Scotty Don't Surf!

SCOTLAND isn't renowned for its rich surfing history. When some of the best wave riders on Earth travelled to Thurso earlier this year to compete in the inaugural O'Neill Highland Open, the rest of the surfing world seemed to think it was hilarious.

As a new exhibition at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum shows, Scottish men and women were surfing years before their Antipodean cousins even knew what a surfboard looked like.

"Quite a few Scottish people settled in Hawaii not long after Captain Cook had first made contact with the islands in 1778," he says. "There is a story of a chap - a Scotsman - arriving there on a boat in the early 1800s and expecting to be the first white man to settle, but he saw this white face in one of the outrigger canoes, paddling out with the natives to greet him, and when he spoke this fellow had a broad Scottish accent, so he'd been beaten by quite a few years.

"If this guy was in one of the outriggers with the locals, he would certainly have ridden waves in on the canoe, so you have to speculate that a Scotsman could have been one of the first non-Hawaiian people to surf."

Wetootwaag's Podcast of Bagpipe Power!

I just ran across a great bagpiping podcast called "Wetootwaag's Podcast of Bagpipe Power!" The podcast is done by a piper from bemidji minnesota and is a mixture of his own well-done tunes, other tunes, his critiques on various brands of scotch and some Gaelic mixed in. Wetootwaag also maintains a Blog found here

Hands are getting better

My hands continue to slowly get better from the tendinitis I have been suffering from since January, 2005. Progress has been in terms of months not days or weeks but I am back to playing the bagpipes nearly every day. Right now I can practice for about 3 to 4 days straight before I need a day or two off. If I limit my work to the chanter and slow marches, I can play for much longer; however, if I move on to faster stuff, I pay for it the next day.

Here are my new rules for playing:

-Keep everything ultra-relaxed. I thing this tendonitis thing probably came from playing in a tense posture.

-Warm up with a slow tune and to some hand stretching beforehand.

-Play for long durations on the chanter and short durations on the pipes, after warming up.

Lately I have been working on 2 tunes: The Poisoned Dwarf and Farewell to Nigg (You can find Midis of both tunes here). The first is a reel I first saw at bagpipe camp. The second is a slow march I got from Jori. I am starting to think I am almost ready to get back to formal lessons. We'll see how the hands do.

Lastly, I just joined a formal choir, The Peninsula Singers. I figured that the sight reading and tempo work would help me with the pipes and the best part....No hands! By a strange cooidince, the conductor of the choir is a conductor I knew from Anchorage, Alaska where I played Frederik in The Sound of Music. Even after 30 years, he still remembered me, or at least he said he did.

Hardie Bagpipes Goes Under

Hardie Bagpipes, popular makers of GHBs is facing liquidation after some hard years.

Being relatively new to piping and piping history I don't have all the facts, but my suspicion is that Hardie once filled a niche in the market that has either dissolved or been overcome by modern pipe manufacturers and new techniques.

Hardie made pipes for the British Military. Perhaps the military no longer needs allot of good, but not great pipes. I fact, it may be that the Military has almost dried up completely as a market for pipes, The Black Watch being disbanded and all).

My teacher once told me that up until 15 years ago it was relatively difficult to find a really good sounding set of pipes. In fact, the best way was to find a good set of well cared for, pre-World War pipes, Henderson being the brand most sought after. I suspect that Hardie made a good set of pipes, and one of the few alternatives to Hendersons when it opened in the 50's. Now there are several good alternatives and Hardie just couldn't hold onto its market. As a personal example, I like the Hardie company, but I bought a set of Naills.

Its a sad day for Hardie and for piping. By the way, I am just speculating here. If there are any Hardie players out there I'd like to know what you think.

High Altitude Bagpiping Progress Report

No progress. It is completely baffling to me that I have not heard from the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland, regarding my query into high altitude piping. Are they not scientists? Have they lost their ability to question "why" or in this case "how high"? Do not their Scottish loins quiver with the need for inquiry?....I suspect they thought I was joking.

I have not yet checked into hyperbaric chambers here close to Seattle. Additionally, I have not queried my diver friends where I work at NOAA's, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. I intend to get to this in the week ahead. Science is hard.

