[NSP] facebook and the forum
On 16 Aug 2012, Richard Evans wrote: So I created a facebook account and found the nps page but all I see is a wikipedia extract. Is there some kind of forum or something? Try searching on: Northumbrian Piping Newsgroup in fbook - its kinda silly season there at the moment. OK, thanks, got it. It doesn't seem easy, can't figure out how to post anything. No doubt I'll work it out. what's wrong with the excellent and underused NPS forums? the take up and usage on it is extremely disappointing. Its a really good place to have sensible discussion , threaded so you can pick and choose subjects - and they get archived so can be referred to later, whereas here on a busy day (what happened to them?) it got a bit jumbled up. Absolutely, and I don't see why the facebook stuff isn't on there. I can't be the only person who doesn't use facebook. Yesterday there hadn't been a post since 8 Aug, although I am about to rectify that with some anorak-ish stuff about drone reeds. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: facebook and the forum
Gibbons, John wrote: The trouble is - all us monomaniacs followed the Forum, and nobody joined us. Are they trying to tell us something? 'Here's a lovely forum to have your discussions in', then they tiptoe away quietly and have a great party somewhere else. John Yes, John, a very good summary! The whole situation makes no sense- the forums have great potential as an expanding resource, and no downside at all but all the chat is going on on a platform which requires you to join an organisation with a terrible reputation for infringing privacy ( Facebook, not the NPS!!!). Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] nps facebook
Barry Say wrote: More happens on fyecebeuk than anywhere else at the moment. I have been very disappointed that more NPS committee members have not taken advantage of the opportunities offered by the NPS forum. So I created a facebook account and found the nps page but all I see is a wikipedia extract. Is there some kind of forum or something? And if so, what's wrong with the excellent and underused NPS forums? Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] New Evans D set for sale
A customer of mine wants to sell the brand-new D set he received a couple of weeks ago. I said I would put his contact details up here. He's in Australia. It's a complex set with 13 keys inc. high and low G, and F naturals (minor thirds for D). Drones built to tune into G as well as the usual key signatures. David Wright: dawri...@tadaust.org.au He'll be happy to explain, no doubt. Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Proper piping group
-Original Message- From: Bill Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 10:47 AM To: 'Richard Evans' Subject: RE: [NSP] Re: Proper piping group Richard, are you referring to a uillean pipes yahoo group? I am a member of several yahoo groups on a variety of topics and cant imagine a better format.. Bill Hi Bill, No, I was thinking of the Chiff and Fipple Forums and the UIlleann Pipes Forums. Find them here: http://forums.chiffandfipple.com/index.php (select the uilleann pipes section) http://www.uilleannforum.com/ Each is very good but the separation of the Uilleann Forum into several sections is a better format. The Chiff and Fipple forum has more information archived however. Cheers Richard Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Proper piping group
-Original Message- From: Richard Shuttleworth Dear Adrian, Why cannot all this very positive work be done on the current group that Wayne Cripps set up many years ago for exactly this type of discussion? I agree totally- it all sounds very interesting but there's no way I'm going to join Facebook, I'd have thought this group was ideal. Cheers Richard Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Proper piping group
Mike is right about the value of a forum as compared to a list. There are a couple of uilleann pipes forums which each contain a superb archive of discussion and information going back several years. Easily searchable. And no need to join Facebook! Cheers Richard Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Stolen pipes
On 21/04/2010 14:00, Julia Say wrote: A set of Northumbrian pipes made by Richard Evans has recently gone missing in Florida. The chances are the thief has no idea what they are, and will probably discard them. However should anyone come across such a thing being offered, please let me know (or publicise it) and we'll see if it matches the description. I know there are several folk who monitor ebay and suchlike, so please keep an eye out. I don't have a detailed description (yet) but I can get one if needed. It's an 11 key fully mounted F set in blackwood/brass/artificial ivory. Richard -- R. Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: key springing.
