The Great Highland Bagpipe Scale and Sensory Dissonance
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Spring 2015 Vol. 44, No. 1 Table of Contents
Spring 2015 Vol. 44, No. 1 Table of Contents 4 President’s Message Music 5 Editorial 33 Jimmy Tweedie’s Sealegs 6 Letters to the Editor 43 Report for the Reviews Executive Secretary 34 Review of Gibson Pipe Chanter Spring 2015 35 The Campbell Vol. 44, No. 1 Basics Tunable Chanter 9 Snare Basics: Snare FAQ THE VOICE is the official publication of the Eastern United 11 Bass & Tenor Basics: Semiquavers States Pipe Band Association. Writing a Basic Tenor Score 35 The Making of the 13 Piping Basics: “Piob-ogetics” Casco Bay Contest John Bottomley 37 Pittsburgh Piping EDITOR [email protected] Features Society Reborn 15 Interview Shawn Hall 17 Bands, Games Come Together Branch Notes ART DIRECTOR 19 Willie Wows ‘Em 39 Southwest Branch [email protected] 21 The Last Happy Days – 39 Metro Branch Editorial Inquiries/Letters the Great Highland Bagpipe 40 Ohio Valley Branch THE VOICE in JFK’s Camelot 41 Northeast Branch [email protected] ADVERTISING INQUIRIES John Bottomley [email protected] THE VOICE welcomes submissions, news items, and ON THE COVER: photographs. Please send your Derek Midgley captured the joy submissions to the email above. of early St. Patrick’s parades in the northeast with this photo of Rich Visit the EUSPBA online at www.euspba.org Harvey’s pipe at the Belmar NJ event. ©2014 Eastern United States Pipe Band EUSPBA MEMBERS receive a subscription to THE VOICE paid for, in part, Association. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted by their dues ($8 per member is designated for THE VOICE). -
Playing Music in Just Intonation: a Dynamically Adaptive Tuning Scheme
Karolin Stange,∗ Christoph Wick,† Playing Music in Just and Haye Hinrichsen∗∗ ∗Hochschule fur¨ Musik, Intonation: A Dynamically Hofstallstraße 6-8, 97070 Wurzburg,¨ Germany Adaptive Tuning Scheme †Fakultat¨ fur¨ Mathematik und Informatik ∗∗Fakultat¨ fur¨ Physik und Astronomie †∗∗Universitat¨ Wurzburg¨ Am Hubland, Campus Sud,¨ 97074 Wurzburg,¨ Germany Web: www.just-intonation.org [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Abstract: We investigate a dynamically adaptive tuning scheme for microtonal tuning of musical instruments, allowing the performer to play music in just intonation in any key. Unlike other methods, which are based on a procedural analysis of the chordal structure, our tuning scheme continually solves a system of linear equations, rather than relying on sequences of conditional if-then clauses. In complex situations, where not all intervals of a chord can be tuned according to the frequency ratios of just intonation, the method automatically yields a tempered compromise. We outline the implementation of the algorithm in an open-source software project that we have provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the tuning method. The first attempts to mathematically characterize is particularly pronounced if m and n are small. musical intervals date back to Pythagoras, who Examples include the perfect octave (m:n = 2:1), noted that the consonance of two tones played on the perfect fifth (3:2), and the perfect fourth (4:3). a monochord can be related to simple fractions Larger values of mand n tend to correspond to more of the corresponding string lengths (for a general dissonant intervals. If a normally consonant interval introduction see, e.g., Geller 1997; White and White is sufficiently detuned from just intonation (i.e., the 2014). -
Tuning Continua and Keyboard Layouts
October 4, 2007 8:34 Journal of Mathematics and Music TuningContinua-RevisedVersion Journal of Mathematics and Music Vol. 00, No. 00, March 2007, 1–15 Tuning Continua and Keyboard Layouts ANDREW MILNE∗ , WILLIAM SETHARES , and JAMES PLAMONDON † ‡ § Department of Music, P.O. Box 35, FIN-40014, University of Jyvaskyl¨ a,¨ Finland. Email: [email protected] † 1415 Engineering Drive, Dept Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 USA. ‡ Phone: 608-262-5669. Email: [email protected] CEO, Thumtronics Inc., 6911 Thistle Hill Way, Austin, TX 78754 USA. Phone: 512-363-7094. Email: § [email protected] (received April 2007) Previous work has demonstrated the existence of keyboard layouts capable of maintaining consistent fingerings across a parameterised family of tunings. This paper describes the general principles underlying layouts that are invariant in both transposition and tuning. Straightforward computational methods for determining appropriate bases for a regular temperament are given in terms of a row-reduced matrix for the temperament-mapping. A concrete description of the range over which consistent fingering can be maintained is described by the valid tuning range. Measures of the resulting keyboard layouts allowdirect comparison of the ease with which various chordal and scalic patterns can be fingered as a function of the keyboard geometry. A number of concrete examples illustrate the generality of the methods and their applicability to a wide variety of commas and temperaments, tuning continua, and keyboard layouts. Keywords: Temperament; Comma; Layout; Button-Lattice; Swathe; Isotone 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 15A03; 15A04 1 Introduction Some alternative keyboard designs have the property that any given interval is fingered the same in all keys. -
Thesis&Preparation&Appr
THESIS&PREPARATION&APPROVAL&FORM& & Title&of&Thesis:& Scottish&Fiddling&in&the&United&States:&Reviving&a&Tradition&and&Maintaining&a&Community& & & I. To&be&completed&by&the&Student:& & I&certify&that&this&document&meets&the&preparation&guidelines&as&presented&in&the& Style&Guide&and&Instructions&for&Preparing&Theses&and&Dissertations.&& & & _________________________________& &_______________& (Signature&of&Student)&& & (Date)& & & II. To&be&completed&by&thesis&advisor:& & I&certify&that&this&document&is&suitable&for&submission.& & & _________________________________&& _______________& (Signature&of&Advisor)&& & (Date)& & III. To&be&completed&by&School&Director:& & I&certify,&to&the&best&of&my&knowledge,&that&the&required&procedures&have&been& followed&and&the&preparation&criteria&have&been&met&for&this&thesis/dissertation.&& & & _________________________________& &_______________& (Signature&of&Director)&& & (Date)& & & xc:&Graduate&Coordinator& SCOTTISH FIDDLING IN THE UNITED STATES: REVIVING A TRADITION AND MAINTAINING A COMMUNITY A thesis submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts By Deanna T. Nebel May, 2015 Thesis written by Deanna T. Nebel B.M., Westminster College, 2013 M.A., Kent State University, 2015 Approved by ____________________________________________________ Jennifer Johnstone, Ph.D., Advisor ____________________________________________________ Ralph Lorenz, Ph.D., Acting Director, School of Music ____________________________________________________ -
