Pipers fingering.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 3:57 pm

At what point do most people (key wise) switch to the piper fingering from fingertip usually? I've heard from one guy that used piper on everything. And some that fingertip everything. I can't get my fingers on right to use piper on a high d, but it actually is fairly comfortable on a Bb. Where do most people make the change? G? FF? EE?

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 4:23 pm

The only whistle I have that required piper's grip is the Howard low D.

The Susato low D I can piper or "fingertip"--that's not entirely accurate in my case, as I actually use the finger pads, not the tips, but close enough I suppose.

Everything else I play with the finger pads, which probably hails back to my years of playing Boehm-system flute, traverso, and recorder.

--James

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 4:36 pm

It's odd, but I've found myself using a piper's grip on everything anymore, even my high Ds. Seems like when I use my fingerpads my fingers get too tense & I can't half-hole and slide & stuff as well. Must be a control issue.

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 4:38 pm

I use it on anything below C (Bb or lower).

-Brett

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 5:13 pm

I only use it on pipers.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 5:26 pm

glauber wrote:I only use it on pipers.

Dude, that cracked me up! I gotta admit though, it sorta makes me wonder about you......I mean where are you fingering those pipers anyway?

Loren

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 5:29 pm

We don't have to talk about this, you know.
Nowhere is it written that this piper fingering
thing must be pursued here.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 6:20 pm

Cathy Wilde wrote:It's odd, but I've found myself using a piper's grip on everything anymore, even my high Ds. Seems like when I use my fingerpads my fingers get too tense & I can't half-hole and slide & stuff as well. Must be a control issue.

Me too, actually. Used to fingertip my high D's until I got a low D. Then pipering just felt better. The difference is that on higher keys, I grip nearer the fingertips than on lower whistles.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 8:24 pm

I tend not to use phrases like "I fingered my low d last night" amoung non whistlers.......

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 8:28 pm

I use piper's fingering on EVERYTHING- soprano D down to low D.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 9:06 pm

I think I remember reading you post that some time earlier.
I can definitly manage piper grip better on the Bb and G. Definitly quicker and less tiring. Funny, I couldn't do piper grip up till a couple weeks ago. then one night, I just started blowing using piper, not caring if the notes came out at all. After a couple minutes, they just up and started coming out.
I have a problem remembering to relax. When a hole doesn't want to cover good, I tense up and try to make it cover. Almost always makes it worse. It's still far from second nature or anything, but I won't be specifically seeking out "small hands" models any more.

BillG · Post by **BillG** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 9:16 pm

This thread sent me to my pipes - seems the closer I get to the high D the closer I move toward my fingertips BUT don't get to them completely - sort of modified pipers grip all the way up. I'd say full from G down.

BillG

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 10:21 pm

I can't speak for all uilleann pipers, but my fingers lie basically flat for both pipes and whistle. That doesn't mean anything though. What that means for me is the hands and fingers are always relaxed.

-upper hand on the pipes
top two holes are covered with the part of the fingers located between the first and second joints while the third hole is covered with the part of the finger that is half way between the end of the finger and the first joint.

-lower hand on pipes
top three holes are covered with the part of the fingers located between the first and second joints while the fourth hole is covered with the part of the finger that is half way between the end of the finger and the first joint.

-upper and lower hand on the D, C and Bb whistles
all holes are covered with the area of the fingers close to the first joint, between the end of the fingers and the first joints, rather than the tips.

PS: If someone doesn't think these positions are important, that person probably hasn't played for long enough hours to reduce tension and find the most natural and comfortable position. But, it's more than that. It's finding what works best for other things, like sliding on and off the hole smoothly (for effects), which can also involve rolling the whistle to the right or left, then straightening out again. And, finger tip playing makes it physically more of a challenge to play fast...the distance from the hole to the knuckle is greater, resulting in a longer extension...meaning slower action.