On 04/04/2010 16:42, Bob Salter wrote: Hi everyone. OK, I have my blackwood chanter, Ive lined the keyslots with some .4mm brass shim. Ive made a (crude, but easy to improve upon) key. Two questions really, what is the best way to cut the keypad seat, and given the keys are 2mm thick, what is the best option for attaching the spring. Mike nelson mentions a 2mm rivet, but he also says that you shouldnt rivet through the beaten part of the key. That seems a little difficult to achieve? Keypad seat: I use seat cutters which produce a slightly conical surface which gives a better seal than a flat surface. They are fairly easy to make in the lathe from a short piece of silver steel. I suspect that with the closed cell foam plastic pads, the conical seat is less important for sealing but they also look much neater than a flat filed seat. A round but flat seat cutter could easily be made from a twist drill by grinding it flat but would not be suitable unless the chanter is held firmly in a vice fixed to the drilling machine table, and the drilling machine has a controlable fine feed. If your drilling setup is less than ideal, you need a seat cutter with a pilot spigot the same size as the tone hole which of course is drilled first. I have a milling machine for all this which after the lathe is the most useful piece of gear in the workshop. However, I managed without one for about thirty years! Springs: I use a 1mm rivet. This is made from 3/64 model-shop wire by sanding with the belt sander, and I aim for a very slight taper. I also secure the spring with a small amount of soft solder after riveting and testing the key. This prevents the spring rotating on the rivet. I do this because I often send keys for silver plating and it makes them more resistant to handling. Lastly a cotton wool plug is mentioned in the chanter bore. How large should this be? A couple of cm or so, not (usually) critical. Just out of curiosity, are there ever any nsp events in Scotland? Not that I'm aware of. Cheers Richard -- R. Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Pipemaking query
Bob Salter wrote: Hi Malcolm, I make my drills from silver steel. There is a cad program called allycad which offers a free for home use program capable of reading Mike Nelsons drawings. Its a pity that a few details are missing from Mikes otherwise brilliant site. He mentions a modifed slot drill for cutting the key seats but the description isnt there. I dont suppose anyone knows what that might be? No. I just use 2.5 and 5mm slot drills for single/double keys with 10 thou brass linings and 20 thou for the double key divider. The C and B book shows artificial brass and cane(plastic now I think) How good are those sizes for modern pipes? You need a copy of Colin Ross's reedmaking book. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Pipemaking query
Bob Salter wrote: Thank you for your replies. I have long considered using a dremel in this way. However I lack the invention gene ( I can copy anything but not invent). I never could figure out how to secure my dremel so it didnt move. Could you throw a little light please. I have never done this but I would probably make a cradle out of 12mm mdf using the 4-jaw to cut a circular dremel-size hole in a square piece- cut the square in half to form two cradle sections, attach these to a small base board and fit to lathe using vertical slide. The mdf is plenty strong enough and will damp vibration. Improvise! Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Pipemaking query
Francis Wood wrote: Bob, I mount the chanter in a jig mounted on the cross slide and mill out the slots with a milling bit held in the lathe chuck. That works fine. More recently, I've bought a small milling machine and intend to do the same operation with that. I'd guess that your proposed method of using a flex drive system accurately and securely mounted on the cross slide could work very well, but will need extra care. If you're proposing to do this with the chanter mounted between centres, then I'd suggest the following: - Ensure that the chuck is completely locked and unable to revolve. Any play will spoil your work. - Devise some support for the chanter along its length since it will be fairly 'whippy' when turned to final diameters. - Because of the above, very light cuts! And of course . . . - Practise on a dummy workpiece first! I'd add to the above that low-cost flex drives often have quite a lot of free play lengthwise so that the chuck and bit can move in and out by up to a mm or so- check that first because it will make accurate depth hard to achieve. A dremel drill on the vertical slide is good. For years, I used a router mounted in the vertical slide with a 6mm collet, using slot drills as cutters. Also of course see Mike Nelson's website here: http://www.machineconcepts.co.uk/smallpipes/pipe1.htm I should add that although I've been a pro maker for eight years and semi-pro for much longer, I almost never get asked a technical question and they very rarely come up on this forum. Similarly, I was a technical advisor to the Lowland and Borders Pipers Society for several years. When I took the job on, I asked my predecessor what I would need to do. Nothing, he said, nobody ever asks anything. And he was dead right- not a question over a three year period! Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Old Guy
Richard Evans wrote: Anthony Robb wrote: Here's a wee snippet of Will Atkinson playing some of Madame B.,Fiddler's Cramp and Mrs Forbes Farewell to Banff. I think we can all learn something from his clean controlled playing. What think you? [1]http://www.robbpipes.com/WillAtkinson Doesn't work on our computer. We've got quicktime etc, new machine running Vista so anybody got any suggestions? A further check shows that none of Anthony's website sound samples work. Turns out to be Firefox. Works fine in Internet Explorer. Not come across the issue before. Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Old Guy
