Hi!
Whilst restlessly searching YouTube for bagpipe ideas( for farewell gatherings etc.) I found this beautiful piece by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Time To Say Goodbye. A very familiar song here in Singapore, since it was broadcasted many times in advertisements on T.V. Yet again, I am too lazy to actually write out a score for the rest of the internet world. I can't. Or rather I may receive some complaints. Anyways, it is possible to catch the tune after you listen to it earnestly a few times. Starting notes are: Low A, D, C, E,D
The rest is pretty much around there. :)
You'll need:
1) A good ear (just sayin')
2) Writing materials(Create your own scores, damn it.)
3) Practice Chanter and lots of resilience.
I tried many times figuring out almost the whole song ( including the ascending intro, our part(bagpipes) and a few notes that go well with the rest of the song )
This song can be represented as a farewell song, be it to the living or dead. To me, very sentimental. Full of feelings. For us Singaporeans, I don't understand what they're singing, so the Bagpipes are my lyrics:)
I hope you get your expected outcome!
-HyashiiJ.C.
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
The Moon Represents My Heart
Recently, I have been bust preparing a famous Chinese Song by Teresa Teng, named The Moon Represents My Heart. (Or Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo Di Xin). Naturally, a simple Google search would come up with a few scores or so. Turns out only one person managed to actually create a version of it by himself.
Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting jwhitson from www.youtube.com :)
I was extremely confused at first, but after a few trial and error I figured it would do. Not like there were any other versions anyways. :P
So, how is one suppossed to learn this piece?
!)Notebook
2)Chanter
3)Pen
4)Ruler
5) Lots of determination and sharp eyesight :)
I finished mine in 2 days, that's quite a long time... >.<
But yeah, I PM-ed him if he could give me a score but no reply T_T
Nevertheless, I can more or less play a similar version with this.Try playing around with the gracenotes,
maybe a note higher to give a certain effect ect. Nobody said you had to follow his exact version. :)
I wish you good luck in representing your heart with the moon :)
-HyashiiJC.
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Tunes coming up!~
Hello! After taking a long and shit-filled break, I remembered this Blog, which i was supposed to update :) Sorry!
Anyways, There is going to be a lot of work needed to be done for one tune :p Hard work, but worth it. After all, I'm sure every Piper wants to pipe somewhere quiet and lovely with your significant other. I did. But it didn't go as expected. Oh well, :) let me focus on my secondary school education while I'm still at it.
Yes, about that first tune, I will start off with As the Deer. A christian hymn. Lovely. I will be uploading it on the Internet as well, I hope i'm not guilty for Internet Piracy. That would suck. After all, the sheet music was also created with blood and sweat of the composer. I believe it's also a hard task transposing it into Bagpipe sheet music. Maybe I'll do it after I save enough money for a microphone~ Or i could use my still surviving and existing iPod Touch. Maybe. Just maybe.
Enough about that. Let me get started!
Anyways, There is going to be a lot of work needed to be done for one tune :p Hard work, but worth it. After all, I'm sure every Piper wants to pipe somewhere quiet and lovely with your significant other. I did. But it didn't go as expected. Oh well, :) let me focus on my secondary school education while I'm still at it.
Yes, about that first tune, I will start off with As the Deer. A christian hymn. Lovely. I will be uploading it on the Internet as well, I hope i'm not guilty for Internet Piracy. That would suck. After all, the sheet music was also created with blood and sweat of the composer. I believe it's also a hard task transposing it into Bagpipe sheet music. Maybe I'll do it after I save enough money for a microphone~ Or i could use my still surviving and existing iPod Touch. Maybe. Just maybe.
Enough about that. Let me get started!
Sunday, 22 July 2012
Having trouble Learning?
