Music suggestion

[PGH]

Hey all,
I need some advice on a service request indoors. Was asked to play 1/2 hour before the start. What’s some opinions on doing this, such as play a song(s)for 1-2 mins and rest for a bit; play another, rest etc..?

[Klondike Waldo]

Originally Posted by PGH

Hey all,
I need some advice on a service request indoors. Was asked to play 1/2 hour before the start. What’s some opinions on doing this, such as play a song(s)for 1-2 mins and rest for a bit; play another, rest etc..?

When I'm asked to play a half-hour before an event, I play for the entire 30 minutes ( unless something happens to delay the actual start, which is not unusual for a wedding, in which case I play the additional wait time as well). It helps to be in shape and have an extensive repertoire.

[CalumII]

My usual approach is to start playing, play all the 6/8s I can think of twice over (helpful for spinning the time out, but also when you were a bit hazy about the third part of the Trees of North Uist the first time round), then stop, scratch my nose, and start again with a new time signature.



I find stopping every now and then can be a good idea as there is often someone hovering round a corner who wants a word.

[el gaitero]

When a caller asking me to play at a wedding reception etc says “...we want you to play for ‘ only about an hour’ ... “ I kindly advise that “nobody ( while having cocktails and conversation) wants to listen to bagpipes for a solid hour” ...
Making sure they understand ‘ zher vill bee breaks..” but I will provide plenty of playing..of random tunes or mini-sets I decide.

[PGH]

Im part of a military honors group, and a piper played last week as the guests were leaving. He played for about 10 mins straight and I have to admit, as a piper it was too much. I think if he played a long air or two shorter, paused for a couple minutes and repeated it might’ve been a bit better for everyone. He was losing steam and could hear the drone tone shifting and the chanter cutting in and out. He was a great piper in his defense, just seemed in my opinion to take away from the ambiance. I’m sure each situation is different and a request from the person paying you to play specific takes precedence

[el gaitero]

I recall seeing two Pipers from West Point playing ( live on tv) at a casket in a rotunda. For a short while there were people filing by..then not. The Pipers had obviously been ordered by some idgit in charge to keep playing full Going Home until relieved.
They must have played it at least a dozen times..or more;....sheesh; At 48bpm.
They started loosing steam and wandering after about the 4th repeat...so did the tune. I felt very sorry for them.

[TwitchyFingers]

It's not much help if you don't have them, but for long gigs like that, I usually bring a set of smallpipes or border pipes if it's a big room. Tin whistles also go over well in my experience. Is there a friend from whom you might borrow a second instrument?

[PGH]

A dozen or more continuous versus of going home and I think I’d leave my casket and tell em to shut it down lol.... it’s safe to say that’s called over kill.
I’d love to get my hands on a set of kitchen pipes in A, i was pricing them and quite expensive comparatively speaking to GHB, but I think they’d be a great addition to an indoor gig where volume needs to be monitored

[bob864]

Originally Posted by PGH

Hey all,
I need some advice on a service request indoors. Was asked to play 1/2 hour before the start. What’s some opinions on doing this, such as play a song(s)for 1-2 mins and rest for a bit; play another, rest etc..?

Funeral service?

To me it would make more sense to play outdoors (or maybe inside the building, but not in the room) as the people are arriving. That way people can stop and listen as much as they care to and go inside.

Playing outdoors as people arrive you can play continuously.

[el gaitero]

Originally Posted by PGH

. it’s safe to say that’s called over kill.

...I see what you did there....