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Post by horsegunner on Jan 6, 2009 22:53:49 GMT
Hello, I've been Piping for over 10 years now, but I am always looking for ways to improve and add to my understanding of Piping and pipe music etc. My wife was taught to play the Flute as a school girl, she is from a very musical family. In the past, when i have been a bit stuck with a bit of music, she has a look at it and then plays it for me. Which is a big help. I think I am like many pipers in that I know where the beat falls in a bar of music and the correct value of each note in a bar etc. However my wife does this counting thing which divides the main notes up so they are played exactly correctly. I have asked her how she does it, but it is so long since she learned, that she can't begin to teach me. Most Piping manuels do not go into any great detail on reading music. I was wondering if anyone has come across any good Music theory books which go into more detail. I would love to be able to play a tune like my wife can! Regards, HG
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Post by greginlondon on Jan 7, 2009 19:35:25 GMT
What does she say when 'she does the counting thing' ?
Is it 'one-and-two-and-one-and...' or 'One-and-two-and-three-and-four-and-One-and....' or something like that ?
(I can't recommend a book as I learnt to read music as a kid and haven't had to learn again, although I would expect that lots of practise sight reading would help.)
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Post by horsegunner on Jan 8, 2009 9:39:30 GMT
Hello, It really depends on the time signature, but it is pretty much as you say. I am fairly good at reading music, it's just sometimes when there is a bit of a tune which has a different rhythm to the rest, that I sometimes find that the timing can go off a bit. I want to brush up on that side of things more. It would save a bit of time also. Nothing worse than learning a bit of a tune, then having to go back and re learn it because you have played a note slightly too long and it has thrown the rest of that bar out All the piping books I have just glance over music theory and I just feel this leaves a gap in my knowledge! I guess I need a theory of music book, rather than a Pipe music book. Regards, Stewart
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Post by greginlondon on Jan 8, 2009 18:27:15 GMT
Hopefully someone will suggest a good book. I reckon that you're right and that it doesn't have to be a bagpipe theory book, except to clarify the timing of grace notes, which will be different to other instruments.
I suppose I tend to think that people just learn to get the timing right as they progress. I bought 'Rhythmic Fingerwork' by James McGillivray. I only managed to get so far into it, although I intend to go back to it, but if you follow the exercises I can't see but that you would learn the rhythms that go with various tunes. There is a CD to check that you're doing it right, too.
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Post by bradkerry on Jan 28, 2009 19:39:03 GMT
Hello, I have played music for over a decade now, and here are some hints and books that i have used in my musical career: All for Strings, VOL. 1 (for stringed instruments, but instills the subdivision of the music (counting). also, when a musician plays, it will be some rendition of counting to the smallest note value e.g. 1/16 notes. for me, i don't count persay, i hear and feel a little metronome in my body. it needs practice, but the best thing i can tell you is to have a rendition of 1- and -2 and-3-and-4-and going, in a very rhythmic, steady manner. it also will depend on the the time sign. of the piece. so those are my ideas.
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ohiochanter
JOBER AS A SUDGE
Agitator Extraordinaire
Posts: 68
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Post by ohiochanter on Jan 29, 2009 5:08:25 GMT
I do similar to what bradkerry is talking about. I'll use 4/4 as an example.
four quarternotes in the measure would be counted off as "1,2,3,4"
With eight notes, count it off as "1 and, 2 and, 3 and, four and"
Sixteenth notes make you sound like a gradeschooler, but it works. "1 ee and ah, 2 ee and ah, 3 ee and ah, four ee and ah
For dotted notes, count that note as three of the next smaller note, example: a dotted quarter note is equal to three eigth notes.
When I'm working out a song or tune I've never heard before, I go through it without any timing, just getting the method of counting note values correctly. Then I start a metronome and go over it slowly if needed, pick up the pace as long as my timing holds up. If timing starts coming unglued, back off and keep at it slower for a bit. If you have trouble fitting the counted values within the beat structure, try setting your metronome to the smallest note value and increasing the tempo to match. Example, one quarter note at 60 bpm is equal to two eigth notes at 120 bpm.
I've only been piping for a couple years, but doing vocal performance for almost twenty. Some people take a bit to catch the idea, but once you do it's simple to use. Music is an abstract principle, some grasp abstract ideas faster than others. Don't worry over the struggle to "get it", just keep plodding along and the light will go on at some point. Often when you're doing something unrelated, like being at work or cutting the grass.
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ohiochanter
JOBER AS A SUDGE
Agitator Extraordinaire
Posts: 68
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Post by ohiochanter on Jan 29, 2009 5:13:35 GMT
Forgot to add the book recommendation.
I can't recommend a specific book, but I'll recommend going to your local music store and asking what they recommend for learning time and beat structure. You may also find that much of the "beginner level" stuff is aimed at piano. Don't sweat it, the music all reads the same.
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Post by horsegunner on Feb 3, 2009 13:40:21 GMT
Hello, Thanks for all of the advice and hints. Regards, Stewart
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Post by funkypiper on Apr 13, 2009 10:28:56 GMT
hi The AB guide to Music theory is probably the best book out there for all theory related problems it comes in 2 books and book 1 will really take you as advanced as any musician needs to go book two is only really there for people who wish to tech or take the knowledge farther. this book will help you with timing and counting but also you can start to explore chord structures etc. although at the moment this will not sound as though you really need to know this to be a good piper it will help you no end if you ever need to write harmonies as you can go away from the traditional 3rds and 5ths and start to explore some different and interesting possibilities.
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Post by tullibardine on Jan 28, 2010 19:52:20 GMT
There's a book specifically for pipe music called 'Is It Supposed To Sound Like That?' which I carry as do several other suppliers.
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