Hi! It's that time of the day where I decide to create a new post :)
First of all, I've mentioned before, everyone has struggled learning anything, even more in learning the Bagpipes. Say you have a performance, and you have no idea how to play the songs required. Oh no! You have to learn 4 songs in a few weeks time. Whatever shall you do? I don't think any instructor that has lessons with you once a week for 2 hours would be able to teach a song every lesson. That's where everyone single one of the performers in the Band start to shine. That's where you learn to be more independent and that's where you start to become proud.
The flaws in learning tunes by yourself are as follows:
1) After you think you have already finished learning the tune, the tune is all messed up, in terms of timing and maybe you could have missed out an embellishment or two.
2) Careless and rushed learners( like me ) read the values all wrong. We are only able to get the melody correct, but I assume we are all couch potatoes and we just learn solo. That's not good.
3) You'll go proud. Your thinking will be : I don't need to listen to any instructor. I can learn anything and everything!. No. Why do you even think the instructor is there for? At the very least ask her to double check your playing.
Now here's what I feel is the correct way to go about learning without an instructor.
Learn the tunes BAR BY BAR. I used to just play the song at sight, that didn't help me remember much. When you learn B.B.B(:D)., make sure you double check every single gracenote, that your eyes aren't deceiving you.
You can use this as a rough guide.(Up to you, anyways. I'm not your master or anything,just a regular Piper)
1) Play each note slowly and one at a time. You will get how the fingering feels. *Ahem* B.B. B *Cough*
2) Listen to the tune on the internet, maybe YouTube? Familiarize yourself with the tune, you'll be playing it in no time.
3) Play and Repeat. Play and Repeat. Play and Repeat. Easiest way to get it into your head eh?
4) Confirm that you have the correct score. I made the mistake of learning the Reel version of Itchy Fingers, when it actually should be a Hornpipe, hence the version that I have can't be played as a march :( It's hard to change the way you play the song after learning it, simply because of your scumbag brain.
5) It's best to learn with a good buddy. I mentioned the danger that there is a chance, even the slightest one, that you saw the value wrongly. 50Cents became 1Dollar and vice-versa. Remember those dot-cuts too! Your buddy is the best bet next to an instructor. What's the worst that could happen? Both die together :)
I think that's about it. Just take it slow and steady, unless you have like 1 Day left. That's quite impossible. Remember, everyone makes mistakes. Don't give up just because of that. Oh and I forgot one more point,
6) Focus on one song at a time :)
Yay! I completed my first rough guide :P Anyways, I wish you a meaningful and enriching learning experience ahead!
-The Fierce Piper
First of all, I've mentioned before, everyone has struggled learning anything, even more in learning the Bagpipes. Say you have a performance, and you have no idea how to play the songs required. Oh no! You have to learn 4 songs in a few weeks time. Whatever shall you do? I don't think any instructor that has lessons with you once a week for 2 hours would be able to teach a song every lesson. That's where everyone single one of the performers in the Band start to shine. That's where you learn to be more independent and that's where you start to become proud.
The flaws in learning tunes by yourself are as follows:
1) After you think you have already finished learning the tune, the tune is all messed up, in terms of timing and maybe you could have missed out an embellishment or two.
2) Careless and rushed learners( like me ) read the values all wrong. We are only able to get the melody correct, but I assume we are all couch potatoes and we just learn solo. That's not good.
3) You'll go proud. Your thinking will be : I don't need to listen to any instructor. I can learn anything and everything!. No. Why do you even think the instructor is there for? At the very least ask her to double check your playing.
Now here's what I feel is the correct way to go about learning without an instructor.
Learn the tunes BAR BY BAR. I used to just play the song at sight, that didn't help me remember much. When you learn B.B.B(:D)., make sure you double check every single gracenote, that your eyes aren't deceiving you.
You can use this as a rough guide.(Up to you, anyways. I'm not your master or anything,just a regular Piper)
1) Play each note slowly and one at a time. You will get how the fingering feels. *Ahem* B.B. B *Cough*
2) Listen to the tune on the internet, maybe YouTube? Familiarize yourself with the tune, you'll be playing it in no time.
