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Gizmos

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Gordy88
True_Blue_Piper
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Post by True_Blue_Piper Tue 14 Oct - 18:08:08

Tuning devices, manmade material for bags.....yep.....we've been there before.

What is going to happen to the kids of today and tomorrow though....when they run out of batteries for their gizmo to work ?

460, 472, 484........I don't understand any of it......and I mean....any of it.

There are those who say that the world has to move on with technology and that includes the pipe band world.

OK.....I get the lesson, but......

In the 1980s I had a Triumph Spitfire, I had a Dolomite and I had a Mini.....

I could get these cars going perfectly well with a few spanners, a screwdriver and knowledge passed down from my father. The biggest difficulty was setting twin carbs.....

Today, I can't do anything........I have to take the car to a garage and the bloke therein attaches a computer to the engine......

He hasn't a clue what the redneck's act of reproduction to do without his gizmo....

Then I would suggest to mention that there comes a stage when technology goes above human ability. A typical example would be Formula One race cars. Some years back turbo-charging was introduced but in the end had to be stopped...........the speed and accelaration of the cars went far beyond the (safe) capabilities of the drivers.

Are we getting that way with out great, noble instrument?

Are the tuners etc. producing results that are beyond the capabilities of a human being?
Are they destroying traditional knowledge ?

Sorry folks, but from a purely personal opinion, I can undertand how they might "help", but I do not believe that a tuner is better than the experienced ears of the likes of Iain Maclellan, Iain McLeod, Bob Hardie, John Weatherstone or Donald Shaw Ramsay.

Please feel free to comment.........you may just escape with you life.... laughing
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Post by Gordy88 Tue 14 Oct - 19:13:41

I agree Ron,

Far too much dependance on technology with regards to sound especially,

Mediocre PM's can can decent sound, and whilst this is good in a way, it is also bad in a way.

I know for a fact that there are pipers in grade 1 who cannot tune their drones

That is a f*****g disgrace!!

Use the gizmos by all means, but learn how to do it properly too.

Ron,

As for certain ears,

Suffice to say the sound appears to be well above what some judges can appraise. Twisted Evil Twisted Evil

Cheers
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Post by Redneck Tue 14 Oct - 20:25:46

Gordy, yer right m8, but Ron, the gizmo is only an aid as I've said many times before, if ya can't get it by ear in the first time Shirley Bassey( the wee black box tuner)( my pet name fer our tuner big grin ) aint gonna help one iota.
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Post by Piping Connections Tue 14 Oct - 21:54:51

To be perfectly Honest i still think we have a bit to go with regards to technology !!
To go to your Formula 1 input Ron they are full and overflowing with techno stuff, everything is monitored inc when to brake, when to speed up , what gear to take corners at, remebering that the sequential shift has gone and we have pedals on the steering wheels , even the engineers in the pitlane can control the fuel/air mixture,

The tuner thing i think is down to lack of education on how to use them, why isnt there a part of the learning procedure put into the tuner/ tuning of the instrument same as maintenance? we all know we dont set the sound with the tuner, but as a band player it is an invaluable aid to quickly give checks and final checks of the drone tuning, once these synthetic reeds are tuned there should be no reason to continue to tune them, unless the moisture control system isnt up to the job. Oh a wee other thing its a band thing i dont see the need for solo pipers using a tuner !!!
This argument or discussion about using tuners will run and run but for sure the tuner and synthetics will not disappear so perhaps more work should be put into how to use them properly ??

As i said at the start i think there is more technology to come ime hearing about development of a centrafugal working blowstick !!
Having the bore where the chanter reed sits oval to suit the reed sound projection better. its the old story of the more people think about our instrument and the modern technology available to us the more it will continue to progress.


Its all about the waves man !!!!!!!!
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Post by Piper06 Wed 22 Oct - 3:45:43

Both my band and my instructor have started to use the tuner. They still need a reference to tune with. I was lucky, I was born with a good ear for tone. With 2 1/2 years on pipes, I am the tuning reference. They set the tuner to my chanter, but we still use the old method of running up and down the scale. We might use it for the fine tuning, but still it is by ear we depend on.

I have seen nights where the drones don't sound right by the tuner, but will lock in by ear. The tuner is not a replacement for a good ear, but it does seem to save my lung power for the fun part of playing.

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Post by PMT Wed 22 Oct - 4:12:59

The tuner is a guide only. It is never as accurate as a good ear and it doesn't help with blowing, intonation and sound perception.
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Post by Piping Connections Wed 22 Oct - 10:18:38

Good post Piper06 totaly agree with yeh !

PMT plug a microphone into your tuner and put the tuner in front of the piper and watch the face when they see how unsteady they are blowing , they soon understand about blowing and put a few extra hours into sorting it out laughing laughing

Intonation and sound perception , yeh i agree there m8
Piping Connections
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Post by Gordy88 Wed 22 Oct - 20:17:17

PMT wrote:The tuner is a guide only. It is never as accurate as a good ear and it doesn't help with blowing, intonation and sound perception.

An experienced player should see a tuner a guide only, I certainly do, and only use it to quickly pitch low A. I would never use it to tune my own drones, but have seen it done!!!

Less experienced ones tend to use it as Gospel. take a look around a competition and you will often see lower grade players sneaking up to top bands and measuring their pitch.

Rob Mathieson often does it too when he is playing mind game!

PMT - welcome aboard, enjoy yourself and don't be afraid to speak your mind, we're a pretty friendly bunch here

Pint
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