Question Concerning Crans

Irish Flute
1

I’ve seen crans played in two ways, and have wondered what is preferred. Perhaps, “perferred” isn’t the best way of stating it—what is the correct way, would be more to the point. 1st way I’ve seen:

  1. Play the D;
  2. Cut with the G finger (3rd from top);
  3. Cut with the E finger (5th from top/ middle finger);
  4. Cut with the F finger (4th from top).

2nd way I’ve seen Crans played:

  1. Play the D;
  2. Cut with the E finger;
  3. Cut with the F finger; and
  4. Cut with the G finger.
    Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
2

Edited to say: I play my crans exactly as Ben describes below.

3

They’re not the only two ways. I used to use method 2, but have recently been taught to use the following, which I am finding to be harder for me to do, but produces a much better cran:

1 Play the D
2 Cut with the G finger
3 Cut with the F finger
4 Cut with the E finger

4

I’m sure we’ve had this conversation with the pipers and the whistlers before, and the conclusion has been: there is no one true cran.

I think Ben’s cran is common - top down seems more intuitive to me than bottom up. I’ll play either that or: D - R1 - R2 - L1, a sort of hybrid.

Or I’ll play a pseudo-cran: double cut with R1 and R2, and a tongue or glottal for the missing third cut (either the first or last, depending on the exact figure).

5

Think that can only be because you’re not used to it when I’d find the other methods harder!

but produces a much better cran

Taking the highest cut first certainly gives good definition and shape (and I also cut L3, R1, R2), but almost any combo will ‘work’.

6

I agree with others above that there are a few different ways to play a cran. Most commonly for a bottom D cran I would use G,F,E. It’s often said that using a higher note, like A - anywhere in the cran, can give better definition though personally I favour G,F,E. I think, as with any ornament, it’s best to vary them up. Eventually that happens automatically.

7

I’ve seen even more ways of cranning. My preferred method is to cut with the F finger, then the G finger, then the A finger. This was the method I learned from Cathal McConnell. Some pipers will cut A,G,F; some will cut F,G,F; others will cut G,F,G, etc., etc., etc. It really seems to be more a matter of who taught you and what’s most comfortable for you than it is which was is “correct.” John Skelton would say that the notes go by so quickly that any sort of pitch goes unnoticed, and it is therefore irrelevant how you execute a cran (or a cut or roll for that matter). What’s important is that you execute it effectively.

Another example would be cranning the high D. Cathal McConnell teaches to flick the index finger of the bottom hand twice. I’ve found that rather difficult and uncomfortable, so I cut with my middle finger then my index finger on my bottom hand. Sounds the same, but it’s just easier for me to do. :thumbsup:

8

Grey.

D

Sound D, cut with middle finger, cut with index, cut with middle finger.

E

Sound E, cut with index, cut with left hand ring finger, cut with index.

Has the advantage that it will work in second octave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ76F3Fq4TM

9

Did you play your version of a cran in that video?

10

I was thinking the same, Liney Bear. I assume you mean the thing you do on the e at 0.22-23 which is far from a cran. I might call might call it a bizarre twiddle, jim.
You’re moving some fingers but what you’re getting doesnt sound like a cran.

Crans, I think are best not thought about or analyzed. They will come and there is not a right way.
I think I do them differently whether starting on one or coming down to one from above but, I wouldnt want too think to hard for fear you’d mess them up?

11

Yes, it’s the cran that Grey Larsen teaches in his book, I believe; anyhow he teaches it in lessons.
It’s an e cran (though played on a Bb flute) as described
above, and it has just as many notes in it as, say, the cran Ben describes. Perhaps it sounds
odd because it stopped short at the end of the musical line. I figure what makes a cran
a cran is that one sounds the d, say, then plays three cuts in rapid succession. People
may prefer other crans to this one–your prerogative, of course. I like this one in part
because it sounds easily in the second octave. Before I learned this I played crans
as Ben does.

12

I think it sounds odd because youre not quite getting a cran sound. It is not a crisp cran. Its not only about the notes (the cuts) but getting the sound right.
I cran on e in both octaves as well as something of a cran on f sharp (more of a bounce simulating a cran).
I’m not intending to be picky just youre example to me doesnt sound like a cran.

13

Well, it may be exactly what Grey Larsen teaches, but you are not certainly not accomplishing either the playing of a proper cran or the cranning effect with the twiddling maneuver you’re attempting in that video, Jim. Moreover, playing crans is no more difficult in one register than the other. Plenty of solid advice for correct cranning already in this thread though, so cheers to Ben, Phillip, dunnp and the rest.

14

No, Jim, actually it’s not. What you’re playing there is simply not a cran, though you might think it is. That’s why it sounds odd.

You’re playing: |E2 E/G/A/G/ E2|

First … Your fingers are not coming back down on the E’s before beginning the next cuts. So you’re actually missing the cuts entirely. In your figure, and with the R1/L3 there should be 5 E’s, not 3: |E2 E/{G}E/{A}E {G}E2|. And since the first E of the bar is repeated, you’d probably want to cut into the first E of the cran as well: |E2 {A}E/{G}E/{A}E {G}E2|.

And now, with all those repeated A and G cuts, it’s clear why a 3-finger cran may sound better: |E2 {A}E/{G}E/{F}E {A}E2|.

Second … You’re also trying to start the cran on the off-beat (2nd, weak beat) of the hornpipe. And that just doesn’t work here. Crans will generally start on a strong beat. So you could do something like, using your pattern: |E/{G}E/{A}E {G}EF E2|.

But honestly, crans and hornpipes often don’t mix very well, and I’d avoid it altogether here.

Third … Injecting a breath as you do after the first beat of the bar destroys the figure entirely anyway. You never want to breathe like that within the ending cadence of a hornpipe phrase, much less if there’s a cran. That you’ve ended up with a 2 beat breath phrase should be a clue.

Finally … Grey Larson gives some pretty wacky advice in his book. A 3 finger cran can be tricky on a high D, but it’s perfectly unproblematic on the high E. Spreading a cran over two hands tends to be more dexterous, by avoiding quick repetition of the same finger. And it’s never advisable to follow rote advice, whatever the source. You need to work out what works on your instrument, and for playing a given specific figure depending on what comes before and after in the melody.

Hope that helps.

P.S. I would say that your playing has improved since the last time I watched one of your vids.

15

But honestly, crans and hornpipes often don’t mix very well

16

I know, the problem with generalizations.

17

I know, the problem with generalizations

It’s like saying rolls don’t work in hornpipes.

18

I am in the midst of purging myself for a colonoscopy in the morning, and truly cannot follow most of this.
It may be that, in the particular context in which I played it and the way that I executed it, what I played
was not a cran. Certainly I don’t think this is a typical use of a cran. There was, anyhow, a certain effect I was after on my particular instrument, to suit that melody (not an Irish hornpipe),I got it, I think, and I’m glad I did.
Thanks for your kind words and the effort to enlighten me. I may make more sense of it when cognition
returns. Meanwhile perhaps others posting videos of their crans would help the discussion.

Also I meant to illustrate the sort of cran that Grey teaches in lessons, which I had described in the abstract
above the link to my video. If my video doesn’t illustrate his cran, nothing particularly follows about his way of doing a cran, which I do think is worth checking out.

19

I am sure there are crans in my videos in my signature including e crans.
Not my best playing or trying to illustrate or think about crans but theyll be there.

Thinking about them confuses me into to doing things maybe I wouldnt do all the time.

I notice sometimes there is no f sharp in there,
More often than not there is an a

20

I’m still thinking about the colonoscopy.