3) Play and Repeat. Play and Repeat. Play and Repeat. Easiest way to get it into your head eh?
4) Confirm that you have the correct score. I made the mistake of learning the Reel version of Itchy Fingers, when it actually should be a Hornpipe, hence the version that I have can't be played as a march :( It's hard to change the way you play the song after learning it, simply because of your scumbag brain.
5) It's best to learn with a good buddy. I mentioned the danger that there is a chance, even the slightest one, that you saw the value wrongly. 50Cents became 1Dollar and vice-versa. Remember those dot-cuts too! Your buddy is the best bet next to an instructor. What's the worst that could happen? Both die together :)
I think that's about it. Just take it slow and steady, unless you have like 1 Day left. That's quite impossible. Remember, everyone makes mistakes. Don't give up just because of that. Oh and I forgot one more point,
6) Focus on one song at a time :)
Yay! I completed my first rough guide :P Anyways, I wish you a meaningful and enriching learning experience ahead!
-The Fierce Piper
Saturday, 21 July 2012
What makes a Good Set of Pipes?
Hello, after a long and hard day full of Piping, cycling and pondering about the question " What makes a good set of Pipes?" I decided to share my opinion here~
First of all, would a good set of pipes do good to a unskillful and lousy Piper? Of course not! If I had an extremely expensive and exquisite set of Pipes, I say that I won't do the Pipes any good. Why? Because I'm not up to that kind of standard! My current dream is to become a well-know Piper around my own country, Sunny Singapore. Why current dream? I want to move up slowly to become someone that can represent my country in a Worldwide contest. Start small :) and what's the first step to achieving that tiny little dream? Joining an actual Pipe band. In my case, Singapore Pipe Band is my goal. and how nice of it to have Mdm Kour as her In-Charge :D. Fortunately, I'm allowed to get in. But wouldn't it be weird to see a few small kids rocking out on the Bagpipes with some of the older generation? Nah, I'm just joking. Our lovely instructor said, "We are actually encouraging the youngsters to come join the Band". Yay! Dosen't seem like a problem now ain't it? What's left is just a few registration forms.
Anyway, coming back to the topic,
"If you maintain a fairly good set of Pipes and taking very good care of it, I don't think you'll need another set of Pipes," -Mdm Kour
I agree with her, and there was also another part "I'm sure even the best Piper in Asia has gone through struggles and crossed over hurdles to be where he is".
That simply means, Don't even think of giving up! The Pipes are grand and beautiful works of art, same goes to almost every other musical instrument.
If you get a Only-one-in-the-world violin, and you aren't experienced or don't even know to to play, only scratchy noises would be made and you would be making ' noise'. If you go to a corporate event to perform and whoever is in charge says, "Okay, you guys can make some noise now", I would bloody punch him in the gut. 'Noise' is a very sensitive word to use against Musical bands. But still, A Piper dosen't make a good set of Pipes. A good Piper knows how to make MUSIC with the Pipes. I would say yes, the sound quality all comes from the Pipes, but who would be fit enough to be able to satisfy them? If i were a Bagpipe( literally) I definitely would hate to be played by someone who can't bring my full potential out.
But then again, Who am I to talk? Our BB Band is pretty much struggling with the rest of the Pipers not really catching up and the drummers lagging behind, maybe it's me. Or maybe its because they don't bother to practice. :(
In conclusion, Put yourself in your Pipes shoes. Get a practice chanter and improve your fingering before trying it out on the pipes :) Nobody wants to hear loud garbage. Except if you are still a budding Piper trying to make a sound, I'm sure your Pipes will understand :) Everyone would have struggled.
