A word on ITM and speed by Debbie Quigley

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 11:29 am

Play it too fast and you suck, but in a traditional way.

Play it too slow and it sucks, but in a non-traditional way.

The hard part: play it just right.

Ya'll don't even wanna see my list.

Have a good Samhain and a Happy New Year!

--James

U2 · Post by U2 » Fri Oct 31, 2003 11:38 am

[quote="BloomfieldI think what she is saying is that if you play very fast, nobody notices your music.

[/quote]

Bloom - Seen some mighty sessions in Ireland last summer that included the masters. Slow tunes weren't played. I too have a deep appreciation for the melodies at a slower tempo, but truthfully the tempi for the dance was quite a good clip. The music was noticed.

Edit: Not taking a position that speed is a requirement, only that the tunes can be played well at various tempi. A slow jig has a special appeal to my ear, however, I cannot recall hearing one played in a dance setting.

Caj · Post by **Caj** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 11:46 am

peeplj wrote:Play it too fast and you suck, but in a traditional way.

Play it too slow and it sucks, but in a non-traditional way.

Yah. For every person who plays reels at ludicrous speed, there's someone else who plays O'Carolan tunes excruciatingly slowly, with syrupy vibrato and all sorts of melodrama.

Caj

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:55 pm

glauber wrote:She's obviously not a flute player (or piper).

I had her class at the East Coast Tionol and she is definately a great piper.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:19 pm

fancypiper wrote:
glauber wrote:She's obviously not a flute player (or piper).
I had her class at the East Coast Tionol and she is definately a great piper.

Oh, by the way, that was a joke. Sorry for the confusion... :roll:

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:25 pm

*shakes fist*

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:44 pm

For me, it depends on the tune. Some just sound better to my ear when played in a stately manner, and although there are some that I want to play rapidly (whether or not I can

), I'm beginning to appreciate the challenge of rendering those tunes at a more deliberate, relaxed pace. Probably the most problematic one for me in this regard is The Foxhunters, a five-part reel that just cries out to me to be played at a good clip. I'm beginning to enjoy playing it more slowly, but the sense of the chase, the yelping of hounds and the call of the hunters' bugles, which to me are a part of the tune, get lost then. It becomes something different; perhaps like the easy amble home afterward.

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:30 pm

Good comments Bloomy.
Every tune has it's natural tempo, and often several. But it's still good to practice FAST for 2 reasons:
A: You can't slow fiddlers down...especially the females.
B: If you are capable of great speed, then when you play a tune whose natural rythm is fast it won't sound rushed.

But this fixation with high speed on everything makes the music all sound the same.

Paul Reid · Post by **Paul Reid** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 6:46 pm

Bloom has seen the light. Debbie saw the light years ago and she keeps turnig it on! It is an incredible treat to see Debbie play a tune. The amount of attention to detail is a real mind-blower. Debbie can play fast tune, don't be misled, but she would rather you hear the gorgeous gracing and precision placement of cuts and rolls. Bloomie is right -- she is one of North America's finest pipers (I think that's what you said B), and a Canadian treasure. I'm learning to appreciate her talents exponentially every year. BTW, she's also a wonderfully kind and gentle person who has a warehouse of patience (and also so modest that she'd blush if she read such praise!).

We Torontonians will be doubly lucky to have both Debbie and Patrick Ourceau at the Chris Langan Weekend in January. If you're at all close to Toronto, or even up to an 8 - 10 hour drive -- give yourself a treat and go to the classes. Harry Bradley will be there for you flute players. The website is http://www.chrislangan.ca

Cheers,

PR

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 7:07 pm

Paul Reid wrote:We Torontonians will be doubly lucky to have both Debbie and Patrick Ourceau at the Chris Langan Weekend in January. If you're at all close to Toronto, or even up to an 8 - 10 hour drive -- give yourself a treat and go to the classes. Harry Bradley will be there for you flute players. The website is http://www.chrislangan.ca

Cheers,

PR

I mean, who wants to vacation in Florida in late January when they could be shivvering and sloshing through the snow in Toronto? I'll try to be there, though. For one thing, one of the finest formerly fiddling Montreal whistle teachers of Welsh descent with online tutorials, our very dear Brother Steve, will be teaching a whistle workshop.

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:20 pm

Bloomfield wrote:I mean, who wants to vacation in Florida in late January when they could be shivvering and sloshing through the snow in Toronto? I'll try to be there, though. For one thing, one of the finest formerly fiddling Montreal whistle teachers of Welsh descent with online tutorials, our very dear Brother Steve, will be teaching a whistle workshop.

Great! Bring that tweaked Susato of yours (or toolbox)! I'll be there.

Paul Reid · Post by **Paul Reid** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:38 pm

He's not the only one of Welsh descent... My Mom's side of the family is welsh. And BTW, Stevie J is a great whistler! If I weren't getting in as much piping as possible, I'd love to get in on one of those classes! Even with my squeaky Gen.

Shivering? Ppbpbbpblth! Wimp!

sad-seamonster · Post by **sad-seamonster** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:46 pm

In everything I've tried the word "flow" was always the key to doing things right. I used to play blues guitar, I noticed when I let things just flow was when the music held the most feel to it. Same with my whistle playing. And also, same with martial arts. I always did better in class when I let my technique flow. I define flow in these cases as seamless, smooth transitions from event to event.