Old style of holding the chanter

[patsky]

Has anyone noticed that the old style of holding the chanter was to use the first digits of the left hand, top hand, to cover the holes?

A quick look at "O'Neil's IMM shows a few pipers holding the chanter this way. The instructions in O'Farrell's says to hold the chanter this way. As to modern players Joe Shannon and the McPeat's used this fingering.

Also...O'Farrell looked down on the hard bottom D stating that it was too loud and incorrect.

[Uilliam]

Yes...back in 2005 all the members of this Forum who where around then (and it ain't that long ago.)So the figure must run into hundreds I guess...
Flagged up by Rory with contributions from Royce (hya big man)and many others... and funnily enough yersel

This is whit ye wrote back then in response to Rory
"This method of using the first digits of the left hand is the way that many 18th and 19th century pipers held the chanter. In O'Farrell's tutor he describes holding the chanter using this method. The McPeake family and Joe Shannon held the chanter that way. There are also several pipers in O'Neill's using the first digit grip.

By the O'Farrell also says that the hard bottom D is a no no because it is too harsh; the soft D is the proper one.


All the best,
Pat Sky"

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29563&hilit=holding+chanter
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25567&hilit=holding+chanter

Old age doesnae come on its own I guess.
Slán Go foill
Uilliam
.....and the McPeat's used this fingering.
PS Is that the famous McPeat's and the Bogsiders ye refer to in yoer recent post or is it the old McPeake family morphing into tillers of the soil in these hard times o recession?
Happy New year to one and all .

[madfortrad]

You are right

Francis mc Peake I, II, and III all hold/held the pipes in this way, however Francis IV hold the chanter in the "straight" fingered fashion

Francis V is only about 2 years old at the minute so who knows how he will end up holding the chanter!

[projektio28]

This sounds interesting.... Do you guys have a picture of video of this playing style, I mean I know the older 18th and 19th century might be difficult, but what about those modern players...

Cheers!

Matt

[madfortrad]

Here is a video from the 60's of the mc peakes. You can see the three of them ( Francie I, II, III) playing in this style

This is very rare peice of footage. The set being played by Francie II was made by RL O Mealy of Belfast In C. They are a beautiful set of pipes.
One of the very few that O' Mealy made with a Tenor Regulator.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GlS1spbuSbo

You can see in this clip Francis IV playing in the straight finger style

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vLH5QQU60r4.

[patsky]

Fellows,
Pleas forgive me or bring up a subject that I have already talked about. My age is finally catching up with me.


All the best,
Pat

[Uilliam]

Slán Go Foill
Uilliam

[mukade]

Pat, don't worry about an old subject.
I have never heard about this style of playing the pipes, and the thread dug up that wonderful video of the McPeakes.

Many newer players, especially self-taught learners, hold the chanter in the same way.
Perhaps we are all playing it wrong.

I dread to think how much pain top-hand triplets would cause with that method.

Mukade

[Kinry]

Many newer players, especially self-taught learners, hold the chanter in the same way.

I have to put my hand up to this one. I started off (just last summer) using this grip but when i realised that nobody else seemed to be doing it, i switched to the usual grip and found it a bit easier.

Now that i've learned it, i can concentrate on my 'talk' and my 'truckley how', which i'm having a bit of trouble with.

J.

[pancelticpiper]

Has anyone noticed that the old style of holding the chanter was to use the first digits of the left hand, top hand, to cover the holes?
The word "digit" means "finger". I think what you may be saying is that these players are using the endmost joints of their fingers?

A quick look at "O'Neil's IMM shows a few pipers holding the chanter this way. The instructions in O'Farrell's says to hold the chanter this way. As to modern players Joe Shannon and the McPeat's used this fingering.
Yes I got out O Neill's IMM and I now see that the following are using the endjoints of their index fingers:
Denis O Leary
Wm Hanafin
R L O Meally
etc

While some seem to be covering the C hole with the knuckle between the index finger's end joint and middle joint:
Denis Delaney
Samuel Rowsome
Shane O Neill
Turlogh McSweeny
etc

rather than covering the C hole with the index finger's middle joint as most do.

Also...O'Farrell looked down on the hard bottom D stating that it was too loud and incorrect.
Well I guess I'm an "O Farrell style" piper! I finger the chanter using the end joints on the upper hand because I started with the Highland pipes and didn't know any better. I mostly use soft bottom D because the hard bottom D on my chanter is very difficult to sound.

[Jeff Cullen]

The first three months I played, I played with the 'end pads' of my top hand in GHB style as pancelticpiper describes. Having played GHB for 36 years I found it convenient that I could use the same grip. The trouble was, I felt strain on my top hand that I didn't feel on a Highland Pipe chanter, so I slid my grip over to the style shown in the H. Clarke tutor and while it was initially a bit of a step backwards in learning, I find it very comfortable and more fluid with no hand strain. I know three other highland pipers that play Uilleann pipes with Highland grip and it doesn't seem to bother them, but it was a big difference for me.

[mukade]

There is a photo in the December 2008 edition of An Píobaire showing four descendants of famous pipers.

One of the young lads, I think the grandson of Sean Potts, is sitting holding a practice set.
It looks like he is playing with the tips of his fingers.

Perhaps it is in the blood, or maybe all the old pipers just posed the same way for photographs.

Mukade

[TheSilverSpear]

I can't reach all the holes if I play it with the tips of my fingers (not like I have seriously tried, as I had a low whistle -- RIP-- before I had the chanter). For me it is kind of a moot point.

[PJ]

For my first few years of playing I used my finger tips to close the holes on the chanter. When enough people told me that I was doing it wrong, I switched. It took a few weeks to get used to the new grip. The trouble is that when I play low whistle or flute I use "piper's grip" and play then like I play a chanter!

[Joseph E. Smith]

The trouble is that when I play low whistle or flute I use "piper's grip" and play then like I play a chanter!

Not to worry PJ, perhaps your confession/actions will entice a new generation of whistlers/flautists to stray into the 'Dark Side'.