uillean and GHB
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uillean and GHB
I've been learning about the dislike uillean and GHB have for each other. How long has this been going on? I've been playing GHB for 12 yrs. but it's only since I've been reading uilleann pipe forums I've learned about this. Both instruments have their challanges & in other ways are quite alike. (I'm now learning to play the uilleann pipes)(I'm Irish, Scottish, German, Indian, Viking and no telling what else) I always thought the Irish & Scottish were so mixed it didn't make any difference which one you were. I like the loud, proud, heritage of the GHB, marching off to war, and the sheding of tears at funerals, the last goodbye. And the reels and jigs of the uilleann pipes makes everybody want to dance. The uilleann pipes can change octives to add additional feeling to tunes no GHB ever could, but played together, fantastic! So whats the deal? Some pipe makers even make both. Is this an American thing?
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GHB
Actually, many, many present day pipers are also GHBs or were. In fact, Eric Rigler studied and competed with GHBs long before discovering the UPs. I believe that Jerry O'Sullivan also played GHBs, and in fact Seth Gallegher started with them in Massachusets as well. A high percentage of the Ups in our Long Island, New York club are accomplished GHBs, and still active. I think that among our group, there is more disdain perhaps for the bodhran (though I like the tempo is can provide for a group or session) and the GHBs are just different. The only exception maybe, is the fact that the GHBs and the marching bands often are more rigid in how uniform the playing must be. The UPs often draws these pipers who sometime become fed up with the discipliarians in those marching bands that begin to take the fun out of it.
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I love both instrument and have played the GHB's for 18 years and recently decided to get into UP's I also have the typical mut heritage, like most Americans. Scottish, Irish, English, Welsh,.. I was raised on both music though.
The So Cal UP Club has several GHB converts.
The two instruments are quite different.
The So Cal UP Club has several GHB converts.
The two instruments are quite different.
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PUIF has put his finger on something relevant: the military, regimented approach common in pipe-band circles is a bit of a put-off for a lot of free spirits, especially when it gets tied up with competitions, sh*t and blanco, the majorette aspects of the marching band and sometimes a rather mercenary preoccupation with the size of performance fees.
The propensity of pipe bands to play the same one or two tunes that are expected of them (Amazing Grace, Mull of Kintyre, Scotland the Brave etc.) or, worse, two-octave tunes like Roddy McCorley that are sawn in two to fit within the compass of the chanter are also a major turn-off.
But the sound of a pipe band even just tuning up stirs the blood, and I particularly love the sound of a solo war piper playing the kind of tunes that are suited to the instrument.
The propensity of pipe bands to play the same one or two tunes that are expected of them (Amazing Grace, Mull of Kintyre, Scotland the Brave etc.) or, worse, two-octave tunes like Roddy McCorley that are sawn in two to fit within the compass of the chanter are also a major turn-off.
But the sound of a pipe band even just tuning up stirs the blood, and I particularly love the sound of a solo war piper playing the kind of tunes that are suited to the instrument.
An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
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- Pat Cannady
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new piper
I allso play GHB. I've had people ask me if playing the bagpipes was hard. I tell them the hardest part is putting on the kilt. I try not to think about it. but everyone expects a bagpipe player to play in a kilt so their "paying the piper". I have 3 kilts but I ONLY wear them if someone wants a piper.
- oleorezinator
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- snoogie
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Great fun!!...I knew it wouldn't take long for this thread to get going
I'll bet the GHB players wish they had a 71 page fingering chart too!! :roll:
In spite of my partial Scottish heritage, I knew wearing a kilt wasn't for me when I was talking to a guy in a Scottish Heritage Center and he said somethiing along the lines of "and the feeling of your kilt swishing as you are marching makes you feel like a real man."
There is no try, only do or not do. - Yoda