Some thoughts on D

I'm a bit under par at present: just a cold, but the kind of thing that makes you feel tired and floppy. Not what you want for playing pipes. I am relying over much on the bellows because of this, but having fun anyway. I've really enjoyed playing this evening.

I started with the A chanter. After my recent musings on possible new tunes one has chosen me: Alick C MacGregor has been rattling around my head all day. I wasn't even sure what it was to begin with; I just knew it was highland pipes and possibly Seudan. Had a run through the dots, and it's OK: needs to be fiendishly fast to sound its best, but I actually think it's going to be doable (at a more sedate pace).

Moved on to the D. I'm finding that I don't actually need finger tips on the bottom hand. Perhaps because my hands are small flat fingers still work. I'm finding the fingering very comfortable. The only problem is that where my hands are right at the top of the chanter the key feels more intrusive than it does on the A chanter, and the velvet bag cover tends to droop into the way: I need to tuck it back. The other issue is my right wrist sitting up against my bellows. I need to fiddle around and adjust things to stop that. Also having problems getting the straps right this evening, but still I am really enjoying the D. It feels easier to grace well, to play fast: perhaps it's just suiting my small hands. I played various things, noodled a bit, messed up the Battle, dredged up bits of Troy's Wedding that I didn't think I knew. It was good - felt really good.

Then I went back to the A. Bad move. Couldn't get my fingers to readjust at all.

Here is the first recording of the Monkey in D. Not too messy on the start, but struggling to keep up enough pressure on the bag in places, hence the squeaky notes. Also garbling a pair of notes on the B part. A tad too fast, maybe - a little rushed. I wish I had better recording kit to do the Monkey justice (the tinny soundcard on my netbook doesn't help).

Check this out on Chirbit