-The Fierce Piper
First of all, would a good set of pipes do good to a unskillful and lousy Piper? Of course not! If I had an extremely expensive and exquisite set of Pipes, I say that I won't do the Pipes any good. Why? Because I'm not up to that kind of standard! My current dream is to become a well-know Piper around my own country, Sunny Singapore. Why current dream? I want to move up slowly to become someone that can represent my country in a Worldwide contest. Start small :) and what's the first step to achieving that tiny little dream? Joining an actual Pipe band. In my case, Singapore Pipe Band is my goal. and how nice of it to have Mdm Kour as her In-Charge :D. Fortunately, I'm allowed to get in. But wouldn't it be weird to see a few small kids rocking out on the Bagpipes with some of the older generation? Nah, I'm just joking. Our lovely instructor said, "We are actually encouraging the youngsters to come join the Band". Yay! Dosen't seem like a problem now ain't it? What's left is just a few registration forms.
Anyway, coming back to the topic,
"If you maintain a fairly good set of Pipes and taking very good care of it, I don't think you'll need another set of Pipes," -Mdm Kour
I agree with her, and there was also another part "I'm sure even the best Piper in Asia has gone through struggles and crossed over hurdles to be where he is".
That simply means, Don't even think of giving up! The Pipes are grand and beautiful works of art, same goes to almost every other musical instrument.
If you get a Only-one-in-the-world violin, and you aren't experienced or don't even know to to play, only scratchy noises would be made and you would be making ' noise'. If you go to a corporate event to perform and whoever is in charge says, "Okay, you guys can make some noise now", I would bloody punch him in the gut. 'Noise' is a very sensitive word to use against Musical bands. But still, A Piper dosen't make a good set of Pipes. A good Piper knows how to make MUSIC with the Pipes. I would say yes, the sound quality all comes from the Pipes, but who would be fit enough to be able to satisfy them? If i were a Bagpipe( literally) I definitely would hate to be played by someone who can't bring my full potential out.
But then again, Who am I to talk? Our BB Band is pretty much struggling with the rest of the Pipers not really catching up and the drummers lagging behind, maybe it's me. Or maybe its because they don't bother to practice. :(
In conclusion, Put yourself in your Pipes shoes. Get a practice chanter and improve your fingering before trying it out on the pipes :) Nobody wants to hear loud garbage. Except if you are still a budding Piper trying to make a sound, I'm sure your Pipes will understand :) Everyone would have struggled.
-The Fierce Piper
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Remembering those tunes...
Hello!
After yet another great lesson with The Boys' Brigade 40th Singapore Company band, and with Mdm Kour, the Pipers have learnt some new tunes, in order of being taught and learned:
1) Jesus Loves Me
2) As The Deer
3) Seek Ye First
4) Scotland The Brave
5) Highland Cathedral
6) Amazing Grace
7) When The Piper Plays
8) The Accordion Man
9) The Dawning Of The Day
10) Bonny Galloway
11) Heyken's Serenade
I am more than delighted to also be able to play some of Singapore's classic Chinese tunes, tunes that I have been hearing most of the time at festivals :D
12) Flower Drum Song
13) Rainbow Sisters
15) Tong Yao ( half a Tong Yao, from the score that i have )
16) We Are Singapore
17) Count On Me Singapore
18) Rasa Sayang ( still learning )
19) Singapura
These tunes are to be played at an external event for The Boys' Brigade in Singapore, at the newly opened Gardens By The Bay, in lieu of celebrating Singapore's National Day 2012. :)
Last but even the least,
20) Itchy Fingers
-The Fierce Piper
After yet another great lesson with The Boys' Brigade 40th Singapore Company band, and with Mdm Kour, the Pipers have learnt some new tunes, in order of being taught and learned:
1) Jesus Loves Me
2) As The Deer
3) Seek Ye First
4) Scotland The Brave
5) Highland Cathedral
6) Amazing Grace
7) When The Piper Plays
8) The Accordion Man
9) The Dawning Of The Day
10) Bonny Galloway
11) Heyken's Serenade
I am more than delighted to also be able to play some of Singapore's classic Chinese tunes, tunes that I have been hearing most of the time at festivals :D
12) Flower Drum Song
13) Rainbow Sisters
15) Tong Yao ( half a Tong Yao, from the score that i have )
16) We Are Singapore
17) Count On Me Singapore
18) Rasa Sayang ( still learning )
19) Singapura
These tunes are to be played at an external event for The Boys' Brigade in Singapore, at the newly opened Gardens By The Bay, in lieu of celebrating Singapore's National Day 2012. :)
Last but even the least,
20) Itchy Fingers
-The Fierce Piper
A lengthy Introduction~
It gives me the sudden rush and urge to go out into the battlefield and to fight proudly for my country.