PROGRESS

I am still looking into the altitude limitations of the Great Highland Bagpipe and just as I was contemplating all that hiking, climbing, rope and danger, it occurred to me, sort of an "If Mohammad Won't Come to the Mountain" sort of moment. All we need is one of these things, a hyperbaric chamber to simulate elevation gain. No avalanches, No Crevasses, No danger, and home for a nap and a snack.

I have located an source at the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland They have a cool hyperbaric chamber and being Scottish and all, they should have a predisposed interest in my study. So, I have taken the liberty of writing them:

Greetings,

I am a piper living in the Pacific Northwest of The United States, near Seattle. On one of many of my hiking trips into the mountains I began to wonder what the altitudinal limits of the Great Highland Bagpipe are. I am wondering if your organization has any data on this subject. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. I AM COMPLETELY SINCERE IN MY INTEREST!. I am also wondering if, in your consideration a hyperbaric chamber would be a reasonable option in order to study the altitude limitations of the instrument in question. Lastly, I of course would be happy to make myself available for any studies that may result from this query. Warmest Regards, Eric A. Evans, Piper

As of yet I have not heard back, but as added insurance I will be contacting NOAA to see if I can borrow one of their hyperbaric chambers just in case. This is fun.

I HAVE A QUESTION

OK, what is the highest altitude at which a bagpipe will functionally play. Is there a record to be broken here? I did some research and found no mention of altitudinal limitations of bagpipes. However, I know that altitude does horrible things to drone reeds and a friend told me that while there are pipe bands in Denver, even that altitude makes the pipes sound soft and mushy. Beyond this info, I am without a definitive answer. Where is Bill Nye the Science guy when I need him?

If anyone out there has some information on this I would be eternally grateful. In the mean time I'm gonna snow seal my climbing boots and get busy writing the NASA grant to take my pipes into "The Death Zone".

Laidlaw’s C.O. reportedly shouted, “For God’s sake, Laidlaw, pipe ‘em together!”

Piper Daniel Laidlaw 

Rather than play from the safety of the trenches, Laidlaw mounted the parapet and, ignoring the German shelling, launched into “Blue Bonnets Over the Border.” Encouraged by Laidlaw’s example, the KOSB went over the top with no further prompting, soon followed by the Cameronians and the Highland Light Infantry. As the attack caught up with him and passed him, Laidlaw followed and kept playing. Miraculously, he was not wounded until the attack had nearly reached the German lines. Laidlaw said later, “I kept on piping and piping, and hobbling after the laddies until I could go no farther, and then, seeing that the boys had won the position, I began to get back as best I could to our own trenches.” The bagpipes apparently survived the action without a scratch.

Piper Daniel Laidlaw was one of many heros of the Battle of Loos. Recently, the British paid hommage to Laidlaw and the 20,000 British Solders who died at Loos. Read his full biography here.

Bagpipe/World Music Prodigy Martyn Bennett Dies at 33

Hadn't even heard of him until today on As It Happens, but now I want to buy his records.

ADDRESS TO A HAGGIS

In honor of Burns Night, which was actually yesterday, we offer this poem by Robert Burns.

The 79th's Farewell to Gibraltar

piperkmackay
Originally uploaded by eevans24.

This painting is of Kenneth Mackay of the 79th Regiment. It depicts the battle of Waterloo where, facing French Cavelry, Mackay stepped outside of the British defensive lines to play "War or Peace" an acient priobrachd tune of glory. The tune so rallied his comrades that the day was won. Golly!

The 79th's Farewell to Gibraltar was written by Pipe Major John MacDonald of the 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameronian Volunteers). The regiment played a major part at Waterloo and also served in the Boer War, guarded the queen at Balmoral Castle, went to Ireland and eventually to WWI in France.

The 79th Regiment is the only Regiment that serves under a clan tartan. The tartan worn by the regiment is the Cameron of Erracht. Here is a very interesting website that goes into much more detail on the regiment's history.

PIPING LESSON #29

Good lesson. I am finishing up 3 tunes "Farewell to Nigg", "Highland Laddie" and "Highland Cathedral". I played each of them on the pipes and repeated portions of each as needed. After 15 minutes of playing, my wind, much depleted since my New Year's injury gave out.

Yoda, tutored me on a few rough spots and suggested that by next lesson in 2 weeks I have all three tunes memorized. Next we worked on a new tune that the Laird has already done, "The 79th's Farewell to Gibraltar". Here is a Midi version of the tune as a Medley with a couple of other short bits. The first 2 parts aren't very hard but the third can be a bit trickey. I am to work on the first 2 parts for next lesson.

