as they supplied THE BLACKWATCH pipers with sets for their North American Tour in that same year and I loved the way they sounded during the concert. Ordered my set from Jimmy McIntosh when he still ran his company out of Pittsburg PA.
I played the GHB for about 15 years, and held the ranks of Pipe corporal through Pipe Major. I’ve had and played David Naill DN-5s, Small pipes, and shuttle pipes. Once I began playing the UP, I totally quit playing the highlands after a year. There simply was no comparison for me, and I have never regretted my decision.
I would not say “like most.”
Not me!
I think it depends where you are. Certainly the Uilleann pipes seem to have had more exposure as an instrument in their own right in recent years, so there are plenty folk with a direct interest in them rather than discovering them through the GHB world.
I have a lot of sympathy with gland’s comments about playing style: a lot of highland pipers think the Uillean pipes are a glorified whistle and play it accordingly, and I certainly couldn’t listen to very much solo playing of that style. It works perfectly well in sessions, which by and large is what they are mostly after.
Cheers,
Calum
I played GHB first and still play it. It’s a different beast, for different things. I think it’s fun to play outside and march around, actually, which isn’t all that feasible with UPs. Well, sure, you can play UP outside, but marching is harder.
I chiefly play a blackwood-and-ivory set of Kron/Athertons.
Stuart
I put the “like most” bit in reference to people who play both GHBs and UPs. I seriously doubt there are too many people these days who start on UPs and take up GHBs later…
Gland’s and Calum’s comments are pretty spot on…It depends on how seriously and open-mindedly you approach things. But dude, glands, you gotta hear Fred Morrison play uilleann pipes sometime…Just absolutely first-rate stuff and a very classy, unique style.
How do you spot the Northumbrian-playing uilleann-wannabes? Do they tight-finger the bejeezus outta the chanter or something?
I’m like the Bulldog (above) who quit playing after a while… though I had only played the war pipes for about 7 years, I quit after questioning the sanity of marching in 95 degree (F) heat in parades in August, while wearing a great deal of wool. The other extreme was marching in Christmas parades and St. Patrick’s Day parades in the snow and putting a real chill on the privates. I used to play a set made the Shepherds (Shephards? spelling?). That set was sold to the band I’d been in, along with the kilt, etc.
Nary a day has gone by where I’ve regretted the decision. It was tough serving two mistresses, that’s for sure. I do miss the camaraderie of the gang, to be sure, but I’m busier these days, so it all worked out in the end.
I tried to teach myself GHBs by starting with a practise chanter. It had a plastic reed like a crushed drinking straw. After nearly blowing my eardrums out trying to get enough pressure to make it sound, I quickly realized GHBs are not for me. Thank God for real pipes with bellows! 
djm
I started on highland pipes in 1988. I have a set of pre 1907 Center pipes with Wygent reeds, Ross cannister bag and a Sinclair blackwood chanter. I also have one of the few sweet sounding Pakistani highland pipes: $200 and so mellow and good sounding that I’m measuring them to make a copy so I can retire the antique set. I used to be in a pipe band, but got out for the same reason as brianc. I still play a lot of solo gigs, though. It keeps me in tools, smokes and beer. Now, I’ve got the bug to start making pipes, but for now it’s been practice chanters and smallpipes(5 of each since April). A few more sets and I’ll attempt a set of G.H.P. and save U.P. for the most daunting challenge.(Even though pipe making is easy 
)
I had always wanted to play U.P., but there just were not the resources available for newbies in my area. I was just getting ready to contact Al Purcell, and found out that weekend he had died. 
The Michigan U.P. players are a bit of a hike for me, so it’s still a solo endevour.
P.S. How specifically, are U.P. converts from G.H.P. different in style? Too many doublings and cuts?
i cant speak for others, but I have found that my time on the GHB makes me a tighter uilleann piper. I find myself more naturally drawn to the “gentleman” style of piping. It just seems more natural to me. I do love all styles however, and strive to do each. I agree with BrianC, its MUCH nicer playing indoors and dry! I believe Jerry O’Sullivan played the GHBs as did Rigler and others (correct me if im wrong).
How do you spot the Northumbrian-playing uilleann-wannabes? Do they tight-finger the bejeezus outta the chanter or something?
We are the ones who want to play open style, add vibrato more than what would probably be acceptable, use the same profile of grace notes on one pipe as on the other, and have trouble remembering to lift just the 4th digit on the lower hand to get that bloody note.
I do think the NSP’s teach an Uilleann piper a thing or two about tight playing and staccato effects, and perhaps some about working the use of keyed notes smoothly into a tune.
I find the NSP’s quite lovely indeed but they restrict my expression with the instrument of how the music moves me. They are a nice occasional distraction, however, and I am seeing it as possibly one way to learn some new tunes to then open up on the Uilleann pipes. For example, some of the Northumbrian airs are lovely and work well on Uilleann pipes. Some of the great Northumbrian tunes, however, are clearly just for the pipes as they utilize the character of the instrument to a great extent. This is so, just as there are clearly “piping tunes,” “fiddle tunes,” and “box tunes.”
Bi-pipers!! Bi-pipers everywhere!!! They’re coming out of the closet! They’re running for public office! There’s a couple in the kitchen now, eating the wife’s jam! Ohhhh Gooooddddd!!! 
djm
How about Tri-saxual pipers?
I’ve been playing classical/jazz saxophone for 11 years. (of course…I’m one of those masochists that couldn’t put it down after highschool and am going to college for it) I’m just starting on my 8th year of highland piping (come through for me Neil Munro) and will have been playing Uilleanns for about 4 years in the Fall.
In terms of how these have all influenced each other? I’d say the jazz background makes my variations and derivations of tunes a bit more “out there” than they should be in the traditional Irish realm.
For the most part, I’d say they’ve benefitted each other. I constantly feel liks some warped cross trainer waiting for the reed-instrument-decathalon-of-hell.
Oh…wait…that’s everyday in the practice room. :roll:
Cheers
I dunno. I tried to learn GHB practice chanter for 6 months or so until I had enough and switched to the uilleann pipes. Does this mean that I played GHB before taking up the uilleann pipes? I hope not.
t
Are you saying “Oh God!” or “Oh Good!”?
I’ll do all of you a favor and not become a GHB-to-UP convert (not anytime soon at least). I think the UPs are fecking brilliant instruments and far more expressive than GHB. But reeding a GHB with 4 measly reeds is hell enough so I don’t envy UP folks on that one.
If I do ever cave in to temptation I hope my flute explorations will keep me from sounding overtly GHB.
Cheers,
Aaron
Relax, djm, it’s a sign of the new millenium.