D-throw choice - light vs. heavy

[Eddie Selden]

Do any of you choose to play "heavy" D throws for light music, but "light" D throws for piobaireachd? Why or why not? As a student I was taught only the heavy throw, but on the piobaireachd I'm currently working on - "The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack" - the light throw pleases my ear.

Thanks!

[EquusRacer]

Like you, I was taught the "heavy" throw. However, as an instructor in a junior band, we were teaching the "light" throw. That said, I believe we should all learn and master both; then choose for whatever we're doing. In anything, playing or life, I like options.

[el gaitero]

I’m in the same camp with Equus....learn both..very well....then be consistent to always play only one in any given tune

[Eddie Selden]

Thank you both. Though I'm a mediocre piper, I can play both D throws well. I guess I was more wondering if some pipers play both types of throw, one for light music and the other for piobaireachd; and if they do, why do they make that choice? Thanks again!

[Chris Knife]

Eddie, I do. I was generally taught heavy for light music and light for piobaireachd. There are some 3/4's and 6/8's I choose to play light throws as they sound better to me in those specific tunes. And slow airs I exclusively play light. As for why: each sounds best to me where played. I don't intentionally mix the two in the same tune, however.

I do make one exception currently with the heavy throw in piobaireachd. I play a heavy d throw in the "Bells of Perth" as set in the MacArthur-MacGregor Manuscript. A heavy throw seems balanced with the setting.

I'm no expert and only play for my enjoyment anymore, fwiw.

Chris

[Lochie]

I pretty much always use the heavy throw in light music....but when I decided to go down the piobaireachd path, my teacher told me to use the light one.
I also dwell a little longer on the low G, then spring up to the D, C, D in piob....

[iunderwood]

Light throw in piob, heavy in light music. I actually would like to try to incorporate the light throw into my light music playing, but the muscle memory is very, very strongly ingrained.

[TwitchyFingers]

I was taught the heavy throw first and the light throw much later for slow airs. I think I can speak for a lot of pipers that the green book method of learning the heavy throw was somewhat traumatic, and for me resulted in an overly deliberate "huh-ko-huh-ha-D".
Over the past few years, instead of starting students with Scots Wha Hae and its accompanying heavy throws, I start them on a simpler rhythm tune like The Dawning of the Day or Suo Gan and introduce them to the grip to C, emphasizing the importance of the two low G gracenotes, separated by a D. It also helps them get the idea that the gdg gracenotes are the basis for the taorluaths and crunluaths they'll learn later. And what do you know? By the time they can play a decent grip to C, you introduce the heavy throw and tell them its a grip to C that goes immediately to D, and they get it bang on first try. Teaching them a light throw after that is a breeze.

[Lochie]

That's very valuable, as I also teach beginners now....thank you!

[Eddie Selden]

Thanks to you all for your comments! I'm trying both throws on a couple of pib tunes, but leaning toward the light throw, with a subtle pause on the first low g, as Lochie noted.

[Eddie Selden]

Minutes after posting that last message, a search for the tune I'm working on - the Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack - found a video of Colin MacLellan, whose father composed the tune, playing it on his practice chanter. There are only six D throws in the tune, all in the ground, and he plays them all with a heavy throw. And, as would be expected, he makes it sound perfect....

[Bram]

Possibly depends on the tune? Hiharin Dro o Dro is a "heavy" tune and sounds nice with heavy throws, they complement the pairings of c grips in the phrases.

I was reading a quote from John MacDonald in Ian McKay's Art of Piobaireachd saying he used the heavy throw.

[phinson]

I remember PM Norman Gillies suggesting use of the light D Throw for both Ceol Beag and Ceol Mor ... in effect killing two birds with one throw.