Fundraiser and some special pipes

On October 12^th, our band had another fundraiser.  It was at this one I got to meet Norm Smith.  I don’t know a lot about him, but let me tell you what I do know.

Norm used to be a piper, but doesn’t anymore because of a throat injury.  He went to High School with Timothy Brenton’s Mother.  His father was a piper with the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders…and he wants to donate the use of his father’s 1917 Henderson Bagpipes to our band.

I was exceptionally touched by this generous offer.  Norm is a truly wonderful guy and I had quite a bit of fun visiting with him.  He’s on the board for the Special Olympics, and has a big heart.  He told me that since he can’t play anymore, he would love to see them used in something as meaningful as what our band is about.  He’s offering them to specifically honor Officer Brenton and also to honor the Seattle Police Officers who have participated in the Special Olympics Torch Run.

My understanding is these pipes have been carried by a Seaforth Highlander up until his father’s separation with the unit. 

They are beautiful.

Yes, they’re very musty smelling.  The bag cover has moth holes.  They are scratched and some of the ivory mounts are chipped.  All of which just speaks to the history of these 93 year old bagpipes. 

I took them to Neal and he was very excited about them.  He said that they would need restoration before they could be played, and sent me an estimate.

Sadly, the estimate came in around $1000.  While these pipes are certainly worth it, I don’t know of too many pipers who would be willing to lay out that kind of cash for pipes they wouldn’t be able to keep.

I sent Norm the bad news.  He agreed it was more of a financial outlay than he was willing to make.  So sadly, I will be returning the pipes to him at his convenience.

But none of that should dim the generous offer he made. It was wonderful just to handle the pipes for a short while.  I felt like I was truly holding a piece of history.

Thank you Norm!

September 2011 Membership meeting

 I’m listening to the 2004 Master so the Scottish Arts CD and figure this might be a good time to catch up a little bit.

            Tuesday (9/27/11) we had a general membership meeting.  About 27 of us were there.   Ryan gave a general overview of where we stood, which included our financial situation.  I must reluctantly admit that it was a bit confusing.  The numbers he handed around didn’t really seem to have a particular context to them.  He tried to answer some of the general questions, but I don’t know if he had the specifics.  I email Karla and see if they can’t send out a more detailed breakdown.  In short, Ryan Karla and Lt. Hennigan all seemed to think that we were right “on track,” especially for a band that has yet to play a note together.  We have been getting corporate sponsorships that (combined with the various fundraising projects) will enable the band to buy most of the uniform pieces for each member.  However, each band member will still be responsible for buying their shirt, their hat and their socks.  They will have the option of buying the individual uniform pieces if/when they leave the band.  Or they could just buy everything themselves anyway, but I don’t know why someone would want to do that.

            A local uniform shop (Blumenthals) will be taking the measurements for the kilts.  I’m hoping someone from Neokilts gives them some pretty clear guidance one where they should measure. 

            Joe Cepeda was formally accepted as our Pipe Major.  He’ll serve for two years at which point we’ll see if he still wants to do it or if someone else wants the job. 

            The nice thing about this is that Joe has prior piping experience and will be able to play at the upcoming Seattle Police Awards Banquet on October 28th – in our official uniform.  I’m pretty excited about this first glimpse that everyone will get!

            It was also pointed out that we’re 8 months into this, and were still shooting for March 17th as our official debut.  To that end, we’re at the point where we need to start thinking about bagpipes.  Our instructor was kind enough to put together a spec sheet for what we should be shopping for.  Ryan Bailey and Steve Nadell did some legwork and located three vendors which have pretty good prices.  The closes is just across the border in Vancouver, but of course he has the highest prices of the three.  But there is something to be said about having your vendor within driving distance in case there’s a problem.

            The price range looks to be between $1500-$2000 dollars, depending on which vendor.

            Looking over Neil’s spec sheet, I realized I don’t know squat about bagpipes.  I mean I know what they are and obviously we’re learning to play them, but I don’t know anything about the parts or how they fit together.  Like a canning drone.  What the hell is that?  A canister system?  When I went to the individual websites, it just raised more questions.  How long of a blow pipe?  What size bag?  Hell if I know…

            Fortunately Neil was able to answer some of those questions today at practice.  He suggested a medium bag and an adjustable blow pipe.  He also (briefly) explained what the various elements were and how they went together.

            He explained, for instance, that the bag itself is usually hide, and you have to fill it with this “goop” to make it airtight.  This is called “seasoning the bag.”  However the bag and canister system he recommends is lined with Gore Tex and doesn’t need seasoning.  Good to know!

            The other interesting thing to note was that we (the band) are all ready getting requests to march in a variety of regional parades.  Again, we haven’t played a note together, and we all ready have gig offers!?  Well, no pressure…

            Ryan pointed out that not only are we the only single department Police pipe band in the Seattle Area, we are also the only one in all of Washington and possibly the greater Northwest.  The Fire Department Pipes and Drums are great, but as has been pointed out elsewhere, Police take care of their own.  It’s a good reminder why this unit is being put together.

Enumclaw games

Saturday I was drafted to work the Torchlight parade.  I only post it here because the Seattle Fire Pipes and Drums marched in it.  While the skirl of their pipes was heard way in advance of their presence, they didn't actually play while passing my post.  A bit disappointing.  Nevertheless, I couldn't help thinking that if things go right, we'll be marching in the parade as well next year.

Yesterday I was able to get away for a few hours and scoot on down to the Enumclaw Highland Games.  These are the biggest games of the region and are almost like an frontier-style "Rendezvous" for all things Scottish.  (And Renaissance Pirates apparently.  Don't ask, because I don't get it either.)

