Lawther - whatcha think about.....

[Evian Repyp]

Ian,
What are your thoughts on Zetland pipes? I like the uilleann but realize that I may never learn. I play GHBs and zetlands seem close enough to the ghb but with a unique sound.
I really like the sound of uillean pipes.....help me satisfy my urge to reproduce that sound on something besides a CD player.
:wink:

[Ian Lawther]

Sorry for the slow reply- we're in the midst of moving house and sitting at the computer is getting to be a luxury!

I haven't heard Zetlands live, and have only seen a non working, very early set (aluminium). But I have just ahd a listen on the makers site, and they sound reasonable, though to my mind they are more European the uilleann in sound.

Royce has designed them for easy maintenance and they have single reeds through out (ie a drone reed for the chanter as well as the drones). These are made for him by Wygent so I assume they are plastic, and therefore not going to need regular replacement.

They are going to be fine for playing highland stuff, and Irish tunes adapted for GHB, but I think that there is a slight danger that buying them to get something that sounds like an uileann pipe but isn't could be frustrating - you are going to want to play uilleann repertoire and just not have the notes to do it.

Anyone out there playing a set? Royce do you want to make any comment?

Ian

[Royce]

I guess I should check in here more often. I've got a set of Zetlands here I'm selling under-the-table for a customer who gave up the whole idea, they're all put together and going well. They do use single reeds, Mark Wygent designed me a special version of his Synthdrone reed which are used in chanter and drones. The pitch is the lower range of the UP, and there is more buzz involved but not the nasal Breton or Middle Eastern sound so much as found in most single-reeds.

Main thing is you can play whatever style you want on them, whistle or smallpipe or GHB or whatever you come up with. The only trick of learning Zetlands is the air pressure--a lot lower pressure, a lot more volume, or perhaps the same volume as GHB but a lot lot less pressure.

If anyone is interested in the set I have here they're essentially new but they'll go at a big discount.

Also, if anyone wants to go into the marketing end of this thing with me you're welcome to it. I should be practicing UP more....

Royce