Feedback wanted on playing (videos)

[bayswater]

Hello all,

The other night I sat down with a buddy of mine and enjoyed a couple of beers and some tunes. We recorded it on video so we could review our playing. It’s actually good for identifying tempo problems and such, which are not always apparent as you are playing.

I’m very much interested in some constructive critique/feedback on my playing. There are no other flute players where I live, and no way of getting lessons, so I hope you could give me some pointers. I know we’re (that is “I’M” ) a bit off at times, and there’s the occasional playing error – but pointers on what I can do to improve my playing is what I’m after.

Above and Beyond:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HckGjG8EPL8

The Gloup & Miller's Maggot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHuYFadz1mc

Inisheer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geHXcuTA8g8

Inion Ni Scannlain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzQamBRGDn4

Cornerhouse Reel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX5907PpuYw


/Brian

[Jayhawk]

Very nicely played.

Eric

[sbfluter]

I'm nobody to critique, but I listened to them all and was sorry that they were all so short. Your playing has a relaxed, easy-going pace that is very nice to listen to. It does remind me of Mark Roberts, which I gather from your tune choices, is an influence.

[bayswater]

Thank you for your comments!

Yes, it’s true regarding Mark Roberts – I have always loved his sound. It’s so laid back - at times! He plays devilishly on other tracks ). I learned “The Gloup” from his CD called “The Gloup”.

This was my first time playing with another instrument and recording it. It’s actually a great exercise, I think. If I were to give a concrete piece of advice myself it would be this:

- Don’t try to catch up. If you get behind (even if it’s just a note or two) when for example you need to breathe unexpectedly – don’t try to catch up by squeezing in the notes you were to play, by playing them faster. In stead – take your time and continue when you’re ready despite the small hole/gap. This might seem obvious – but I caught myself doing so several times. Even if you’re only off for a split-second and you manage to squeeze the notes in, it is actually very noticeable. But you don’t (at least I don’t) always notice it yourself when you’re playing.


I think I personally should try working on breathing at different places. I believe this is a very common piece of advice, but I think it can be hard if you’ve really learned to play the tune ONE specific way. I know I have to be conscious about trying to breathe at different places, so this is one of the areas I plan on working on in the future. Also variations - I’m not really there yet, I only make minor variations at times, and this is not done in the spur of the moment, I have to sit down and evaluate beforehand what I can do differently at specific places. I would very much like to get better at this too.

Oh, and a last piece of advice – have FUN. Try finding someone to play with – this really doubles the fun (at least for me).

Thanks again.

/Brian

[cocusflute]

Lovely playing on the jigs. I have no critique to offer your playing, but the guitar player should listen to Dennis Cahill's accompaniment for Martin Hayes.
Your man's banging is not musical and detracts from your lovely playing. Dennis Cahill knows that the music is about the fiddle, not the guitar, and tones down accordingly. His playing is tasteful and musical. Not so much chordal as it is splash - more of a melodic two- and three-finger accompaniment.
Keep tooting!

[gododdin]

Lovely playing. I agree with Cocus on the accompaniment. A friend of mine said that accompaniment should be 'like a gold setting for a diamond'. It should show off the diamond to the best of its ability but not be so garish as to try to outshine the jewel. I thought that was a pretty good description.

[sbfluter]

I know what you mean by breathing. That's the first thing I try to do when I'm learning a tune is consciously decide where I absolutely must NOT breathe and then figure out where I can breathe in order to make that certain.

[jemtheflute]

Generally sound playing, Brian. I didn't mind your guitarist in the slow tunes, but he certainly plods in the reel and in the jigs you weren't playing a firm jig rhythm yourself, especially in the first tune, so what chance had he? Your tone is very nice and your ornamentation and general technique is good, but you are, I feel, still finding your feet in the idiom. You need to listen and play along to lots of good ITM, and not the (very-good-but-not-the-place-to-start) flyaway modern styles of the likes of Finnegan and McGoldrick. Don't just listen to flute stuff either. Listen to Frankie Gavin, Noel Hill, Martin Hayes, Liam O'Flynn, etc. etc. and to bands too as well as the big flute names. When you get more of a feel for it the phrasing will come more naturally to you.

Your guitar chum should listen to people like Arty McGlynn, Ed Boyd, Yvon Riou (Jean-Michel Veillon's former guitar collaborator - you should check out J-M V yourself), Gilles LeBigot, and to bouzouki/cittern players too like Alec Finn and Donal Lunny to learn how to accompany IT and other Celtic music on chord-based strings.
Keep at it!

[irishrosa82]

Wow, what nice playing on Inisheer!

