About Swedish pipes + Workshop

MarcusR · Post by **MarcusR** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:59 am

Edit:
Changed the subject to better fit the discussion, thanks for contributing Olle.
/MarcusR

Swedish Bagpipe workshop with Alban Faust

If you haven’t yet decided what to do between Christmas and new years here is a fun option where you can learn some new tunes and try out some pipes. If you went to the William Kennedy international piping festival and catched “Olle Gällmo” you’ll know what Swedish pipes are about, if not, you can check out Olles website.

Beginner/ try out
26 - 28 of December 2005
Introductory course to Swedish piping for anyone interested.
Learn the basics of the Swedish bagpipe, reed settings, playing techniques and a handfull of tunes.
Also an opportunity to try some of the different bagpipes that Alban makes.

Tune and playing technique course
28 – 30 of December 2005
Inspiration course for anyone with a bit of experience of piping. Focus on tunes, ornamentation and group playing for pipes with semi closed fingering like Swedish pipes, Bechonnet, Medieval bagpipes, Nothern Uilleanpipes and others.

There are a few sets of pipes that can be borrowed during both courses but contact Alban in advance for booking.

Price: 170 EUR for each course, includes room and board.

Bring a sleeping bag and some tools for reedmaking.

Anyone interested contact Alban Faust by mail before the 10:th of December
alban@albanfaust.se

There is a limitation of 5 participants for each course.

Contact Alban directly for any questions.

http://www.albanfaust.se
http://www.faust.se

Cheers!

/MarcusR

billh · Post by **billh** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 5:46 pm

Thanks for posting, Marcus. Very interesting to see other piping traditions alive and well.

One question - what are "Northern Uilleannpipes" ?

Bill

MarcusR · Post by **MarcusR** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:01 am

Hi Bill!

Even though I live in Sweden my knowledge of Swedish pipes and piping tradition is very limited. I was about to get a set from Alban a few years ago but some one tricked me into buying a UP practise set instead. Now rumour says that I have a new half set on order from an obscure maker in the Skerries so it will probably be a while before I’ll get a Swedish set.

From what I have learned “Northern Uilleann pipes” are bellow blown Swedish pipes with three tuneable drones as in the image above. The usually comes in the tunings of e/a, g/d or f/c. The tuneable drones are a really handy and cool feature.

I use to have the bellow blown Swedish pipe mixed up with the “Dalsland pipe” that Alban also makes which is a kind of hybrid between an Uilleann pipe and a Bechonnet. Bellow blown with a double reed and conical bore chanter in G/C or A/D.

here is an image of the Dalsland set:

I should really ask someone more knowledgeable to jump in and give some more information.
There are several good Swedish pipers that also play the UP that better could answer any specific questions.

Take care Bill, wood is on its way over.

/MarcusR

billh · Post by **billh** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:07 am

MarcusR wrote:Hi Bill!
I use to have the bellow blown Swedish pipe mixed up with the “Dalsland pipe” that Alban also makes which is a kind of hybrid between an Uilleann pipe and a Bechonnet. Bellow blown with a double reed and conical bore chanter in G/C or A/D.

here is an image of the Dalsland set:

...

/MarcusR

Interesting to compare with the Pastoral pipes - a particularly nice example of which is posted on Chris Bayley's site on this page:
http://www.bagpipeworld.co.uk/Gallery/Past2Regs.htm

The Pastoral pipes (or at least some sets) seem to have several things in common with the Dalsland set;
* drones pitched at the fifth as well as the tonic,
* foot joint, with a vent hole and keys

I wonder what the ring key on the Dalsland set does?

(Chris, may I post this image inline?: http://www.bagpipeworld.co.uk/Gallery/P ... -2rg13.gif)

Bill

Olle Gällmo · Post by **Olle Gällmo** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:11 am

The Pastoral pipes (or at least some sets) seem to have several things in common with the Dalsland set;
* drones pitched at the fifth as well as the tonic,
* foot joint, with a vent hole and keys

I wonder what the ring key on the Dalsland set does?

The Dalsland set does not have foot joint. The chanter is in one piece and is the same type as that used in French and German pipes such as the Bechonnet and the Schapferpfeiff. Alban Faust, the maker and inventor of the Dalsland set, is German by the way, though he lives in Sweden (in Dalsland!) since many years.

I don't have that key on my set, but I guess it is to play G# (on a G/C set - correponding to D# on a UP).

Learning Piper · Post by **Learning Piper** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:59 pm

Thanks for the posting Marcus. I wish I could make it, but a flight from Southern California just doesn't fit in my schedule. However, since this topic has been brought up, I may as well take advantage of it. I love the sound and look of Swedish pipes and have been wanting to play them for some time, but I couldn't find enough info on them. That website is fascinating! There is more than enough info to at least get started. Then there is the other difficulty, just getting a set. Does anyone know of a maker here in the US with lower prices? (As if the Uilleanns weren't enough to have to pay for!)
Slainte.

