Getting a grip
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Getting a grip
A profile of an old Dublin piper, Chris Langan, was published in the Pipers' Review in the late 90s, written by one of his students, Pat Hutchinson I believe; the last thing Chris said to the writer was an interesting bit of advice, to work some substance - vaseline? - onto the fingers "to help with the tight piping." This really works - I think of it as akin to applying chalk to the end of a pool cue, i.e., a little ritual to go through before playing.
Haven't tried vaseline, yuck, in fact I'm probably not remembering that correctly at all, vaseline's really slimy. Instead I have an Altoids tin full of beeswax mixed with oil of some sort to thin out the result, which I use on, say, drone ferrules that have become a bit loose in dry conditions - a tiny smidge tightens things back up, this is for situations where there really isn't room for a thread bed. The same wax/oil works for applying more traction to the fingers. Your staccato fairly goes through the roof, believe me. It's only a bit more unsolid than beeswax itself, also. I'm thinking I might thin it out a bit more.
I wonder if some pipers famed for tight playing didn't have a bit more oily skin, or had rougher fingers from just putting in a honest day's work - Andy Conroy being a bricklayer comes to mind. For the rest of us this may help.
Haven't tried vaseline, yuck, in fact I'm probably not remembering that correctly at all, vaseline's really slimy. Instead I have an Altoids tin full of beeswax mixed with oil of some sort to thin out the result, which I use on, say, drone ferrules that have become a bit loose in dry conditions - a tiny smidge tightens things back up, this is for situations where there really isn't room for a thread bed. The same wax/oil works for applying more traction to the fingers. Your staccato fairly goes through the roof, believe me. It's only a bit more unsolid than beeswax itself, also. I'm thinking I might thin it out a bit more.
I wonder if some pipers famed for tight playing didn't have a bit more oily skin, or had rougher fingers from just putting in a honest day's work - Andy Conroy being a bricklayer comes to mind. For the rest of us this may help.
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Re: Getting a grip
I rub my nose with my fingers, because of the natural oils from my face help a lot too.
We musicians are enemies by disposition, so treat every musician you happen to meet, accordingly.
Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of the flame.
Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of the flame.
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Re: Getting a grip
rorybbellows wrote:KY gel
RORY
NO!
I Dunno what of chanter you're thinking of, but we're talking about an uilleann chanter here!
Last edited by ennischanter on Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
We musicians are enemies by disposition, so treat every musician you happen to meet, accordingly.
Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of the flame.
Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of the flame.
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Re: Getting a grip
Can you play Greensleeves....I rub my nose with my fingers
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Re: Getting a grip
Gesundheit.tommykleen wrote:Bagbalm.
Bag Balm is a salve developed in 1899 to soothe irritation on cows' udders after milking.[1][2] The product is officially only meant for animals
Wow, do the survivalists know about this junk? Sounds like you should stock up on it in case of nuclear holocaust.Its uses are many, for example "squeaky bed springs, psoriasis, dry facial skin, cracked fingers, burns, zits, diaper rash, saddle sores, sunburn, pruned trees, rifles, shell casings, bed sores and radiation burns."[2]
And it's a salve, eh? Like ChapStick, which I suppose would do the job as well.
I used to just wipe my brow a bit, ala Ennischanter. Helped that playing would work up a bit of a sweat...
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Re: Getting a grip
Almond oil might be a good choice to mix with the beeswax. Almond oil is used by orchestral woodwind players to keep the wood in clarinets, oboes, etc., from cracking.Kevin L. Rietmann wrote: Instead I have an Altoids tin full of beeswax mixed with oil of some sort to thin out the result, which I use on, say, drone ferrules that have become a bit loose in dry conditions - a tiny smidge tightens things back up, this is for situations where there really isn't room for a thread bed. The same wax/oil works for applying more traction to the fingers. Your staccato fairly goes through the roof, believe me. It's only a bit more unsolid than beeswax itself, also. I'm thinking I might thin it out a bit more.
I teleported home one night
With Ron and Sid and Meg.
Ron stole Meggie's heart away
And I got Sidney's leg.
-- Douglas Adams
'Bundinn er bátlaus maðu'.
With Ron and Sid and Meg.
Ron stole Meggie's heart away
And I got Sidney's leg.
-- Douglas Adams
'Bundinn er bátlaus maðu'.
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Re: Getting a grip
Like Tom said, this is the stuff.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nat ... balm_N.htm
You can also buy it in little one-ounce tins that fit neatly into your pipe case.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nat ... balm_N.htm
You can also buy it in little one-ounce tins that fit neatly into your pipe case.
Deja Fu: The sense that somewhere, somehow, you've been kicked in the head exactly like this before.
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Re: Getting a grip
My local farm supply outfit has some, I'll give it a try.
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Re: Getting a grip
FWIW I remember Chris carrying a bottle of an ordinary lanolin based handcream in his pipecase.
My brain hurts
- rorybbellows
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Re: Getting a grip
I'm not one for revealing secrets that others have given me but as Paddy Keenan said to me recently when I told him about it,its to good not to share. Liam O,Flynn told me he always uses Neutrogena hand cream, Norwegian formula . Spread just a tiny amount across the underside of your fingers and hey presto, you're a piper.
RORY
PS unscented
RORY
PS unscented
I'm Spartacus .
- tompipes
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Re: Getting a grip
Andy Conroy used royal jelly.
Tommy
Tommy
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Re: Getting a grip
Coconut oil.
Non-greasy, non-sticky.
It's the rage in skin care.
Health benefits seemingly endless.
Non-greasy, non-sticky.
It's the rage in skin care.
Health benefits seemingly endless.