To get my wind back I am attemption to play until my wind, lips or arm give out. Each day, I am going to try to break the previous day's record. We'll see if I can't whip myself back into shape. Yesterday I played for 16 minutes. Today it was 18.5.

COLLEGE OF PIPING CERTIFICATION WORK

As part of my bagpipe training, I have chosen to take the Level 2, College of Piping Certification Exam this summer. The exams are a way for pipers to show practical competency in all aspects of piping. They are also used as a way for piping instructors to demonstrate that they have been formally accredited and that they posses the proper education to pass on to their students.

For me, the certification is just another way to remain motivated. I kind of dig taking tests and I am usually pretty good at them when I apply myself.

This exam, a beginners exam, requires that I be able to write out all embellishments, give examples of timing signatures and generally demonstrate a basic knowledge of beginning theory. I will also have to write out 5 bars of one tune from memory and be able 2 play 5 tunes in simple time. I have selected these 5 tunes to play:

Blackbear Hornpipe
Dream Valley on the Road to Glendaurel
Farewell to Nigg
Scotland the Brave
The Rowan Tree

I will be taking the exam at next summers piping camp in Vernon, BC. The camp is in early July.

PIPING LESSON #28

My foot is still healing from the New Years debacle. I have 2 slashes and one big hole in my right foot that are slowly closing. Of course walking on the wound doesn't help so my normal routine for the last 3 weeks has been. Work, lay on the couch, sleep. I see the light of day only on the short trips between the house and the car or the car and my office. Each morning, my wife rebandages the wound and wraps my foot in wraps of pile. Then I stuff it into a walking boot. In this way, I can get around pretty well using a cane.

Bagpiping has been difficult. I can stand and play for a short time, but I must remain in one spot. I am used to pacing while I play. With the lack of exercise and playing only for short periods, my wind is suffering.

Right now, I am working on cleaning up The Black Bear Hornpipe and Farewell to Nigg. I am also working on 2 new tunes, Highland Cathedral (or as Yoda calls it, "Highland Catheter") and Highland Laddie. Despite my damaged foot, the lesson was a very good one. Yoda said that all our hard work on Black Bear had paid off in that it really only took me a couple of weeks to nail the other tunes. I still need to make my dot/cut notes crisper and pay attention to rythem but on the chanter all three tunes sound quite servicable.

For my lesson next week I am to practice all 4 tunes on the pipes. I am also to continue my work memorizing how to write out all embeleshments on command. This is for my upcoming College of Piping certification.

WE HAVE A PIPER DOWN!

As many of you may recall, I was getting all set to perform my annual ritual of playing the pipes New Years eve on the spit. Instead, i spent it in the Port Angeles Emergency Room.

New Years is the date I have chosen to use as a measuring stick for my bagpipial education. Every new year, I choose a tune that is beyond my present capability, and then I attempt to learn it over the course of the year. On New Years Eve, I attempt to play the tune on the spit overlooking the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Last year was the first annual "Spitpipe" where I successfully played "Auld Lang Syne" and "My Dream Valley". This year's "Spitpipe" was to feature my rendition of "The Blackbear Hornpipe"

The evening started off as always. My wife and her sister gathered for a nice meal, followed by the annual watching of "It's a Wonderful Life". I had laid out my kit so that at around 11:00 I could get dressed and head out. This year, we had invited several close friends to meet us at the spit for my recital. About half way through the movie, where George Bailey refuses to work for Mr. Potter, I decided to retrieve some egg nog from the kitchen. That's when it happened.

I don't recall this but witnesses state that I tripped over my sister in law's dog. All I recall is loosing my balance, falling into the living room wood stove and stepping on a decorative garden stone my sister in law had made Loraine for her birthday. The stone is very lovely. It is made out of a large piece of rock that sits upright. On it's face there is cut glass in the shape of a bunny, flowers and several finely cut shards of glass depicting field grass. Each blade of grass is cut to a fine point just like real grass. Avoiding the hot woodstove, my bare foot found the decorative garden stone, more precisely it found the grass on the garden stone, the very sharp glass.

