I'm Bored

[glands]

I think I may need to get myself to a tionolo soon. I'm bored with my piping. Playing has not progressed in a while. I'm on one of those plateaus that one must play through. Need some good instruction and fraternization with other pipers. Maybe I need to go learn a new tune.

Several years ago I heard Seth Gallagher say he was bored with piping and Irish Music. He had playd about 10 years at that time. I've been playing nearly 9 years. I wonder how he got through it?

Anyone else experienced same? How'd U get through it?

Maybe my painting has taken precedence over the piping. Paintings are selling for good money these days. Two of them went for over $1500 each in the past month! I don't make that sort of cash pipering. Recent paintings, including 6 plein air paintings created in Ireland, 1.5 hr each, (the last 6 in the photos section) located here: http://home.comcast.net/~glands/wsb/htm ... html-.html

I'm also bored with the PC of this list. Where are the good ole days when one could have some fun, be provocative, play the devils advocate, and also simply speak honestly? Where did all the guys who could not take a ribbing come from? Why do people misread or interpret one another with increasing frequency? Where's the craic? I don't blame our moderators....I blame the community of those who subscribe and post. Maybe I'm just as guilty.....but .......

[ChaplainBlake]

I had a wise mentor once tell me that "Sometimes the discipline will have to carry you when the heart will not." I sympathize with your waning of interest, though mine is not of piping. Men of diverse interests (and it seems talents as well, in your case ) are most often challenged by the nature of their impulse to explore and be chalenged. That is, the very thing that drives you to explore myriad pursuits also causes you to become unsatisfied at times with those very pursuits as they become more commonplace. Sounds pop-psych, but I have found it to be true. I have had the same sorts of issues with my singing. Classicaly trained and gifted, I reached a plateau of technique and familiarity that seemed to sap the once-joyful endeavor of its meaning and power. So, I heeded the words of that aforementioned wise man, and continued in the discipline until the "heart" came back.
Your suggestion to hit a tionol might be a good one, as people, not pursuits, provide the greatest challenge (and rewards, I might add). No matter what skills, endeavors, crafts, or academia one might master, the realm of human relationships has proven to be frustratingly defiant with regard to mastery...frustratingly defiant and infinitely rewarding. What you mentioned that you miss, namely the interaction between engaging minds, seems to further substantiate the efficacy of that solution. If nothing else, I love to continue in my chosen pursuits because it leads me to other people in said pursuits. It worked for me and my singing, in addition to several other of my interests.
At any rate, I hope that you are able to find the heart of it again soon. Some of us out here not only truly enjoy reading the posts and comments of others on the board, but also learning the stories of the lives of others in our little community.

I apologize for the length of the post. I usually adhere to the "Brevity is the soul of wit" notion, but something in your post got the wheels a' turnin'.

--Blake

[marcpipes]

Do you ever just get into a pattern of loss of confidence? I seem to go through these as of late about piping, pipe making, painting, metalsmithing and human relationships in general. There are times where I want to just throw the bag bellows and chanter across the room. Sometimes I can't because I might hit the small pile of other discarded projects and frustrations. Is ennui terminal?

[Dave Parkhurst]

I'm also bored with the PC of this list. Where are the good ole days when one could have some fun, be provocative, play the devils advocate, and also simply speak honestly? Where did all the guys who could not take a ribbing come from? Why do people misread or interpret one another with increasing frequency? Where's the craic? I don't blame our moderators....I blame the community of those who subscribe and post. Maybe I'm just as guilty.....but .......

Hey, there's a few of us salty dogs here...there are just a few peoplethat have joined lately who are politically sensitive to the point of psychosis, that seem to scream whenever THEIR sensibilities are crossed. When I was younger, my Dad had a saying "Deal with it". People are gonna offend each other once in a while... the secret is to shrug it off, have a beer and think of a good comeback.

And to keep this out of the Pub forum: Hey, I really like my Burke DNB.

Dave

[Uilliam]

Hya Lewis do not despaireth I get mightily bored also with both.I blame the regular sessions that I go to for the former,although blame is the wrang word.If I didnae go there wouldn't be a problem

I find that sessions make for sloppy playing its as if ye go into auto mode and just do finger exercises.The other musos seem quite happy to play the same old sets week in week out to the point of "oh its the Kesh (must be 9 o'clock)" plus I am heartily sick to death of the tunes being played at the wrang tempo...I remember talking with Tom Clarke in Belfast a good few years back and he said the very same thing so it seems to be the same old problem not going awa...