The important thing was I got to see my piping idol, Aaron Shaw of The Wicked Tinkers.

Aaron getting out with the crowd

They started out with Amazing Grace which was perfect, because I know the fingering on that and was able to follow what he did.
That segued into Scotland the Brave and then straight in to Black Bear, which I love.

I don't know what his reputation is amongst other pipers, but I always enjoy seeing him.  Watching his finger-work was really impressive.  He's very fast and very smooth.  I couldn't follow even half the grace notes he was playing.  Plus he does this very cool slide from one note to the next.  Yes, I'm sure in the future I'll find that it's some sort of common technique and not that impressive to most pipers, but right here - right now - it seems pretty damn impressive to me.

He played with two sets of bagpipes.  Both were linked to the speakers.  (Who'd have thought that bagpipes needed to be amplified?)

But the second set was linked to a wah-wah pedal.  VERY cool sounds from that one.  For one set he ran it through some sort of effect which really made them sound more like small pipes than the Great Highland Bagpipes.

My regret was that I wasn't able to stay longer and see the next set.

Afterward I wandered around to where the bands were practicing.  I'd wanted to see Simon Frasier University playing, but they weren't doing much of anything while I was there.
I did get to see Dowco Triumph Street Pipe band practicing.
Pipe Major David Hilder was giving the group what for on one of their pieces, stabbing the air with his finger and shouting "Tah, dah BURL! Tah, dah BURL!"  It was my first glimpse of what the Pipe Major actually does.

Skagit Valley Games

Yesterday I went to the Skagit Valley Highland Games.
This is a smaller venue than the Big Enumclaw one at the end of the month, but it's closer and a little more intimate.
I've been going there the last several years, but this is the first time I've been to the games since I've started lessons.
I've got to say, it was almost like going to the games for the first time.
I spent most of the morning wandering around the solo-piper competition, watching to see what the "pros" were doing.  I may have been the only spectator in that section who wasn't competing, or supporting someone who was competing.  In fact, I may have made some of the pipers nervous.  I definitely got the "who the hell is this guy" vibe from a couple of them.  No matter.  I watched some of the grade 2 and grade 1 performers (grade 1 is top level) as they performed hornpipes, jigs and pibrochs.
I actually found myself getting excited that, at least half the time, I could follow what they were doing with their fingers.  That's a far cry from being able to do it myself, but it was exciting for me nevertheless.

Later I watched as a few of the band competitions.  In that setting, it became easier to hear which bands were  truly in sync with each other.  All it takes is one or two pipers to come in a half beat late, or hold a flourish a hair too long to muddy the overall sound a bit.

I did run into Jeff Mudd, Ryan Gallagher and Karla Cockbain.  I also saw Scott our drum instructor.
We started talking about why you don't see Fire or Police pipe bands competing at these games.  Ryan said he asked Scott that very question and was told that, quite frankly, fire and pipe bands aren't good enough. The pipers competing here have been doing it since they were kids.  Firemen and Policemen just don't put in nearly as many hours practicing.

He may be right, but I think it's a goal to shoot for.  If we're going to all this trouble to make a pipe band, shouldn't we strive to be the best?

Ah well.  Easy enough for me to say, but Lord knows talk is cheap.

Oh, I did learn a valuable lesson.  If you leave your practice chanter in the car on a hot day, it will probably ruin the reed.  Found out the hard way on that one.  Fortunately I picked up a replacement reed before I left the games...

"That" song

Yesterday we started working on THE song.  You know which one.  The big one.  The raison d’être for most pipe bands.  The single most recognized song for bagpipes in the world.  I refer, of course, to Amazing Grace.

From a technical standpoint, it’s not really that difficult.  By that I mean there aren’t a lot of complicated flourishes or finger patterns. 

But the fact is, this is the one that has to be perfect.  Each and every time, it must be perfect.  Even more than the fingering, the timing must be impeccable.  All the pipers must be in sync.  For unlike most other songs played on the pipes, this one will invariably carry emotional significance. 

Granted, the average person who hears it won’t know if a grace note or a D-throw are a little off, but for a band it must have that crisp uniformity – that cleanliness of sound that comes from everyone being in exact time with each other.  That (in my opinion) is what helps give this piece it’s gravitas.

Given the purpose of our band, this is the one song I feel we must absolutely get right. 

Onoir Do Na Marbh.

Honor to the Dead.

Recognition

Driving in to work today I was listening to Aaron Shaw of the Wicked Tinkers playing a hornpipe set.  I really liked the Tinkers before, but now that I'm taking lessons I really have a new appreciation of how impressive his playing really is.

Doublings

Well, I've got my new Korg TM-40 Tuner/Metronome, just like Neil's.  But that's the only positive right now.
These doublings are killing me.  We're punching through the A,B,C and G doubling exercises which should be easy.  I mean the left hand fingerings are essentially identical for each of them.  But I can't seem to make it click.  Intellectually I think I understand them, but I can't get my fingers to cooperate.  I know it's just muscle memory, so I'm drilling it more and more.  But the other thing is the rhythm.  I pick up the patter okay in class, but it seems to fly out of my head when I'm at home.   I know I'm supposed to be able to read the rhythm in the notes on the page, but it's still not connecting with a sound in my head.

I've gotten lax on my practice and it shows.  Time to buckle down a little more.

As far as tunes, we're using Barnyards of Delgady as a memorized warm up and are now working on memorized Scots Wha Hae.  I'm actually feeling pretty comfortable with this, it's just those damn doubling exercises.....