How many actually use Binneas

[Ron Teague]

Mr. Grumpo, me, drug out his copy of Binneas. Why? I was bored and was woosy after being jet-lagged after a trip to Provence. I got to thinking, always a dangerous thing, about Binneas. I wonder how many piobaireachd players actually use Binneas. I have started to warm to it and now kind of like it. I know that the usual route to learning a new tune is to have a teacher slog through the tune with a student at first using P/S books or Kilberry, yawn. What happens when your teacher passes on. I have had three teachers just up and die on me, the selfish brutes. So now I have to go it on my own. Yes I use Donald MacLeod's remarkable tutor CDs as well as the two Bobs and Dugald MacNeill's wonderful Site Readable Ceol Mor as well as Archie Cairn's great piobaireachd tutorials as well as the great stuff on the P/S web site to have a go at a new tune, but I thought just perhaps Binneas might be of some help and it is. Who else uses Binneas

[David]

Originally Posted by Ron Teague

Mr. Grumpo, me, drug out his copy of Binneas. Why? I was bored and was woosy after being jet-lagged after a trip to Provence. I got to thinking, always a dangerous thing, about Binneas. I wonder how many piobaireachd players actually use Binneas. I have started to warm to it and now kind of like it. I know that the usual route to learning a new tune is to have a teacher slog through the tune with a student at first using P/S books or Kilberry, yawn. What happens when your teacher passes on. I have had three teachers just up and die on me, the selfish brutes. So now I have to go it on my own. Yes I use Donald MacLeod's remarkable tutor CDs as well as the two Bobs and Dugald MacNeill's wonderful Site Readable Ceol Mor as well as Archie Cairn's great piobaireachd tutorials as well as the great stuff on the P/S web site to have a go at a new tune, but I thought just perhaps Binneas might be of some help and it is. Who else uses Binneas

I do, but I haven't competed in over 35 years, so, I am untested with Binneas settings. I have no fondness for the tropical fruit colours, or the absconded staff. I do very much like the good show at accurate notation. I have been known to photocopy a tune to render a black & white version. Binneas is a nice link to the past, and maybe a flavour of Calum Piobair.

[Chris Knife]

Originally Posted by Ron Teague

Mr. Grumpo, me, drug out his copy of Binneas. Why? I was bored and was woosy after being jet-lagged after a trip to Provence. I got to thinking, always a dangerous thing, about Binneas. I wonder how many piobaireachd players actually use Binneas. I have started to warm to it and now kind of like it. I know that the usual route to learning a new tune is to have a teacher slog through the tune with a student at first using P/S books or Kilberry, yawn. What happens when your teacher passes on. I have had three teachers just up and die on me, the selfish brutes. So now I have to go it on my own. Yes I use Donald MacLeod's remarkable tutor CDs as well as the two Bobs and Dugald MacNeill's wonderful Site Readable Ceol Mor as well as Archie Cairn's great piobaireachd tutorials as well as the great stuff on the P/S web site to have a go at a new tune, but I thought just perhaps Binneas might be of some help and it is. Who else uses Binneas

I refer to Binneas when learning a tune I don't know--as well as Jimmy McIntosh's Ceol Mor, Gen. Thomas' Ceol Mor, sometime David Glen's collection and Angus MacKay's published collection. The timing of bits or settings are different in cases from the PS or Kilberry, and they make sense to my poor understanding of piobaireachd but I enjoy them. I'm currently not competing.

[Rooklidge]

What I've learned from airing MacPherson recordings on my radio show is that he didn't always follow Binneas either. Made me realize, at my advancing age of greyness, what great fun it is to read all the sources you can get your eyes on and eventually interpret it the way it feels good to you. I only compete in G3 occasionally now, and have had good and bad comments from judges about my interpretation, but I always keep in mind it's for my own love of the music that I play. Competing just gives me a platform to present music that interests me.

[LJ Neville]

Ron, I too use Binneas on occasion. Considering that you are teacher-less allow me to recommend Jimmy McIntosh's fine book Ceol Mor for the Great Highland Bagpipe, presented in the Balmoral tradition (as long as you are into the Balmoral School (aka after John MacDonald via Malcolm MacPherson) mode of expression). The unique way it is notated, in conjunction with the accompanying notes on each tune, does a lot in the way of providing the expression that one might not get from other printed sources. There are also many great photographs and bits of history and anecdotes. Well worth purchasing.

[Adam Sanderson]

Bfore the days of the internet, the Donald MacLeod CDs, the Bobs of Balmoral CDs, downloads from Roddy MacLeod, Jim McGillivray, Jack Lee, etc, Binneas was invaluable to me.

I still think it's a great attempt at notating ceol mor, and superior to the Piob Soc books for clarity. The doing away with bars and time signatures and concentrating on phrasing makes sense to me.

However, IMHO, you still can't beat singing to get the tune to someone.

[Mainebagpipes]

Originally Posted by LJ Neville

Ron, I too use Binneas on occasion. Considering that you are teacher-less allow me to recommend Jimmy McIntosh's fine book Ceol Mor for the Great Highland Bagpipe, presented in the Balmoral tradition (as long as you are into the Balmoral School (aka after John MacDonald via Malcolm MacPherson) mode of expression).

Good advice. I don't use Binneas a lot, but I do grab it when I'm just starting to learn a new tune - mostly for the tune notes and phrasing while playing the Kilberry or Piob. Society settings.

[RichmondPiper]

Bob Brown recommended them many years ago when I attended a residential workshop with him. He didn't play everything the way it is written there (neither do old Macpherson recordings as someone else has already noted), but felt that the expression was well indicated by the use of phrases, absence of bars, time signatures etc. I have used them ever since. Personally, I find the 3 line stave and the many colours unappealing but really like the setout in phrases and the simple indication of note lengths.

A callow youth in those days, I arrived at the workshop with a brand new Kilberry Book. He sniffed and said "You'd be better off with the Sunday Post under your arm". Not everyone would agree, of course.

[salmunmousavi]

I use the Kilberry book because I like the 5 line Stave as opposed to the 3 line in Binneas, but I definitely consult Binneas for timings of notes and phrases. I like thinking that that book has the tunes closest to how the MacCrimmon’s played. There’s something very cool about that!


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[Robin73]

Originally Posted by Rooklidge

... Made me realize, at my advancing age of greyness, what great fun it is to read all the sources you can get your eyes on and eventually interpret it the way it feels good to you. I only compete in G3 occasionally now, and have had good and bad comments from judges about my interpretation, but I always keep in mind it's for my own love of the music that I play. Competing just gives me a platform to present music that interests me.

This is exactly how I feel about the whole business, although I'm at the the other end and have not started to compete yet. I imagine it's going to be an interesting journey...

Thanks for sharing.