I have found that I am going back on all my tunes and taking another look and I am really enjoying finding that in many cases there is always room for improvement and innovation.

A good starter for me is to take another look at the transcriptions in O'Neills and I am surprised to find that some tunes that I have learned and played seemingly interminably at sessions are in fact quite different when studied a bit more,take eg Out on the Ocean ..played to death here.. then I took a look at it on friday and was surprised to see the subtle difference in O'Neils 1001 the second part especially .I am now enthused with this version and it will now replace the more modern dross version that is played almost everywhere I go..another excellent resource is the Leo Rowesome Collection of Irish Music I love going for a tune I "thought" I knew and see what he does with it and then play around with it mesel.Patsy O'Toole (my partners and sons name) aka Touhey is another excellent resource..good solid reference works all three.I more than suspect that it is precisely because they were not influenced by sessions (developed in London in the 1950's) that I find their notation inspirational ...
So Lewis onwards and upwards ,look for the new challenge, ye will find more than enough in the above to last ye the next decade

As for the forum Big dissy It seems to be populated with some folks who do not have an aweful lot of experience but do have an aweful lot to say The amount of locked posts is now a big turn off I feel frae contributing...if ye pump whilst typing there is a good chance someone will complain and the post is locked so it won't have the chance to develope.... anyways I'm bored,slán have a nice day ye all
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam
ps.. Joseph Don't take this personally
pps Afore any starts screaming that I didnae mention so and so for reference work chose yer own...I should of course have included The Dance Music of Willie Clancy.NPU's...Ceol An Phíobaire 1971-78 and The London Pipers Club wee book.

[Joseph E. Smith]

ps.. Joseph Don't take this personally

I haven't. The reasons you state above are valid enough for your being put off.

Glands, think: "2007 Florida Tionol... Florida warmth and hospitality... 2007 Florida Tionol... Florida warmth and hos......... "

Let this become your new mantra.

[josh perkins]

"Where did all the guys who could not take a ribbing come from?"

From a sports car dealership?

[Cayden]

Paintings are selling for good money these days. Two of them went for over $1500 each in the past month! I don't make that sort of cash pipering. ......

Well that settles it then doesn't it. First things first.

[Pipewort]

I sympathise with Glands. Is it a staleness (?) rather than boredom. One can work too hard at something sometimes.

A solution that has worked for me is to drop the practice and listening to ITM for a bit. I turn on either the classical symphonies, or Fleetwood Mac.................... or some such, to take my brain away from it all.

A good tionol can have the same effect -

Pwt

[daveboling]

Well Lewis, I could come up next weekend for some tunes. That would at least make you appreciate more the way you sound and approach tunes!!

dave boling

[CHasR]

I cant tell u how many times ive been fed up with the whole thing (pipes, pipers, gigs, reeds, etc, etc) also...yet somehow it never quite leaves and eventually takes precedence again...true in all facets of music, I find...hate to sound like a barmy college professor: but music knows its own + will claim it. In my experience, said boredom is a nessecary breather.
I say; find other pipers to gripe with in person. Iron shaprens Iron. That just cant be done online.
CHeers

[rgouette]

Bored aye?

Well, all you need is some reverb, & some more instruments to play along with...

[glands]

Well that settles it then doesn't it. First things first.

Oh yes! Cash is good when it comes from painting ....but I paint as it is a very rewarding method of expression.

[Patrick D'Arcy]

Thou needs to gettest thyne self listening to music you love Mr. Gland's. I've been lavishing myself in a daily dose of Willie Clancy as well as the old fiddlers particulary Bobby Casey.... I hate to say it but I've been listening to a fair bit of accordion too... Tony McMahon and Beginnish etc... I think it's actually helped my timing! (Thanks be to Jayzuz!)

Padge.

[No E]

Lewis,

Sounds like you need a couple of Señor Pedro's tacos to put the fire back in your belly. Will we be seeing you next month?

-Larry