Tuesday Band Practice

First posted Jun 6th, 2012 by newpiper

Yesterday was Tuesday, but no band practice, leaving the fan feeling a little glum, so I suggested that we play together and we spent a happy couple of hours playing various tunes, with the fan accompanying me on bouzouki. He ran it through his amp, which was helpful, because it meant I could hear it and that helped me with timing. It also meant that I couldn't hear my drones as well, which was a little odd, but as the bass drone keeps collapsing, it was probably just as well.

It was fun just to skip from tune to tune without much in the way of working on bits that went wrong. I dug out all sorts of things I've not played for ages (the Skye Boat Song, Scotland the Brave, Auld Lang Syne, the Pibroch of Donald the Black - to which the fan rather sacrilegiously appended I would have preferred thee at first Sir, but not now.)

Another fast tune he played was Jenny Dang the Weaver. I was confused. But surely, I said, that's Musselburgh? (Musselburgh being what I call Fisherrow) Apparently the song is set to the tune of Jenny. I also discovered that dang is something Jenny does to the weaver, rather than the name of Jenny, the weaver.

We also played through some tunes that I've printed out, looked at and thought the better of, simply because they are too fast (and why do so many tunes have three low As in quick succession? Not easy to play with a GDE graceing required and the speed to maintain). So I tried the Braemar Gathering, Troy's Wedding, and the Lads of Alnwick, which the fan said were all recognisable. He even tried to teach me the Maids of Mitchelstown, but it's an Irish tune and through we tried fiddling about with the key there is a C that just wouldn't work. Still, I enjoy learning a tune direct from someone.

We didn't record and I suppose that takes the pressure off - just to play for fun and not trying to capture the best effort for posterity.

I'm still pondering second set of pipes. I know I am going to carry on with the pipes, but I'm a naturally frugal person and dislike replacing anything until the old one is worn right out. Against this I feel that better quality tools make a job easier. Even if I ordered a set today I would not get them until next spring. I will be pondering this a lot more...