What's the longest you've played without stopping?

ennischanter · Post by **ennischanter** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:11 pm

I saw the chanter reed thread, and it sparked a question I've been wanting to ask.

What is the longest you've played the uilleann pipes continuously, without stopping the drones? Or better yet, without taking breaks between songs?

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 7:11 pm

3 seconds.

BigDavy · Post by **BigDavy** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 7:35 pm

Hi rory

3 seconds seems like an eternity in my playing.

David

rorybbellows · Post by **rorybbellows** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 7:52 pm

Hello Davy, I was told its get easier as you go along , but its all lies. Anyway I've said it before but I'll say it again ,thanks for what you do on the ebay thread ,I always check out your posts.

RORY

BigDavy · Post by **BigDavy** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 9:13 pm

Thanks rory

It is not really a problem doing the ebay stuff. In my collecting days I set up 2 searches (1 for the UK site and 1 for the US site) and all that is needed is to refresh the pages and click on worldwide.

David

geoff wooff · Post by **geoff wooff** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 3:57 am

What, pray tell, Ennischanter, is the real point of your question ?

Let me just say that if you are refering to personal energy usage then a well set up instrument ( that does not leak or have reeds that are very tough to blow) and you are a person of reasonable health and fitness.... it should be possible to play continuously without break, between the necessary calls of nature.... once ,that is, the set has warmed up and the drones have settled into tune.

Mind you complaints from others who inhabit your space ( or locale) could be the first thing to cause an arrêt !! Continuous piping is a hazard to one's Relationship(s)... I know, because I live in a household of Two and both are Pipers..... much tolerance is needed... and sometimes some shouting

nwhitmer · Post by **nwhitmer** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 5:39 am

Longest I have played with drones on and not stopping is probably between 5 and 10 minutes. I used to play for contra dances in a band with pipes, fiddle, piano. One dance might last 20 minutes if there were a lot of people. Depending on the tunes, our medley "arrangements", how I felt, etc., I would turn drones on & off, or drop in or out entirely. But there were occasions where I was playing continuously with drones for an extended period of time.

Nick Whitmer

Mr.Gumby · Post by **Mr.Gumby** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 11:57 am

During the 1980s I used to practice in front of the tellie, sound very low, reading the subtitles. I'd just play whatever would come into my head and play without stopping the pipes for long times, only stopping, as Geoff said, for the necessarily drainage or having a cup of tea.

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 12:17 pm

Mr.Gumby wrote:the necessarily drainage or having a cup of tea.

That is the definition of a vicious cycle.

ennischanter · Post by **ennischanter** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:50 pm

geoff wooff wrote:
Mind you complaints from others who inhabit your space ( or locale) could be the first thing to cause an arrêt !! Continuous piping is a hazard to one's Relationship(s)... I know, because I live in a household of Two and both are Pipers..... much tolerance is needed... and sometimes some shouting

Hmmmmmmmm... I'm guessing that would be a few hours?

ennischanter · Post by **ennischanter** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:52 pm

Yeah, I guess if you were to hold it in it would probably fiercely affect your playing!

And it probably would not help if you had some alcohol in you..

andyp · Post by **andyp** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 2:09 pm

As always, wise words from Geoff.

geoff wooff · Post by **geoff wooff** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 2:17 pm

andyp wrote:As always, wise words from Geoff.

Ah! Would that that were always so.......

Thanks Andy.

ennischanter · Post by **ennischanter** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:17 pm

For me it was probably about 3-4 hours.

CHasR · Post by **CHasR** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:57 pm

ennischanter wrote:What is the longest you've played the uilleann pipes continuously, without stopping the drones? Or better yet, without taking breaks between songs?

You mean as in like... 'in front of an audience'?, ...or just kinda, in the privacy of ones own???

prolly no more than 20min solid front & center to a roomful of people (funeral viewing),
stringing a buncha sad tearjerkers together.

& maybe twice that alone, 40 min,
totally into what im trying to do in a rare, epic practice session.

the difference being, on ones own there isnt as much pressure to perfect every nuance,,

this is a long time to play continuously. 3 hours my word. call guinness.

even just 20 min, seems to me a piper can really work up a good cramp during that time, no matter how ergonomic ones gear or perfect ones posture is....

Chiff and Fipple Forums

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