Oh the faces we make.

[waymer]

Every one knows that there is a correlation between the parts of our brains that control the facial muscles and the muscles used in playing the instrument. I have seen many comments regarding the facial demeanor of Ennis, O'Flynn et. all and it got me thinking.
I don't know why but my lips pucker as though about to kiss every time I play Cnat any one notice a similar correlation between the note played and face made?

[Uilliam]

Funnily enough a lady friend commented on my facial expression or lack of it whilst playing at a sesh last night.She said I looked totally bored and every now and then my eyebrows would raise with an exasperated look.Of course she was right ,it was after all the uisge beatha and guitar orchestra of Central Scotland i was trying to contend wi.
At the very start o me piping I decided that I was not going to pull any faces as I had seen quite a few hilarious ones and it was quite a distraction if'n ye where in the audience looking at Popeye Contortions.So like anything else I disciplined mesel and hey presto the deadpan bored look.Mind ye that is not hard to do.I can also give the withering eye look or the pure hatred stare depending whit mood I am in or who I am playing wi.
peace and love to ye all
uilliam

[JR]

Leo Rickard=best piping face

[PiperTim]

I was recently struck by Liam O'Flynn's expression--or lack thereof--whenever he's playing. He seems to have the perfect poker face.

(This is based entirely on my viewing of the Piper's Choice and Planxty "Live 2004" DVDs.)

[Jose' Scotte' Este']

I read an interview in Irish Music magazine where Liam commented on that himself. He said that a woman in the audience had commented that he looked very serious and like he was not having any fun. Liam had replied that the woman didn't know how difficult piping was, and that he looked serious because he was concentrating so hard.

[djm]

Actually, I have enough O'Flynn footage to note that when he is not schooling his visage, O'Flynn's eyes open wide and start to bulge a bit. He gets a really vacant, if not stunned, expression on his face. I suspect there's a lot more control going on there than he would let on.

djm

[misterpatrick]

David Power.

http://gnipc.org/tunes/tunes.html

[Uilliam]

Must be a Liam thing I suppose...(having women in the audience commenting on ones looks)its a bore I know but ye get used to it
Uilliam

[reedbiter]

Right on target there Patrick.

David Power makes enough faces for ALL of us.

[pipersgrip]

I can't help but to move around and make faces when I play, but I play the flute It is hard for me not to make faces when I am playing flute. Fred Morrison is my favorite piper to watch BTW.

[James Hopkins]

Every time I play the brown note, I take on a discernible air of concentration.

[rorybbellows]

Every time I play the brown note, I take on a discernible air of concentration.

Well you have to concentrate,or else you'll get a bum note.

RORY