I've had the Monkey out again this evening. I'm staring to get used to him. Sometimes when I start up I get a sound something between a fan belt going and gears being crunched: there just seems to be one point at which the pressure is balancing out that does it. The fan got his tuner out and retuned the drones to A and E. I still can't hear the drones singly, but as a set they are fab - the bass drones really resonate, and the full set sounds something like a church organ, somehow.
I've fiddled around with the usual tunes, but also with Ye Banks and Braes (which I used to play on my recorder a million years ago) and The Willows, both being tunes that involve a high B. Playing it took some getting used to. For some reason I kept wanting to hit it with my thumb instead of my little finger, but I'm getting the hang of it, mostly through playing some bits of scales to include it.When I'm not playing it I already find I'm not too aware of it: when I first picked up the Monkey the key felt as thought it was all over the place and getting under my fingers' feet, as it were.
One thing I can't seem to manage is my usual style of ending. Still, this was only the third time I've played the Monkey and it will take us a while to get to know each other.
Bonus tracks tonight because I didn't think I'd recorded at all the first time round so did a second tune. First up is Flett, and the second is Bonnie Galloway. If I hadn't just wanted to get a tune recorded I would have thought to try my drones' switch and play first time round without. Another time, certainly.
Oh - and another random person at work asking if that was me they saw in a pub with a set of pipes. I suppose there is no reason why everyone shouldn't know: I think most people know I knit and have an allotment, but I feel a little shy about it. I am still only a beginner, not a real musician or a real piper yet.
Anyway - enough chat. Here's some music!
Check this out on Chirbit
Check this out on Chirbit
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