A week without piping - and I've missed it, especially when sitting in sessions. We've been to Ireland where its clear people are very vague on what Scottish Smallpipes are, although everyone agrees that they must be lovely and that I would have been very welcome to take them along to sessions. Next time, hopefully.
Of course, all the tunes I've heard this week have been Irish, almost without exception, and not very useful for SSP. We did find an Irish piper at one session. He gloomily pointed out that it costs about £2000 to buy a set, and that any decent maker will have a 10 year waiting list...I bought a Tony Dixon D whistle in one of the many music shops we visited, so perhaps will get together some Irish tunes on that for sessions. In the meantime I need to get out the CDs and retune my ear to Scottish songs.
I have played today. Very tiring indeed on my arms. I began well but towards the end had the usual set of issues - drones never sounding quite in tune, connector flipping out, and a hideous screech on the chanter from time to time which I think must mean I'm putting too much pressure through it. I'm starting to pick up the tune for Friday Harbor, but I only tried it at the end of my playing when I was tired. The first part coming out OK mostly - second part to work on. Nothing worth recording.
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