I think it's really brave to put yourself out there. I don't have a teacher, so I am really shy, and it's taking me a while to figure out what makes me happiest about playing instead of what sounds 'right.' If you don't love what you do, then why do it, right?

Thanks to all here for the help.

[bayswater]

Dear all, thank you for your comments.

About the guitar accompaniment, Jakob (the guitar player) did say he felt it was a bit on the “heavy” side at times, but we have to start somewhere I found some clips of Dennis Cahill and Martin Hayes on Youtube and I see what you mean. In some of the clips, however, I personally find that you don’t hear the guitar enough (in some clips you barely hear the guitar at all) – but that could be due to poor recording?! But I definitely understand what you mean and point taken – we will try working on that.

...but you are, I feel, still finding your feet in the idiom.

Idiom?! What did you just call me?! But you’re right, both of us are relatively new to this, and we’ve only played together twice, so there’s a long way to go. But when you’re enjoying yourself, the journey is just as pleasing as the destination. Thanks for the references (most I don’t know at all) – I will try looking into that.

irishrosa82, I love your comment. I totally agree – the single most important thing is to enjoy yourself. You shouldn’t be shy about posting sound clips or videos, though. People here are generally very nice and helpful. I don’t mind getting critique – I only hope to learn from the advice of people here who are way ahead of me. Hope to hear some of your recordings soon

Thanks again!

/Brian

[sbfluter]

Brian, how long have you been playing?

[crookedtune]

Yes, lovely playing. I agree with the discussion of accompaniment, but I'm not as bothered by what I heard. It could be a bit less strident in places, but it still adds a lot, and is supportive of the flute. It can be hard to find a very skilled accompaniest, and it takes a while to mesh your playing styles. I think your man will do fine with more exposure to your music. Very well done!

[peeplj]

Hi.

Here are some thoughts by tune:

"Above & Beyond"--lovely playing. Very nice tone--really enjoyed this. The only thing that really stuck out to me was the vibrato...I think I would have liked it better with no vibrato at all.

The Gloup / Miller's Maggot--start was a little shaky, then you settled nicely into the tune. I think these would work better if you didn't play such long phrases...divide the tunes out into shorter question and answer phrases. I thought the overall feel of Maggot was better than the first tune.

Inisheer--nice. Very well played. Again, I think the vibrato detracts...you might try a fingered vibrato on the longer notes.

Inion--very nice. I think you really shine on this one. Also I like your tone better on this one...got just a touch of that lovely harsh edge that I really like so much. My only criticism on this was that it was too short, over too soon.

Cornerhouse--second time through the tune much better than first time through. Something about the way you phrased in the B part close to the end really set my teeth on edge the first time through the tune, but you sounded good when you went back through it. I thought the tune would be better if you hit the lower notes harder and maybe added some rhythmic breath pulsing as well.

Over all, really lovely playing. Thanks for sharing those--I enjoyed them.

--James

[irishrosa82]

Wellll......Bayswater, maybe you could tell me how to do that---post a bit of my playing. I played with a Celtic harpist on a CD she made last month and they're finally here. She plays with a silver flutist but asked me to play with her for something different.

I'm not into Youtube, etc.---I just don't want to get real close and personal ..if you want to PM and tell me how, I will have one of my teenagers do it!!

Here's my need for help: I put a lot of pressure on myself about intonation because of years of serious classical training, so maybe someone can explain to me how to release a note --without resorting to silver flute habit of vibrato!--that's held out for a while, as in, for example, the clip I hope to post--Aran Boat song? I am not sure I get the big picture of the Irish flute sound as opposed to a silver flute.

Again, yes, you all seem like friendly folk and I want to thank you. Wish they had an emoticon for shy people....

[peeplj]

Here's my need for help: I put a lot of pressure on myself about intonation because of years of serious classical training, so maybe someone can explain to me how to release a note --without resorting to silver flute habit of vibrato!--that's held out for a while, as in, for example, the clip I hope to post--Aran Boat song? I am not sure I get the big picture of the Irish flute sound as opposed to a silver flute.

Just let the note be pure.

Let it hang in the air.

You don't have to do anything to it; let it be what it is.

You don't need vibrato for a long note to sound good; once you realize that, it frees up not only your playing in Irish music but also it'll be like the light came on in other kinds of music as well.

Vibrato as it's used today is really a pretty recent thing for flute.

Now there are references to vibrato that go back into antiquity, but it was considered either an ornament to be used sparingly, or a special effect to set a certain mood. It was never meant to be utilized on every longer tone--that's a very recent development, and not necessarily a good one, in my opinion.

As for intonation, vibrato is often detrimental to it: if you are not in tune without vibrato, you certainly won't be in tune when using it.

--James