Whistling feets

Whistlepeg · Post by **Whistlepeg** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 7:54 am

I have noticed over the years that some people tap their foot/toe/heel/feet when playing music. Now, in Classical music it is a no-no(can you imagine a symphony all stomping along on the beat?) I was told years ago that in Trad Irish music it was expected that you tap your foot while playing. More recently I was told that (especially at trad music competititions) this was not the case. Peter & you others in Ireland at the source - what say you?
And what about everyone else - do you tap? Do you tap differently for different instruments? It is fascinating to watch an Irish session with everyone doing their own special feet thing........Anyway, just curious!

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 8:42 am

I spent a set or two one night just watching feet, Whistlepeg! One person does both toes, another does heel, yet another lifts the entire foot, someone else waggles the foot side to side. . .I was so engrossed that I couldn't play!

As for me, I tap when things start getting ragged and I need more of an internal guide, and I tend to use my heel.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 9:31 am

I guess its being dance music has
something to do with it. I have a
tendency to rock back and forth in
rhythm when singing snappy tunes--looks
awful. Well, at least I no longer
wiggle my ears in time to the music.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 10:17 am

I don't know about competitions I steer well clear of them. I would not expect it to be something the afficionados would encourage but then again I don't know, maybe the Comhaltas people think it is fierce traditional to tap away.

Leo Rowsome in his tutor for the Uilleann pipes list a long line of DON'Ts. Tapping to the beat is one of them. But then, listening to private recordings of him, he had a heavy foot on him himself.

Watch the real player though or listen to Micho Russell or Joe Bane, left foot tapping the beat and the other supporting the internal rhytms, that's the way to do it (Martin Hayes is into that too, spoke to one girl once who said she spend a year after doing a workshop wih him to get a rhythm with the two feet going, as if that was the purpose, she still didn't get the internal rythm and the pulse of the tune right!)

I too have been watching feet, most people I play with tap their feet in one way or another except Eamonn McGivney who has his feet firm to the floor, he must have a strong built in sense of rhythm. And then there's Robbie Hannan, he is a fierce tapper, only his feet movements are completely erratic and when listening to him on tape it is like someone is hanging pictures in the hall, completely independent of the music.

No rules so.

[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2001-12-14 11:51 ]

ThorntonRose · Post by **ThorntonRose** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 11:30 am

On Thistle & Shamrock, I heard a musician from Novia Scotia say that in that realm of celtic music, foot tapping is a part of the music, particulary for the fiddle players. They not only tap to the beat, but tap an accompanying rhythm.

Also, the accordian player from Cherish the Ladies taps her foot (heel), quite enthusiasticly sometimes.

As for me, I tap my foot most of the time. Sometimes I use my heel; sometimes I have my feet crossed under my chair and tap with whichever foot is on top.

ChristianRo · Post by **ChristianRo** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 12:24 pm

I find my foot tapping to be quite... random. I don't think I tap accurately. The rhythmic imperfections of my playing (even worse on the u-pipes) interfere with the tapping imperfections. Not a well-matching couple. Don't get me wrong, my timing is NOT all that bad. I just don't feel too well when tapping. I prefer more restrained forms of convulsion.
Christian

[ This Message was edited by: ChristianRo on 2001-12-14 13:25 ]

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 1:44 pm

When it comes to foot tapping, I don't do anything consistently. sometimes its a toe tap, sometimes a heel. Often its both with one foot counting out the 4 beats to the measure and the other beating out the accents that are comming out of the melody. For example, in a common reel, the right foot might tap twice per measure while the left heel come down twice in the last measure of each phrase (every 4 measures generally). This is often coordinated with what the dancers are doing if such are a foot. I think this come from playing for contra or set dances.

Now when I play a slow air, I tend to sway with the melody, and the feet stay pretty firmly planted. While an air has rhythm, it's more a poem or story than a dance, so my body moves more to the story line (melody line) than to the beat.

However, it would seem strange for me to play a jig, reel, hornpipe, or strathsprey, and expect my feet not to move. To play a dance without feet, where's the heart in that play. It would seem to me that if your heart's in the dance, the feet would follow.

_________________

Enjoy Your Music, Lee Marsh 

[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh on 2001-12-14 14:56 ]

Post by **rich** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 2:06 pm

On 2001-12-14 08:54, Whistlepeg wrote:
I have noticed over the years that some people tap their foot/toe/heel/feet when playing music. Now, in Classical music it is a no-no(can you imagine a symphony all stomping along on the beat?)

Large portions of that orchestra are tapping their toes inside their shoes.

(TOP ORCHESTRA SECRETS REVEALED!)

I suspect that it's more acceptable to do it, um, percussively with music designed to be danced to. Have you seen Quebecois podorhythmie? It's essentially dancing in the chair.

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Fri Dec 14, 2001 11:19 pm

Ah, Lee, I knew you would make an astute comment! I tend not to pat my foot, simply becasue of all the study in Classical music mode, but I sway on airs and dance, too. I can't dance but tend to use both feet heel to toe, with one foot and toe to heel on the other, simultaneously! So I guess that's dancing!

Firefly · Post by **Firefly** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 3:17 am

Well, I started off playing oboe and violin in school orchestras. I was made to tap my toes by the instructors - it does help out with tricky rhythms.

However, when I play Irish music, I never tap. I think this is because I'm so familiar with the rhythms of the reel/jig/hornpipe/what-have-you, that I don't need the foot tapping to help me keep the tempo. And yes, I have a horrible habit of swaying back and forth while playing airs!

Incidentally, I picked up the oboe a few weeks ago and tried to play something on it other than trad (and no, I wouldn't dream of trying to take an oboe to a session!) I found that I'm having a darn hard time - I seem to have lost my ability to read/play any rhythmical figure that isn't commonly found in trad. Whether that's a good thing or not depends upon the person...

~Firefly

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 6:54 am

As official Podiatrist to C&F, this subject really caught my attention!!
Personally, I find tapping quite helpful, both for Celtic, and also classical recorder playing. With practice, you can tap your toe pretty minimally, and still have it be helpful. I can do this WITHIN my shoe, so nobody else can see it. I know from experience, that seeing someone ELSE tapping while I'm playing can be pretty distracting.

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 1:36 pm

I used to tap my toe when I first played my clarinet in band in middle school, but by the 8th grade, I'd almost completely quite doing it, unless I got a little "lost" in the middle of a song or something....

Of course, I have since forgotten everything from middle school band, as I haven't touched a clarinet in about 4 years, so my clarinet days don't seem to have had any effect, good or bad, on my endeavor to learn the whistle....

[ This Message was edited by: TelegramSam on 2001-12-15 14:38 ]

Grannymouse · Post by **Grannymouse** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 1:54 pm

Our Praise Team director stomps his foot which can be rather distracting. It has become my job to try and stop this action...especially during more inspiring pieces. Haven't quite figure out how to do that without being conspicuous as we're both in the front row. Any suggestions??? Gm

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 2:13 pm

Stomp *on* his foot.

He might get mad, but he'll stop!!!

Tom_Gaul · Post by **Tom_Gaul** » Sat Dec 15, 2001 2:52 pm

To comment further on what Thornton and Rich have said, I saw a French Canadian fiddle player who, while sitting in a chair, played his fiddle, did what looked like step dancing with both feet and sang with the music! Talk about coordination! And the music was absolutely great! He was a young guy from Montreal who brother Steve probably knows about.