Big Bag of Music
June 14th, 2009Pour Yourself a Shot and Listen
My dad forwarded one of those Powerpoint inspirational things to me today. Very nice nature photos, backed by a Uillean pipe solo. If you are not familiar with Uillean pipes, the best way to describe them is “the kind of bagpipes that don’t sound like a bunch of cats trying to claw their way out of a hot oven.” Depending on which web source you check, “Uillean” is pronounced “illan” or “illyan.”
Found a nice Youtube for you. This is one of those instruments that make you want to run out and buy one the first time you hear it. Check it out.
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Cheaper way into the same type of music: the Irish tin whistle.
June 14th, 2009 at 1:15 PM
Very nice…still a little like squaking cats fighting but I love the bag instruments anyway.
I have a Trumpet, a Fluglehorn (played both in high school and college) and recently got a real nice Austrailan Eucalyptus Didgeridoo wich is easy to make noise with but difficult to master until you learn how to do “circular breathing.”.
Bagpipes and steel drums are next on the list of strange instruments I’d like to have sitting around in my office and basement to annoy the dog and guests with.
June 14th, 2009 at 3:06 PM
I like the pipes, whether Highland or Uillean; they’re a reminder of an age dimly remembered at best.
June 14th, 2009 at 4:05 PM
How about forwarding the pps I would love to hear it. I also would like to send it to my niece’s husband who graciously consented to come live in Texas so his children could get the U S experience in schools and life. The six year old son is very interested in learning the pipes and a teacher and bagpipe have been provided but he is a little young to handle them so far.
Thanks.
June 14th, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Long ago I had an album of Seamus Ennis tunes. It was a gift from a friend of mine in the 42nd RHR. Now sadly enough the 42nd has been amalgamated into a conglomerate Highland Regiment and due to the odd life I had and the need to move around living in ghastly places in the third world the album is gone as well.
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Great music to drink beer to and watch the stars. Played and recorded long before anyone imagined “celtic” as cool. Thanks, that brought back memories of other days.
June 14th, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Ruth,
If it’s Highland pipes he wants to learn I think practice chanters are available in reduced sizes so he could be learning the fingerings.
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Just as a sideline, note changes on bagpipes are not accented at all or ever with the breath as they are on almost any other reed instrument. Since the bag is continuously blowing air into the chanter and drones the only way to accent the changing of each note is with specific fingerings, some of which are quite fast and intricate. Luckily the Highland pipes only have nine notes so your hands don’t have to memorize various positions as in the violin or anything.
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Uillean pipes are inflated with a bellows under the arm so in a sense are sort of that ‘missing’ link between bagpipes and accordeon as they progress through the evolutionary tree to small reed organs.