Well, I must admit, if I only played stuff that was in the "correct" key,
I'd be playing very little.
Not being very good at reading the dots, I play more by using the sol-fah
method using my ear (obviously, I'm talking slower tunes here, ahem).
I do this for all my instruments.
The key I play it in is whatever key the instument plays in (although
English Concertina tends to be in G, F or D).
Unless there are vocals involved, I don't really worry. If it sounds nice, I
play it. If it doesn't, I don't.
Yeah, Dark Island is a nice example of drone clashing. Then again, it was
written for one drone sound so I suppose that accounts for it. Usr the ones
that sound best.
(Joins Helen under the parapet) :)
Colin Hill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Helen Capes" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2010 6:47 AM
Subject: [NSP] Re: Transposing
If a tune sounds good on the pipes, I say, "Go for it!". I have found that
a tune can look as though it's going to be great, the key is playable, all
seems fine, but the emphasis is wrong against the drones. So do the
transposing then play and listen!
I think a good example is 'Dark Island" It sounds lovely on the pipes, but
the drones clash. If playing it in G, I only play the D drones, (if I
remember rightly.)
Ok I will put my head back down below the parapet!
Cheers
H
----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2010 2:45 PM
Subject: [NSP] Transposing
Here's a question I don't recall seeing discussed here: I played
concertina for English Country Dancing for years, and have a lot of
wonderful tunes in my head. I'd love to be able to play them on my
NSP, but they are often in keys that I can't play in--and perhaps my
pipes even can't. So my question is this: Does everyone transpose
tunes so they can play them? Or is that considered bad karma, and I'll
be given the stank eye by "real" players if I'm caught doing that?
Thx
Alec
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