MarcusR · Post by **MarcusR** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:39 pm

Learning Piper wrote:Thanks for the posting Marcus ... That website is fascinating! There is more than enough info to at least get started. Then there is the other difficulty, just getting a set. Does anyone know of a maker here in the US with lower prices? (As if the Uilleanns weren't enough to have to pay for!)
Slainte.

All credits should go to Olle Gällmo (above) who made the Swedish bagpipe website.
Olle would also be the best choice for any inquries, he plays a wide range of pipes including Uilleann.

Swedish pipes in the US:
I know "Shark in the Morning" use to sell pipes by Leif Eriksson. Also Texas pipe maker Seth Hamon (texasbagpiper) is starting out to make Swedish pipes.
Here in Sweden a new mouth blown set from a well known maker starts on about 400 $ and up depending on wood and anything extra, quite cheep compared to UP.

"thies" is another piper on this board that also plays Swedish pipes I belive.

I'll drop you a PM with some usefull links.

/MarcusR

Olle Gällmo · Post by **Olle Gällmo** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:18 am

I love the sound and look of Swedish pipes and have been wanting to play them for some time, but I couldn't find enough info on them.

That website is fascinating! There is more than enough info to at least get started.

Now that's a contradicition if I ever saw one!

Thanks for the compliment, though. If you feel that some info is missing there, just tell me.

I have had some contact with American hobby makers over the years, but I think the best option is to buy from one of the Swedish ones. They are all used to shipping pipes all over the world, so that should not be a problem.

I strongly suggest that you avoid Lark in the Morning, though (for buying any instrument at all, in fact). They are more than twice the price, they do not know what they're selling (as shown by some strange claims about the instrument in their catalog), and who knows for how long their pipes have been collecting dust on the shelf. Besides, having bought directly from a maker also gives you a kind of warranty for the future - to be on communicating terms with a maker is worth at least as much as the pipes themselves.

billh · Post by **billh** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 5:13 am

Thanks, Olle, for chipping in and lending some authority to the discussion

Nice to know you're here.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 5:39 am

Welcome to the forum Olle, nice to have you aboard. I look forward to browsing your website... and (if you are so inclined) listening to any submission you may make to the 'Clips and Snips' archives here at C&F! (hint, hint....

)

All the best!

JES

Thies · Post by **Thies** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 7:49 am

MarcusR wrote: [...]
"thies" is another piper on this board that also plays Swedish pipes I belive. [...]/MarcusR

Right you are!

Stay tuned, Thies

Learning Piper · Post by **Learning Piper** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 12:58 am

quote="Olle Gällmo"]

I love the sound and look of Swedish pipes and have been wanting to play them for some time, but I couldn't find enough info on them.

That website is fascinating! There is more than enough info to at least get started.

Now that's a contradicition if I ever saw one!

[/quote]

Yes, I would have to agree I did step on my own feet a bit there.

(I need someone to look over my shoulder and ding me for stupid mistakes like that.

)
As for Shark..ehem.. I mean, Lark in the Morning, I would have to agree with your comment. I saw the Swedish pipes for the first time in their catalog, but I didn't even consider buying one because, frankly, it didn't look like there was enough materials in a set to charge $950. The other setback was the difficulty of finding any information on fingering and technique, sound clips, or examples of the type of music used in Swedish piping. Your site meets all of the above needs and more. The only other info I would be interested in seeing on the website is advice for playing with other musicians, and also some general advice to any type of musician (i. e. players of the guitar, bouzouki, hurdy gurdy, fiddle, whistle, etc.) for playing Swedish music. Could you recommend a maker for good, starting quality pipes? And could you give some information on the set in the pictures Marcus posted? Thanks for your help.
Slainte,

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 5:01 am

Learning Piper wrote:Yes, I would have to agree I did step on my own feet a bit there. (I need someone to look over my shoulder and ding me for stupid mistakes like that. )

... consider yourself 'dinged'.

Not to worry, Big Brother is here with you every step of the way. Big Brother won't let you down. Big Brother loves you.

Learning Piper · Post by **Learning Piper** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 12:22 pm

Memo to self; Big brother is watching you.

(Okay, I promise to be good. (At least while big brother is whatching.

)

MarcusR · Post by **MarcusR** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 3:55 am

Hi!

I know I have mentioned this website before but it is a very good resource for Scandinavian folk music.

So if you missed it before here you go:
http://www.tvfolk.net

Not much piping but I found these two after a quick browse:
In the Swedish section check
Dråm
and
Norudde, Anders

Plenty of other good bands too.

/MarcusR