The Science of Piping

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:43 pm

I've heard it said that there is a Science of Piping.
I agree.
Just thought I'd let you know.

ausdag · Post by **ausdag** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:54 pm

I guess it all comes down to the definition of 'science'. If economics is a science, and political science is a science, then there's no reason why piping cannot be a science.

Chadd · Post by **Chadd** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:59 pm

jdevereux · Post by **jdevereux** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:28 pm

I don't really read this forum much anymore, but I'm quite glad to have caugh this topic, and will now comence to spreading my message of hate

.

It really seems like alot of people are really caught up in the scientific aspects of piping, this instrument seems to draw people with a very analytical personality. Maybe its more important to just make it work, instead of worrying about why it works (in terms of science). I am a firm believer in the "Get your ass off the computer and play some tunes" philosophy, and it seems to me that asking "scientific" questions is just another way of procrastinating. Instead of wondering why the pipes do this or that, just learn how to work with it or fix it, and practice.

I mean absolutly no disrespect to the more scientificly inclined members of this comunity, its people like them that make the world go 'round, but maybe it would be worth giving it a shot, not worrying about why things happen, but instead about making yourself a better muscian.

-Jack Devereux

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:24 pm

Seamus Ennis certainly refered to exploring the minute details and effects achievable on the chanter as "scientific". He, of course, walked his talk in terms of the range of tones and dynamic effects he turned on.

He made this statement in an interview that was conducted by Mick Allen(sp?). There's about 8 or so hours of it to listen to in the Irish Traditional Music Archives.

I mostly agree with Mr. Devilreux

though. "Scientific" theory does not automatically translate into practical, experiential know-how, people do not learn how to actually play Irish music that way (i.e. conceptually). And as we all know, science has been applied with disasterous consequences elsewhere.

Regards,

Harry.

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:14 pm

Science? It seems more like an arcane art to me. Science is rational and makes sense, while piping...who the hell know how it works and why? (Ok, maybe this just applies to myself).

J.

bradhurley · Post by **bradhurley** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:17 pm

I dunno, it works for me: each day I set out to disprove the null hypothesis: "I cannot play this tune on the pipes." And yet each day it seems I gather more and more evidence to support the very hypothesis I have set out to disprove.

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:53 pm

Harry wrote:And as we all know, science has been applied with disasterous consequences elsewhere.

You mean things like inflatable tennis shoes? Hubcaps that spin?

Or

The magazine pic has made this post worthwhile, how bout more slime molds etc.? Love that stuff.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:09 pm

Kevin,

I was thinking more of certain brands of packet soup and some of Stevie Wonder's cheesier keyboard sounds, but I suppose you could include atomic weapons in my value judgement (where they are not used responsibly or, at least, where they are not used with a sense of humour).

Strapping Cowboys to them does strike me as culturally significant though, from an indigenous American perspective anyway.

Regards,

Harry.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:27 am

Harry wrote: but I suppose you could include atomic weapons in my value judgement (where they are not used responsibly or, at least, where they are not used with a sense of humour).

Strapping Cowboys to them does strike me as culturally significant though, from an indigenous American perspective anyway.

Regards,

Harry.

Ed Harrison · Post by **Ed Harrison** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:34 am

Wither music is a science or not, I don't know but I do like to know why things are the way they are and
perhaps science can explain that. I have had a hard time understanding "just intonation tuning" versus "equal temperament tuning". It took getting into the Cajun accordion to understand it. The Cajuns use just intonation( the same as the pipes) and the Irish accordion uses equal temperament. A Cajun tune played on an Irish accordion just sounds different, it doesn't sound Cajun to my ears.

The fiddle(being fretless) can play in either tuning and when played with the pipes, they sound great because they are both playing in just intonation tuning. Perhaps that's why you heard so many tunes with only the fiddle and pipes. Now if you add an accordion tuned to equal temperament to that fiddle - pipes duo, things start to sound different.

More can be found on http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/scales.html.

I smile at the way equal temperament is described:
You can play equally out of tune in any key.

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:45 am

BIG BANGS The Story of Five Musical Discoveries That Changed Musical History bu Howard Goodall is worth a read. One of the Five Discoveries is Just vs Equal Temperament - nice long, readable chapter on the whole lot.

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/00 ... ZZZZZZ.jpg

tommykleen · Post by **tommykleen** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:33 am

I am just glad that they have finally invented a bellows that won't clash with my lab coat.

t

ausdag · Post by **ausdag** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:38 pm

Kevin L. Rietmann wrote:

The magazine pic has made this post worthwhile, how bout more slime molds etc.? Love that stuff.

I'm either too young (born 1970), or just haven't watched enough movies (too much practicing the pipes

), but what was the name of that movie, and did he really go down on....I mean...with....the bomb without a parachute?

jqpublick · Post by **jqpublick** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:50 pm

ausdag wrote:
Kevin L. Rietmann wrote:

The magazine pic has made this post worthwhile, how bout more slime molds etc.? Love that stuff.
I'm either too young (born 1970), or just haven't watched enough movies (too much practicing the pipes ), but what was the name of that movie, and did he really go down on....I mean...with....the bomb without a parachute?

The movie is Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb," and it's a must-see. Peter Sellers in three roles and Rip Torn heading Commie-wards in the above snapshot. Great film. Very funny, too. Oh, and dark. Which is anyway kind of nice. Not much to do with Uilleann Piping, though.

Mark