Anthony Robb wrote: Here's a wee snippet of Will Atkinson playing some of Madame B.,Fiddler's Cramp and Mrs Forbes Farewell to Banff. I think we can all learn something from his clean controlled playing. What think you? [1]http://www.robbpipes.com/WillAtkinson Doesn't work on our computer. We've got quicktime etc, new machine running Vista so anybody got any suggestions? A further check shows that none of Anthony's website sound samples work. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Respringing a key
Sorry if this appears several times- slight mix up with the to and from addresses Ian Lawther wrote: One of the springs on my chanter has become very weak and is, I fear, about to break. I have the choice of returning it to the maker for respringing (a trans Atlantic posting job), getting a maker here in the US to do it (a couple of options - more if I consider other local folk woodwind makers) or trying to do it myself. You could try work-hardening the spring by bending it forward and back a number of times with very fine pliers. Of course, this may have an unwished-for side effect! In considering doing it myself I have Cocks and Bryan and Mike Nelson's website as guides but both are aimed at making keys not refitting them. Mine is chrome plated and I don't particularly want to drill through to put a new rivet in. How do people usually do itis it feasible to use the stub of the original rivet to mount the spring? You will need to file/grind the head off the original rivet so there won't be enough left to use for the new spring (in my experience). Ray Sloan used to use a tiny screw but presumably his keys were thick enough at the attachment point, I have never done that. I think you're going to have to drill through the key for a new rivet. A nickel-silver rivet may be unobtrusive as Francis says but the chrome plating is very brittle and will probably crack around the drill hole. You can get the key re-plated but if it is a very fine fit in the slot the extra thickness may cause binding. The key head can of course be polished smooth without re-plating. If the plating has cracked on the spring, that would possibly explain the weakness BTW. We gave up using nickel or chrome mainly for that reason, we now just offer silver. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Synthetic key pads
Francis Wood wrote: Hello all, Would anyone care to speak up on behalf of synthetic key pads? Yes, I would. I think it is greatly superior to leather in its sealing properties and I have cured many leaky keys particularly where the key seat is damaged or flat rather than domed, or where the hole has been enlarged. The keys seal without oil but a small amount of oil is used for tonal reasons. I have discovered that the material needs to be cut thicker than leather (I use 1.5-2mm thickness) because as Francis says, it compresses very greatly. I suppose I would use leather if asked but I would be a bit reluctant. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Synthetic key pads
Francis Wood wrote: Thanks for the interesting reply, Richard. I can see some good reasons for using synthetic materials despite my own preference: - Consistent accurate thickness, good for precisely engineered chanters Funnily enough, the stuff I use is not of consistent thickness- it us cut from a large block using a toothless blade in the bandsaw. This is the same type of blade used by butchers apparently and the process always makes me wince. There's no logic in that because a toothed blade would be much more destructive to the hands! I cut by hand rather than using a guide because the material is too soft for anything else. The block of foam is very depressing to look at- it's about a cubic foot and if you translate that into key pads it's a hell of a lot of keys to make! - Emergency use with self adhesive materials The adhesive stuff is fine for a genuine emergency but it's quite different from what I use. I can't remember what it's called but it was recommended by John Liestman. I got it from a canoe shop- it's used for bespoke canoe seats because it moulds to the paddler's backside. Yes, really. - Possible vegan considerations Your conviction that it seals much better is a powerful endorsement, though I haven't yet found a deficiency with leather. I just like assembling a new chanter absolutely dry and discovering that it's 100% airtight without any adjustment or fiddling about. That's the norm. Some of this synthetic stuff is truly awful and my principal question was about telling the good from the bad before using it. I have seen some excellent chanters failing to work because of degradation of the synthetic pads. No doubt that's because there are different kinds and the wrong one was originally used. Further thoughts, anyone? Wish I could remember what my stuff's called. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: re notes v. ear
Philip Gruar wrote: Can I just say, with particular reference to Richard's last post, that I am in no way claiming any superiority for the classically-trained position. Reading my post again, it looks a bit as if I am. I didn't read that into it at all- it was just a comment by me on my own lack of a specific skill set! Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: ear-learners vs note-learners
