Slurring, tonguing and the lazy/undecided mind?

[maki]

OK, for the sake of discussion: do you think his use of double cut rolls and tongued triplets are helpful bringing out the best in the tune?

That discussion is beyond my ability and comprehension to be honest.
Not only can't I execute a basic roll, I couldn't for the life of me identify the difference between double cut rolls and tongued triplets by listening.
So why do I like L.E. McCoullough? Probly no other reason than an early exposure.


My very favorite clip is on Brother Steves Transription page.
Whistler Kieran Collins does Rolling in the ryegrass and The Boyne hunt that just gives me goose bumps.
http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/ryegrass.html
But why? I have no clue really.
How would you discribe his style, or what school is it?

[FascinatedWanderer]

Very nice. I like how he does a short roll and then a cut instead of the long roll you would normally expect. Great playing there.

[JohnB]

OK, for the sake of discussion: do you think his use of double cut rolls and tongued triplets are helpful bringing out the best in the tune?

Sounds too busy to me - less is more

[lemccullough]

In the case of McCullough, it's more a virtuoso show-off thing, legitimate but idiosyncratic, and the musicality of which is open to debate - which is part of Gumby's point. And it's hard to assert where the technique sounds best when it's not needed at all.[/quote]

Hey, this is L.E. McCullough, the virtuoso show-off. Thanks for peering into my private musical soul and obtaining such exquisite insight. Whoever you are. Do you even play the tin whistle? Would love to hear you and your "technique" someday. Seriously.

I never cease to be amazed at the fear and loathing some people have about ornamentation in Irish music. Probably because they aren't very good players and can't execute the ornaments -- or worse, could be good but have some mental hangup and don't want to really learn to play the instrument well because of some early childhood issues. Whatever. Life's too short.

I try to soothe this angst with calm rationality in these two posts:

http://lemcculloughswhistleblog.wordpre ... ghts-pt-2/

http://lemcculloughswhistleblog.wordpre ... ghts-pt-1/

Be the best you can be, no excuses for mediocrity.

Play the instrument and the music with whatever love may exist in your heart. Banish fear.

Play it the way you would want to hear it if it were the music greeting you as you crossed into Nirvana and you knew that for the rest of Eternity every single moment would be nothing but Beauty and Bliss.

Best wishes,
L.E. McCullough

[Feadoggie]

In the case of McCullough, it's more a virtuoso show-off thing, legitimate but idiosyncratic, and the musicality of which is open to debate - which is part of Gumby's point. And it's hard to assert where the technique sounds best when it's not needed at all.

Hey, this is L.E. McCullough, the virtuoso show-off. Thanks for peering into my private musical soul and obtaining such exquisite insight. Whoever you are. Do you even play the tin whistle? Would love to hear you and your "technique" someday. Seriously.

Hoboy!

[MTGuru]

Hey, this is L.E. McCullough, the virtuoso show-off. Thanks for peering into my private musical soul and obtaining such exquisite insight.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

[FascinatedWanderer]

In the case of McCullough, it's more a virtuoso show-off thing, legitimate but idiosyncratic, and the musicality of which is open to debate - which is part of Gumby's point. And it's hard to assert where the technique sounds best when it's not needed at all.

Hey, this is L.E. McCullough, the virtuoso show-off. Thanks for peering into my private musical soul and obtaining such exquisite insight. Whoever you are. Do you even play the tin whistle? Would love to hear you and your "technique" someday. Seriously.

Hoboy!

I actually laughed at this. And I rarely laugh. It's unbecoming. I think Mr. McCullough neglected to do even the most basic amount of research as to whether people do or do not play whistle...

[MTGuru]

Well, if Dr. McCullough doesn't recognize a compliment when he sees it, there's not much one can do but smile ...

[ytliek]

Newbie here, and I was hoping for a couple mighty oaks slurring and tonguing it out because my playing has a ways to go... a long ways to go and lessons to be made here!

[Blaydo]

I didn't know you played the tin whistle MTGuru, I assumed you just posted 13,752 times for the laugh!

[ytliek]

Geez, if I play that Telemann Sonata in F 1st Movement clip just one more time, I might have a go at it.

I'm passing that one out for xmas gifts, fully attributed to MTGuru of course.

[Infernaltootler]

I've stopped worrying about whether I should or shouldn't tongue, as long as it isn't all tonguing like a recorder and you've got some other ornaments in there, you'll be fine.

Can't agree with that when my point (if there is just one!) is not about whether or not you should tongue (IMHO of course you should) but where you should or shouldn't tongue. And you'll not be fine if you're distorting things by tonguing in all the wrong places or just throwing in 'some other ornaments'!

Please don't put notes into my mouth. If you listen to enough of the music and play with some good players the right place to put things just seems natural like learning a language.

Sometimes your accent needs working on. Maybe you have a Scottish one?

So glad 'L.E.' turned up. I enjoyed reading those blog posts, very encouraging.

[Tor]

So glad 'L.E.' turned up. I enjoyed reading those blog posts, very encouraging.

I'm not sure I dare to speak up.. being an outsider to ITM. One of the things which attracted me to the music is (what I now know is called) ornamentation. But.. let me quote from one of those blog posts: "In Irish traditional music, ornaments are like vowels". However, in the video linked to earlier in this thread the ornaments don't sound like wovels to me, they sound like consonants. I couldn't help thinking of a machine gun throughout the whole performance. I hope I'm not labelled as afraid of ornamantation when I think that (for my taste) it's a tad overdone in that particular case.. but fortunately we don't all share exactly the same taste, thank goodness.

-Tor

[Mr.Gumby]

I'm not sure I dare to speak up.. being an outsider to ITM. One of the things which attracted me to the music is (what I now know is called) ornamentation. But.. let me quote from one of those blog posts: "In Irish traditional music, ornaments are like vowels". However, in the video linked to earlier in this thread the ornaments don't sound like wovels to me, they sound like consonants. I couldn't help thinking of a machine gun throughout the whole performance. I hope I'm not labelled as afraid of ornamantation when I think that (for my taste) it's a tad overdone in that particular case.. but fortunately we don't all share exactly the same taste, thank goodness.

Ornamentation is all about aesthetic choices. Deciding what is best done to make a tune shine. If anyone takes being 'the best you can be' to mean stuffing a tune with everything you can throw at it I would suggest they suffer from a mechanistic approach to music rather than an aesthetic one. The result of this approach will be likely to sound likewise.

[PhilO]

OK, for the sake of discussion: do you think his use of double cut rolls and tongued triplets are helpful bringing out the best in the tune?

That's an interesting question to me for a number of reasons. First, that tune is one of the few reels I can play "at speed" and keep it together fairly well throughout; I just the other day listened to this version on You Tube and was struck by how different his version is. I am familiar with his playing from various workshops and gatherings through the years and always noted that he approached the music a bit "differently." (from most other accomplished players)

Second, what struck me at first and remains with me upon listening again is that my overriding feeling about this tune as played is that it was "interesting" I don't think I particularly like it because as compared to others it doesn't get me toe tapping, neck moving, or just quietly reacting internally the way I often do to this wonderful music.

That said, I guess I just answered your question for myself: No, I don't think the employed techniques tended to be helpful at "bringing out the best in the tune;" however, it does meet your advice to (paraphrase) play the music in your own way (as long as it's up to certain reasonable standards).

Philo