What's the Deal with Uilleann Pipes?

[Bertram Henze]

We have two uillean pipers in our sessions who apparently have no problem with tuning nor in playing with others. There is the occasional technical issue, but nothing more disturbing than a broken string. No noodling - when they start, they really play; everything else would be inconsiderate at that volume. Role models of discipline.

To return to the original question: What's the deal? The piper gets expectation and respect for playing the most difficult and most irish-sounding instrument of the pack, and in return does his best to fit in with the others.

Bertram

[Steve L]

If I had it to do over again, I think I would have taken up the pipes in my teens. I really love them. I think Mando Johnny's misadventures have much more to do with the limitations of the players than the instrument, which is magnificent.

[BBarr]

Maybe a little off topic, but I think some people don't realize how hard it is to play pipes at all let alone well. I love the pipes and so does my son. I don't play myself but my son told me and my wife it would be a 'life dream' to learn the highland bagpipes.

He started a year and a half ago when he was 10. He practices 30 minutes, 5 days a week and has a 1 hour lesson with one of the top pipers in the U.S., a guy of 27. After almost 2 years on the practice chanter, he knows about 15-18 tunes cold and another half-dozen pretty well to fake it. On his 12th brithday in April, I will buy him his pipes - about $1800 for Scots made pipes.

I watch him play tunes with all the gracings and some incredible fingerings. Whew!!! I sure like 2 finger chords on my Mando # #I ask him every once in a while if it is still a life dream and he always tells me "We're going to Scotland some day Dad so I can play competition". I always smile and think to myself I never had that kind of dedication. He makes me proud.

Sorry if your experiences with Pipers has not been all good. Like any hobby though, there are prima-donnas who really don't know how to share their talents in a constructive way. For some, I guess they would be better off playing alone at home #

BTW - If you want a little glimpse into the North American Highland Bagpipe scene, this is the place to go:

http://www.bobdunsire.com/ubbthreads...s.php/ubb/cfrm

[steve V. johnson]

As I read the most recent entries in this thread, I was remembering the sessions I've played in with pipers, and for the most part, my experience has been similar to Bertram's.

(Well... with allowances for a side trip to Northumbria...)

I know these things are complex, but there certainly are folks out there who can show up, unpack and play with no more fuss than other folks' instruments require...

SteveL... I know that feeling, too...

Thanks,

stv

[Gutbucket]

Mando Johnny, just listen to Davy Spillane sometime, and you'll understand the beauty of the pipes. He's the bomb! No slouch on the tin whistle either. He toured with the original Riverdance troup, and I had the pleasure of running into him in a pub in Dingle about ten years ago. Great musician.

[Paul Kotapish]

Mando Johnny, just listen to Davy Spillane sometime, and you'll understand the beauty of the pipes. He's the bomb! No slouch on the tin whistle either. He toured with the original Riverdance troup, and I had the pleasure of running into him in a pub in Dingle about ten years ago. Great musician.

Davy Splillane is a wonderful piper, but he was so worried about the consistency of the pipes from night to night during his run with Riverdance that he actually just "finger synched" to a prerecorded track. Not to take anything away from his musicianship, but even the best acknowledge the delicacy of the instrument.

[ruraltradpunk]

The pipes rock! Listen to Paddy Keenan, Robbie Hannan, Jerry O'Sullivan, The McKeons, Willie Clancy, Seamus Ennis.

Jill

[Rick C.]

.

Now.. back to mandolins.. I found in the states that there is not much respect for mandolins in Irish music. They're usually hard to hear, and often played by tenor banjo players which means you get a lot of the tinny hard atonal picking, sometimes close enough to the bridge to make sparks fly. As a second instrument, it can sound really awful.. compound that with the "keepers of the flame" phenomena and a mandolin player in a session often starts at strike 2!

Dan,

I'm coming to this thread late, but I had this conversation just last night after a local benefit gig, with a player who just got back from a year in Limerick. #
He was astonished at my take on how mandolin is viewed in Irish music here, I guess being a fiddler he just never gave it any thought. But more than once in a session a tune would crank up that I was better at on mando, I'd put the box down and grab the mando and be asked how come I was doing that, the box suited the music better. #Ha, I have not had that happen since the National has been going to sessions with me though... #

This is of particular interest to me since after having played both B/C and C#/D box the last 12 years, arthritis in my right pinky finger is unfortunately putting an end to my box playing days. #Sucks, but it is what it is.

So I'm facing a choice of either being a full time mando player or starting off on something totally new again. #I also concur with your take on switching from mando to tenor banjo-- that's an instrument I never have been able to connect with, though it seems to be a logical progression to some. #Not to me. #

Oh well, maybe I can sell my boxes and finally get that Foley...


# # # # # # # # Rick

[mancmando]

Pipes do seem to be pretty hard to play but do sound great in the right hands.

I'm lucky to have done some playing with a good piper (who is female - female pipers are very rare indeed!!) who has just released an album, do check it out.. #Unfortunately no mando on it though, I play guitar one 1 track...

http://www.beckytaylor.info/

[steve V. johnson]

Jill sez, "The pipes rock! Listen to..."

Leo Rowsome, Jimmy Martin , Jimmy Morrison, Mickey Dunne, Tim Britton, Michael Cooney...

and ...


stv

[Steve L]

Jill sez, "The pipes rock! Listen to..."

Leo Rowsome, Jimmy Martin , Jimmy Morrison, Mickey Dunne, Tim Britton, Michael Cooney...

and ... #


stv

Patsy Touhey, Fred Morrison, Liam O'Flynn, Sean Og Potts...

[zoukboy]

and Mick O'Brien

http://www.kittylieover.com/

http://www.ossianusa.com/Merchan....0242-CD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YwcqhGy5dw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNhkRQB6rwg

[Wolfboy]

and Kieran O'Hare
http://cdbaby.com/cd/kieranohare

and Eliot Grasso
http://cdbaby.com/cd/eliotgrasso

[mancmando]

There is a rockin pipes album by John HcSherry and Mike McGoldrick:
http://www.johnmcsherry.com/reviews3.html
Some nice bouzouki backing too...

[steve V. johnson]

I really enjoy the "modern" arrangements on that "At First Light" recording. Great guitar work, too.

Mmmmboy.

stv

[EdSherry]

On pipers -- As others have said, they're an acquired taste. There are a couple of fine pipers who play sessions in the SF Bay Area. A good piper is a joy to hear. (A tyro, on the other hand ...)

Dan B -- If you're considering a Rigel resonator mando, check out the new Nationals. I like mine a lot -- not at all metallic-sounding (unlike my 1920s triangular-shaped National, which at times sounds like an icepick in the ear), capable of being played quite loudly but also capable of subtlety (yeah, I know ...).

[Rick C.]

I like mine also, though I changed out the tuners with Grovers. #What I have noticed is that with all that metal under the strings, if it's cold the tuning wanders.

Other than that, it's a fun instument to play and works well in noisy sessions.


# # # # # # #Rick