I was reminded of the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail in which the Black Knight gets all his limbs wacked off and spurts rediculous amounts of blood from each stumpy limb. My first thought was "Gosh, I'm gushing kind of like the Black Knight". Now it wasn't like a garden hose or anything, but given the right motivation, I could probably have spray painted my name in the carpet. Loraine applied pressure immediatly and it was off to the ER. Loraine's sister Tani, stayed behind to clean up the blood and take care of the dogs. That is when she found the filet of skin draped over the grassy gnoll on the garden stone. She still hasn't recovered fully. In the ER they discovered that I had cut a divot out of my foot and that there was nothing to stitch.

Spitpipe was cancelled.

I have spent the last week either on the couch or in bed, watching bad sci-fi movies and drifting off on pain killers. All in all, despite the injury it han't been the worst vacation in the world. I have rescheduled Spitpipe for February when I will again attempt to play Blackbear, without all the blood.

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

Originally uploaded by eevans24.

Naked Pipers!

PIPING LESSON #26

I had a very good lesson today, the kind where I felt well prepared, was relaxed and able to play an accurate rendition of my tunes without fumbling. I still have a long way to go on my two tunes, "Black Bear" and "Farewell to Nigg" but they are coming along. I finally am getting the concept of dot and cut notes down and I need to work hard to keep improving them.

Yoda is pushing me to understand that with dot/cut notes, the dot takes up 90 to 95% of the available time in the 16th note. The cut note only takes up the additional 5 to 10%. So, the 16th note should sound something like dooooooooooooooooootcut. I don't know if this will make sense to anyone else but me, but I tried.

For my next lesson I must concentrate on the following:

1. Relax the hands. I must have soft hands to play properly.

2. Don't lift my fingers too far off the chanter. When I lift them to make a note, lift them only a little. This will make it easier to change notes quickly.

3. In my dot/cut notes, make the dots very long and the cuts very short. This will give the music punch.

Also there is some good news about kilts. If I join a band, the band will do a fitting and sizing, and then purchase a kilt for me. I thought I would have to fit into one they already had.

Also, Yoda suggested that if I purchase a kilt, I get a fitting at Tartantown in Vancouver and have them order the kilt from Scotland. I can purchase the fabric independantly or through Tartantown. I am going to wait on this for a while. My twill utilikilt is doing fine for now.

LEARNING TO PIPE

learning2pipe
Originally uploaded by eevans24.

Uncle Eric helps Owen with his first notes. Oh to have learned the pipes at his age! He was able to get all 3 drones working on his first attempt!

BACK ON TRACK

After a long semi-hiatus in which my practice sessions have been short or non-existant, I have managed to get in 3 really good, hour long practices. It feels good to get back on track. I am learning that I get rusty very fast and that it is really important that I polish my repratoir regularly. I also am recommitting myself to using the metronome, tapping my feet with the beat and slowing down. My lesson is tomorrow and I will be continuing my work on The Blackbear Hornpipe and Farewell to Nigg.

Smallpipe Progress Report

I've tried a couple of different approches since I got my smallpipes. My instructor told me to try to play tunes with the drones closed. My instructor is usually right, but I decided to try something different, based on the theory that you can't do two things at once (blow the bag and play the chanter) unless you can do each of those things individually. I'm worried that if I start with drones closed I will devlop bad breathing habits. (Now, I totally understand why this approach is necessary for the GHPs, out of physical necessity. But I have more than adequate lung capacity to blow the smallpipes.)

To that end, I opened all the drones (and tuned them correctly -- it turns out my instructor and I had the convertible D/E drone in the wrong position), turned on my electronic tuner, and tried to blow a consistent A note for, at first, four minutes, and work my way up to 20 minutes. Last night, I got up to 20 minutes for the first time. Now, I'm going to stick with 20 minute intervals, and work on my consistency. (I tend to be a little sharp when blowing and a little flat when squeezing). The hardest part thus far has been dealing with what I call a "spit crisis", when I must stop blowing, move the blowstock in my mouth, swallow excess saliva, then bring the bag back to the desired fullness, all without changing pitch. (Makes me wonder whether bellows blown smallpipes might be a good idea. That or a drool cup.) Sometimes afterward, I'll pick up my practice chanter and play a tune or two, just to make sure I'm not losing that skill. Surprisingly, I'm playing my chanter better than ever.

Another week of this, and I may be ready to start playing the bagpipes.

The Last Piper (see Eisengeiste)

FINALLY!

Got my pipes. Now, with Michelle gone for another five days, I've got nothing to do but blow them. BTW: they sound great!