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Píobaire, An, Volume 7, Issue 1, Page 28

Píobaire, An, Volume 7, Issue 1, Page 28
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periodical Publisher
Na Píobairí Uilleann
periodical Editor
Chairman, NPU
periodical Title
An Píobaire
volume Number
1
issue Content
Píobaire, An 7 1 28 20110224 28 To explore this concept I purchased some 1.2mm brass wire from the hobby store and ex- perimented with bending it into a variety of right-angled C shapes. Although the gauge of this wire was not as stiff as the wire used in the origi- nal pins (which I believe to be 18 gauge brass), it seemed to work and hold up just fine. I substituted these C pins for the pins that hold the C and B keys. When swung in an arc the C pin then engages the “down-reg” key (B and A keys in this case). I also had fashioned similar pins to use on the corresponding B and A tenor regula- tor keys. But, the C pins, when used on these keys, are more obvious to the touch when chording on the upper two regulators, especially the pin for the B key, which dug into the flesh and was distracting. I have retained the C pin for the Tenor A key, which provides a nice little A note for tunes in A and A minor. The final ad- justment to these C pins was to dip the ends, where they contact the key touches, in a plastic coating to prevent scratching the keys where contact is made. My set of pipes is based on the Taylor-style de- sign of which much has been written. If the Tay- lors were to tackle this concept (and I don’t think they would have any desire to, actually; much of the chordal combinations this system creates would have been alien in their day) how would they execute it? No doubt with a deliberate ro- bustness that can be found throughout their work. Certainly they would not have contented themselves with these itty-bitty C pins. No, they would have figured out some way to get two more drones into (or onto) the mainstock. Or, more likely, they would have rigged a mechanism that would allow two levels of depression of the regula- tor key: a light one that would open the key in the accustomed fashion, and a greater one that would somehow both lock the key (open) and release it (shut), perhaps facilitated by some sort of spring mechanism. I am still evaluating the effect that these big, broad, bass regulator notes have on the overall structure and balance in the pieces where I use them. Regulators are not drones. There are rea- sons that drones became so fundamental in the pipes in that they provide a rich, understated, subtext upon which the melody and chordal ac- companiment has some sort of a stage upon which to play. The big B and the big A can be a little honky when allowed to drone on unchal- lenged. It is only after more of the parts of the pipes are brought into performance that these cocky tones learn their place. It also requires more bellows work to keep everything going: a lot of air comes out of those bass regulator keys. Still it is fun to experiment with the use of these notes as drones in your playing. Give it a try, but hang onto those original pins!
issue Number
7
page Number
28
periodical Author
[Periodical]
issue Publication Date
2011-02-24T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

An Píobaire, Volume 7, Issue 1

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