Richard Hensold wrote: This is a very interesting topic, but the thread that followed AR's post seemed to miss the point a bit. It's becoming an accepted notion that ear-learners (people who started out playing music entirely by ear, and only started reading music years later, if at all) think about/experience/play music in a fundamentally different way than note-learners (people who were taught to read music concurrently with being taught their instruments), Can note-learners learn to play like ear-players? I think so, but I'm still working on what methods work best. I tend to analyze everything and do lots of directed listening, and while this is very good at helping to hear new things, it's sort of counter-intuitive to think that analyzing something will help you eventually arrive at a more intuitively-musical way of playing. Comments, anyone? A very important issue particularly for organisers of playing groups. I run a small monthly piping session- most of the players are what Dick describes as 'note-learners' but I was an ear-learner and learned to read music later. If a new piece of sheet music is passed around the note-learners can generally play it immediately, possibly in a mechanical sort of way but I struggle badly until I have heard it several times, by which time the note-learners are ready for something else. I need to know the shape of the tune by hearing it, not just from the dots. If I play to the group, I interpret the tune as I see fit and I have had the response 'but you're not playing what's written'. In a more formal workshop I will always teach at least one tune by ear but the relief is obvious when the dots come out! There is a significant gulf here and the trick is to try not to let it spoil the fun whichever angle you come from. Group playing is of course a bit of a special case since everybody has to keep together and with more than about three or four players I think it's often not really very musical. This is fine when playing in private, as long as everybody is aware of the limitations, but if there is an audience then there is a problem. One odd personal point is that over recent years I have become more reliant on the dots and less able to memorise a new tune, which I regret, and I think this is due to too much music reading. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Colin Ross
Anthony Robb wrote: Dear All What a shame Colin Ross has stood down from the chairmanship of the society in these circumstances. Colin I do not always see eye to eye about some things, but the fact remains that his devotion to, and knowledge of piping, and pipes-making remain unsurpassed. After over 40 years of absolute commitment to our cause I would have thought he'd have been an obvious contender for the Presidency of the Society. I totally agree- Colin's huge contribution over a lifetime needs to be recognised and this would be one way to do it. Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Guidwife of Peebles
I apologise for the layout of this message: it's a reply to Matt's post on Guidwife of Peebles which I sent to him by mistake, instead of the the list. I have copied and pasted it so maybe it won't look too good! One day I'll get the hang of these lists (maybe). Matt Seattle wrote: It's my arrangement for Border pipes of a fiddle composition by Nathaniel Gow (originally in Bb and with a larger range), and never a song to my knowledge. I thought it sounded much like some of your arrangements, the 'song' idea was a complete guess. I recorded it on Out of the Flames; I knew I'd heard it somewhere... in fact, that's where I learnt it,a good few years ago now, then found it in the book. it has a personal association for me with Sharon Goodacre, late wife of Julian Goodacre of Peebles, Yes, indeed, very much so. and no, it is not characteristic of Border pipe repertoire, if by that we mean the variation sets of the Dixon-Peacock line of transmission, which (to me) represent the Golden Thread of Border piping, which (to me) encompasses open- and closed-end chanters. Maybe not but it's a nice tune which sits well on the pipes and is easy to play (unless you're a highland piper); nobody on the course had come across it before. I taught some Peacock sets, Guidwife was offered as something different. I once gave Jim Richmond a copy of this arrangement and he included it in the said tutor, with no acknowledgement of his direct source. Such is life! Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Guidwife of Peebles
I taught this tune at the recent LBPS weekend at Melrose, having found it in the NPS Border Bagpipe Tutor. There were several comments on the unusual nature of the tune compared to most of the Borders repertoire. I have always assumed it was associated with a song, but can anybody provide any background to the tune? Thanks Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: malcom's final solution
Barry Say wrote: Is anyone aware of any other wind instruments contemporary or historical which have a bore comparable with the smallpipes or tone holes about the size of the bore? Barry Crumhorn I think, but I don't have any plans or whatever. Pretty sure it's parallel small bore, tone holes similar to NSP. Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] learning to tune drones
Excellent! Works well and will be very useful. One small problem- The low drones, G in particular, don't seem to respond to the mouse movement as well as the smaller two. On the two little drones, the mouse pointer seems to lock on to the drone, but on the bigger two, when pulling the drone out I need to move the mouse further than the drone slide- when raising the pitch, the slide moves in further than the mouse pointer moves. It's a optical mouse and I get this effect whatever surface the mouse is moving over. Anybody else seem something like this? Cheers and thanks to Rob Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Penrith Pipers day 2006
Just a reminder about North Cumbria Pipers' Piping Day, coming up on 28 Oct. in Penrith. Three hours group playing/learning for NSP, SSP and Border Pipes, a presentation on the Rook Manuscript and a concert. Yours for the bargain price of £25. Evening social/session. The reason for this reminder is that uptake so far is very low- we might have to cancel. So if you are thinking of coming along, please get in touch! There's more information and a booking form on our website (see below), but just let us know by email if that's easier. Cheers Richard -- Richard Evans www.evansweb.co.uk To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
