Starting out

[olly498]

So tomorrow if all goes to plan I should be picking up a practice set of pipes, so excited I can't sleep! Couple of questions; So far I have acquired H.J.Clarke's Approach to Uilleann Piping book, any other highly recommended books or learning materials? Is ornamentation similar to the whistle? What is "back stitching"? And finally, are there any useful exercises I should be aware of? Thanks for any help, kind of just need something to satisfy the itch till tomorrow!
Happy new year.

[Mr.Gumby]

Make sure your practice set is airtight and going well (=reasonably easy to play and in tune over two octaves). Then get yourself used to the coordination between bag and bellows (bellows fills the bag, bag(-arm) controls the pressure), first get one note to sound steady. Only after that, get to playing a scale. Don't worry about backstitching for a long time.

[olly498]

I'm lucky enough to be picking it up direct from the maker so will get him to help me with that. Awesome, thanks for the help

[Mr.Gumby]

Starting is slow and frustrating but it gets easier when you persevere. But seriously, it's important everything is working and the bag and bellows are perfectly airtight. Check that and if they leak in any way, don't accept them until they are keeping the air in. Also make sure the pipes fir you well (length of the bellows/bag connection). Get used to a good and relaxed posture when playing, don't strain yourself in any way.

Good luck.

[oliver]

Another thing (once what Mr Gumby said is settled) : don't rush and take your time. It's nice to know about ornamentation but it might also be too soon to worry about that. When I started I was shown a lot of different ornamentation possibilities, and it took years before I fully understood what they were all about... The pipes are a musical instrument and the first goal is to make music with them, not ornamentation...

[Mr.Gumby]

Yes, that's, at least partly, why I said 'Don't think about backstitching for a long time'.

In this context, some light reading for any beginner: Rhythm and structure in Irish traditional dance music - Pat Mitchell

[oliver]

Thanks a lot for the link !

[Mr.Gumby]

Here is part two

[john]

who's the pipemaker you're getting the practice set from?

[olly498]

Thanks for all the feedback I picked them up this morning, they're gorgeous!
I definitely see what you mean about just focusing on getting a steady sound, it's so difficult coordinating the bag and bellows. does this become second nature or is conscious effort always required? And should it be relatively difficult to compress the bag? The maker is Tony Hebdon he's been an absolute pleasure to deal with.

[PCL]

And get off-the-knee E working as soon as you are able. From memory, the first tune in Heather Clarke's book is a polka that starts BDED BDED …. The DED is pretty tricky if you are lifting the chanter for the D, closing it down for the E, then lifting it off the knee again for the next D. Playing E off-the-knee solves this problem. And it is a great sound. Hard E! Way to go!

[Mr.Gumby]

does this become second nature or is conscious effort always required? And should it be relatively difficult to compress the bag? .

It will eventually become second nature. At this stage just make sure you're not driving the chanter with the bellows. The bellows only tops up the air, your bag arm keeps the pressure on the bag. It can be a good exercise to fill the bag (note: never fill the bag completely, 90% is fine) and then play your note as long as you can without refilling the bag with the bellows. Then, and that's the important bit, keep your note sounding steady while you top up the bag with the bellows while your bag arm retains even pressure (it is important to fill the bag with one full stroke of the bellows, don't use a lot of small strokes, it's too inefficient). That left-right arm coordination is what you should be working on at this stage. And once you get that sorted, you'll be flying (well, flying to the next hurdle anyway).

It should not be very hard to keep playing pressure up, like Geoff Wooff I'd say I can play my pipes pressing one finger in the bag, but at the beginners stage it can sometimes seem harder than it is. I have had students struggle with the bag pressure only to find when I checked them myself their pipes were actually quite easy to play. The only way to be sure your reed isn't too hard to play is have it checked by an experienced player.

[edited too add a few details]

Playing E off-the-knee solves this problem.

There's a lot to be said for having both ways at your finger tips.

[geoff wooff]

In reality there should be ,with a practice set, plenty of wind in the bag and the pressure should not be high, but this is often not the case for two reasons:

1. a new set will have a NEW reed and new reeds are often a little stronger to blow, there being a margin for 'playing-in' and the pressure will ease after a few weeks playing.

2. a reed which is finished to balance all the reeds of a full set might be too efficient with air and not give the beginner on a practice set the neccessary frequency of Bag and Bellows motions... it is a bit of a trade off because if the student piper gets used to a heavy blown reed and then wants to add drones to that , those drone reeds need to be adjusted to take that extra pressure and the result can be ( and often is) a set which is a real 'work out ' to play.


Contrary to lots of historic comments stating that the Pipes are the most difficult instrument to play, I dont feel that this is correct at all. I never felt they were difficult to play, however what I would say the difficulties with the instrument are in the making and maintaining... once one has a 'good' instrument it is easy enough to play.

[Mr.Gumby]

There's a reason I am glad I started on a half set. I had the option of turning the drones on or off and could get myself accustomed to dealing with a constant flow of air.

[olly498]

So after sitting down and practicing for a while today I'm beginning to be able to hold a note relatively steady for a while. I am finding compressing the bag quite hard on my shoulder, however I can't imagine anything else that I've ever done requiring this movement so I'm sure I will get use to it soon. Mr.Gumby when I press (what to me feels like) moderately on the bag air just passes through the reed with a hiss it's not till I really clamp down that the reed 'fires up'. By the being able to press down with one finger thing did you mean air will simply pass through or will it sound? Geoff the reed is new so hopefully that will be a factor that will make a difference in my case.
On a side note, music is fairly big in my house, lots of friends bringing plenty of strange and not so strange instruments for jamming and sessions. Being a resident of the house, naturally my dog is very used to it all. The pipes are the only instrument that my dog has decided every time he hears he must charge in the room and sing along, if I play a higher note, he howls a little louder and higher! Anyone else's pets have strange reactions to their pipes?
Also here is a photo of the set http://m.imgur.com/QMPVQBN (I tried to place it inline but it is huge)
Again, thanks for all the responses