That's what they can do. The Great Highland Bagpipes.
Hello, I call myself The Fierce Piper, and there are many reasons for it, but i prefer to keep them as secrets.
What is this website about?
I just want a space to share the joy that the Bagpipes can do.
Who are you?
I am an young aspiring piper hailing from the Sunny island of Singapore~
Why do you love the Bagpipes?
Some tunes send chills down my spine, they encourage me and i enjoy them. I try not to play any rubbish on them, so that they enjoy me and i enjoy them.
Okay, to start off, I am Jeremy Chin currently 14, from Singapore. I am still studying and I am a part of The Boys' Brigade in Singapore :) I have just been promoted to the rank of Corporal( 2 stripes ). I am quite happy :D.
I am under guidance of one of Singapore's expert Bagpipers, Madam Kalwant Kour. It is a pleasure to be under her, and also a pleasure to be a part of the 40th Singapore Company, situated in Changkat Changi Secondary School. I have great teachers and officers that help me along the path of life, also having Jesus Christ~ Our sponsoring church is Bedok Methodist Church, also sponsoring 97th Singapore Company and 103rd Singapore Company, you could say we are all related in BB and in Christ ( well, most of us )
I am going to be posting anything and a lot of matters related to the Bagpipes, you can find scores, tunes played by me ( i hope no one sues me for copyright ): ) and hopefully a tutorial here and there. Of course I am not as great as other popular Blogs about the Bagpipes that have been around much much longer than i have :)
That's quite a lengthy intro yeah? Might as well stop here. Don't want to bore you to death :3
-The Fierce Piper
That's what they can do. The Great Highland Bagpipes.
Hello, I call myself The Fierce Piper, and there are many reasons for it, but i prefer to keep them as secrets.
What is this website about?
I just want a space to share the joy that the Bagpipes can do.
Who are you?
I am an young aspiring piper hailing from the Sunny island of Singapore~
Why do you love the Bagpipes?
Some tunes send chills down my spine, they encourage me and i enjoy them. I try not to play any rubbish on them, so that they enjoy me and i enjoy them.
Okay, to start off, I am Jeremy Chin currently 14, from Singapore. I am still studying and I am a part of The Boys' Brigade in Singapore :) I have just been promoted to the rank of Corporal( 2 stripes ). I am quite happy :D.
I am under guidance of one of Singapore's expert Bagpipers, Madam Kalwant Kour. It is a pleasure to be under her, and also a pleasure to be a part of the 40th Singapore Company, situated in Changkat Changi Secondary School. I have great teachers and officers that help me along the path of life, also having Jesus Christ~ Our sponsoring church is Bedok Methodist Church, also sponsoring 97th Singapore Company and 103rd Singapore Company, you could say we are all related in BB and in Christ ( well, most of us )
I am going to be posting anything and a lot of matters related to the Bagpipes, you can find scores, tunes played by me ( i hope no one sues me for copyright ): ) and hopefully a tutorial here and there. Of course I am not as great as other popular Blogs about the Bagpipes that have been around much much longer than i have :)
That's quite a lengthy intro yeah? Might as well stop here. Don't want to bore you to death :3
-The Fierce Piper
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)