Thanks to the Evil Genius that is the Webgoblin Danguy, we have my first ever Bagpipe Recording! My task this week is to play One Note, and hold it. I managed it this morning, once, when we recoded it, then spent most of the rest of the day sadly trying to do it again.

My favorite quote I found, hunting around on the web for HELP was ” It IS doable. You just have to concentrate and relax.”

And that was by far the most optimistic opinion.

Relax. Right. Your left arm and right are doing different things, with the thing strapped to your body in several places, and your fingers, which you can’t SEE, and doing yet more things. Whose idea WAS this? I mean, how did they ever get invented? By some one who had a few too many pints of cider, if you ask me.

It reminds me of a story…I was sitting in a pub one night and a man came in with an Octopus, and they sat down at the bar. After drinking for some time, the man said to the Bartender “Say, I’ll bet you my bar tab that my Octopus can play any instrument you have here, if I lose, I’ll tip you the price of the tab”

The bartender thought this a great idea, and said to go for it.

He brought out a trombone, and the Octopus played it, and well! He got out a drum set and the Octopus played the heck out of it, using all eight legs! It was truly amazing, the thing had rhythm…..

The bartender started looking a little worried, then got a sly look on his face, and went to the backroom, and brought out a set of Bagpipes.

The Octopus took them, and out came the most hideous noises EVER. It was horrible, he couldn’t play them, not music , no WAY.

The Bartender told the man he had better pay up, but the man didn’t look the least bit worried…..

Relax, he said, as soon as he figures out he can’t F**K ‘em, he’ll play ‘em alright.

And so he did.

Uh, enjoy the lilting sounds of my first day of bagpiping as you drift off to sleep, or wake in the morning….Magic, they are, pure magic

Love and Pipes,
Lorraine

This would no doubt be a bit more fun with pictures, but it might be that Someone forgot their camera today….

At any rate, home, done with gigs, total Zombie Brain! Nothing left, but I will give you what there is. Had a great day playing with Bedlam today, even tho it was 87 and humid, brutal to play in. I love it when I get a chance to play with them, full on rock, even outdoors today with no mics, amps or toys. I am going back next weekend to do it again. (Cabel, had a great time, everyone loves him, and he gets SO much attention in his costume.)

Joe Smith has been playing with Bedlam since I nipped off on other projects, and when the two of us meet up with violins, it’s magic. We call it between us “Weaving” Joe is one of those, Fods, how to say it, he is one of those players that doesn’t come along often. He can play circles around me, and I am not maligning my playing at all. He is simply, very, very good.

He is also my Ullieann Pipe Teacher, as of today. Had my first lesson. I wish you could have all heard it, everyone who did, dissolved into puddles of laughter. (WHO has their first Bag Pipe lesson in public, I ask you??? When I do things, I do them BIG!)

The sounds I made were truly quite hideous. I love it.

Pipes are hard. It’s the only instrument I have ever come across that the first thing you do is to strap it to you with an array of leather straps and buckles. (Don’t think the jokes didn’t come quickly..) Your right arm works the bellows, and your left the bag, getting just exactly the right amount of air into and out of both, while your fingers play the notes on the chanter. One cannot, by the way see ones fingers, or the holes on the chanter.

My task this week is to play ONE note, steadily, without wavering. If I manage that, I move onto learning the finger positions for a scale.

Joe said today to me that if you cut open his heart and pulled it out, what you would hear would be Ullieann Pipes.

I have to say, I think the same is true for me.

Love and Pipes,
Lorraine