newbies start here - New to the uilleann pipes?

[HendersonPiper413]

Hello everyone, I have a question for you all. Do you know of any piper that used a legato piping style? I've been practicing and I keep thinking that I may have a legato style but I haven't really heard a style that's more legato, as far as I know anyways.

Thanks,

Tom

[PJ]

Legato is not a "style" of piping. Many refer to an "open style" of piping which includes legato, off the knee, open fingering, etc.

Johnny Doran was an exponent of the open style of piping.

[outofthebox]

My understanding of 'legato' playing - regardless of instrument - is that it simply means that one note flows into the next without any break in sound. 'Staccato' playing is the opposite in that each note is played in isolation, as the sound stops briefly in the interval between one note and the next. So uilleann pipers of the present day play most of their music 'legato', with some 'staccato' ornamentations thrown in. If you want to hear an older 19th century 'staccato' approach I would suggest listening to some of the old recordings of R.L. O'Meally, as it really will illustrate the difference with regard to uilleann piping.

[Mr.Gumby]

So uilleann pipers of the present day play most of their music 'legato', with some 'staccato' ornamentations thrown in.

That statement tells us a lot about the pipers you are listening to. Not a lot about pipers in general though.

[outofthebox]

I'm basing my statement on modern day commercial recording of uilleann piping - the big name players. It is true that there are uilleann pipers around who learned their chanter work on the great highland bagpipes and they do indeed have a style of playing which could not be described as 'legato'. But otherwise I think that it is fair to describe modern day uilleann piping as predominantly (though not exclusively) based on 'legato' chanter playing.

[AustralianAnna]

Does anybody know of an uilleann pipe teacher in Australia? I'm based in Tasmania, but can travel to capital cities reasonably easily. Melbourne or Hobart would be ideal!

[djm]

Anna, I would point you to David Goldsworthy for starters. He is a member here (user ausdag). Not only is he a piper (check out his sound samples here) but is a pipemaker, as well. He would probably the best person to get you in touch with uilleann piping in Oz.

djm

[pipette]

The stock in my bag is loose and leaky. What is the best material for tying it back in nice and tight?

[outofthebox]

I would suggest that you first take the stock off and make a gasket of leather or rubber to go around the fixing point. Then make sure you have a good overlap so that the leather of your bag fully meets the gasket on your stock. You might also like to apply some sealant around the gasket before you tie down. You need a really strong twine - something like fishing line that will really bite down and give you a good strong connection. To get it really tight is difficult by hand so I would use some kind of 'tourniquet' to really pull it down tight and then secure the twisted ends with a strong metal grip that you can squeeze with pliers.

I should say that I haven't done this myself as I made my own bag from rubber and fitted it to my stock with a large hose clip. Much easier and of course supertight. Tying in the traditional way is not easy, so keep calm and good luck with it.

[BJO]

Is leakage of any amount acceptable from a new leather bag ?
I bought a bag from a seller on ebay, not a Pakistani bag I hasten to add. When I received it I decided to test it before cutting a hole for the blowpipe stock.
I pumped it up using a bike stirrup pump then stoppered the end with a tight fitting piece of broom handle.
I made a few tight turns with some string to make it secure
I then pressed on the bag with both hands and it deflated over the period of about half a minute.
I was curious as to where it was leaking from so I repeated the procedure and dipped the end with the stopper in a basin of water - no leak
I then dipped a small portion of the sewn seam in the water and by working along the seam like this I found air was leaking from nearly every stitching hole.
I therefore rejected the bag.
I have been promised a full refund
My question - having read accounts of David Daye vinyl bags having survived x number of hours with sacks of sand on top of them without deflating - is how fussy should I be about a leather bag.
I assume I was correct in rejecting this one but is a certain amount of leakage acceptable?

[djm]

Yep, that was a crap bag for sure. Air-tight means air-tight. No need to go to great lengths, just pump it up with your bellows, fold the neck over and squeeze the bag under your arm as you would when playing. There should be no change in the size of the bag. At all. Period.

djm

[BJO]

Thanks for the info djm
This was before any stocks were mounted on the bag so I had to improvise - but I think I managed ok.

[the plod]

no leaks ever or new bag.

[mctxp]

Hi All,
My Son plays Bagpipes already. He is interested to learn Uilleann pipes. Which brand of Uilleann pipes to look for? What size to look for? Please suggest.
Thanks
Raj

[outofthebox8]

My best advice would be to try to find an uilleann piper in your area that may be able to help your son obtain a used practice set and help him get started.