Re: [Harp-L] harp as bagpipe

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Banjo uses a high drone but pipes, as noted, use several, with the lowest definitely being a low note below the melodic range of the chanter.

Part of the allure of the highland pipes is the sound of that low drone, even when it doesn't match the key of the tune. I've heard that A-E-A drone going on behind a tune played in B minor ("Maggie's Pancakes" come to mind), and the mismatch creates what you might think would be a weird disconnect - and it is, sort of. Bharp-lut by the same token, it creates a mysterious, ancient, even hypnotic mood. The itch of woolen clothing, the smell of haggis and the aroma of whiskey help to complete the picture. 

W~
 
Winslow Yerxa
President, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
Producer, the Harmonica Collective
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool Community Music School


________________________________
From: Harmonicology [Neil Ashby II] <harmonicology@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 6:36 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] harp as bagpipe


Winslow:

->"oblique motion with variable splits to maintain the drone in the left corner of his mouth while he plays melody out of the right side"

While that technique works somewhat (and has been demonstrated by Howard Levy) the actual "drone" (such as on the banjo) should be some note higher than the melody; attempting to use the lower pitch as the drone often makes the lower note sound like another root-note and muffles the correct root-note. Retuning some notes higher than the melody would provide the correct bagpipe sound. I wrote something about this among my "Harmonica Hints" on Facebook.

/Neil