Book 2 of the Structured Learning Guide of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association
SECOND EDITION 1993 PREFACE It is with very real pleasure that I introduce Book 2 of the Structured learning Guide of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association. The growing international popularity of Book 1 in the series is positive proof of the acceptance of the clear concise teaching methods being used in the education programme now introduced. Pipe band enthusiasts all over the world are due a debt of gratitude to the members of the team of diligent, talented personnel who have created and presented this comprehensive and imaginative learning aid. This debt will be amply repaid by the conscientious use of Books 1 and 2 and by the subsequent attainment of a higher standard of performance of Pipe Band Music. E. Sturgeon PRESIDENT - 1 INTRODUCTION The Music Board of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association is delighted to present Book 2 in the Structured Learning series which covers the revised curriculum of the Intermediate Certificate course. We believe that this second publication provides a well balanced and coherent framework of learning material against which students can further develop their musical competence in piping and drumming. The successful presentation format which was established in Book 1 has been continued and built upon to ensure continuity of the learning process. It also maintains the capability of the material for use in a distance learning mode where the student has limited or perhaps no access to formal instruction. A key objective of the Music Board is to offer musical education of the highest quality and to support this by the provision of appropriate learning resource material which will be available to the membership of the Association and to the many Affiliated Associations throughout the World. -
(19) 11 Patent Number: 6031168
US006031168A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 6,031,168 Damm (45) Date of Patent: Feb. 29, 2000 54 PRACTICE BAGPIPE CHANTER Encyclopedia Britannica, (15th edition), Encyclopedia Bri tannica, Inc., 1994, p. 795. 76 Inventor: Edward A. Damm, 24 Ledgelawn Ave., Bar Harbor, Me. 04609 Dearling, R. (ed): “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments.” Carlton Books LTD, Dubai, 1996, pp. 185 and 21 Appl. No.: 09/207,308 187. 22 Filed: Dec. 8, 1998 (51) Int. Cl. ................................................. G10D 7100 Primary Examiner—David Martin 52) ... 84/380 B; 84/380 R; 84/465 Assistant Examiner Wesley Scott Ashton 58 Field of Search .............................. 84/380 A, 380 B, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael J. Pebson; William B. 84/380 R, 381, 380 C, 465, 453; D17/10 Ritchie 56) References Cited 57 ABSTRACT U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS The present invention is a practice chanter for Simulating a 152,554 6/1874 Gade ..................................... ssor bagpipe chanter. In its most basic form, the practice chanter D. 248,187 6/1978 Roe ... - - - - - - - D17/2 of the present invention includes a flexible airtube, a fipple 1,069,200 8/1913 Starck ... ... 84/380 B head attached to the flexible airtube, and a rigid whistle tube 1,498,280 6/1924 Izold ..... ... 84/380 R attached to the fipple head. In this basic embodiment, the 2,233,507 3/1941 Adamson 2,509,429 5/1950 Grow ........ E. whistle tube includes a plurality of holes disposed at pre 2,737,074 3/1956 Magnus. 84/375 determined locations along the length of the whistle tube 3,154,995 11/1964 Kuhn ........ -
The Piper's House
by Hugh Cheape and Decker Forrest RESEARCH Part Three The Piper’s House Taigh a’ Phìobaire N the last issue, we looked at the sub- The music of the Mackays of Raasay lies at the heart of Scotland’s stantial musical legacy of Angus Mackay I and his family. As well as books and mu- piping tradition although our conventional wisdom tends not to sic, another tangible link with Angus is his image. He is remarkable for being probably engage further with issues such as the origins of the Mackays or the the most illustrated Highland piper before Hebridean context, cultural and social, in which they flourished. the age of photography. Possibly more than half a dozen ‘portraits’ of him survive, rang- In this third and final part, piping scholars Professor Hugh Cheape ing in quality from an exquisite portrait in oils of 1840 to a series of engravings both and Dr Decker Forrest, both programme leaders at Scotland’s contemporary and posthumous. This latter class of imagery is less significant as por- Gaelic college, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye, look at the portraiture traiture than for its heavy use of symbolism of Angus Mackay and investigate further into the history of his with thistles, a castle or royal palace (usu- ally Windsor Castle), a version of the Royal family, Clann Mhic Ruairidh, before returning to Raasay to Arms, and the piper in Highland dress of the latest (early 19th century) fashion. recover something of the life and music within the Piper’s House. Portraits In the history of piping in Scotland, we have still heavy with symbolism, reveal much closer principally names, and images or portraits of attention to technical detail, giving us more pipers are rare though bagpipes and players convincing representations of the household appear widely on the broader canvas of Euro- piper of the early-to-mid 19th century and his pean art; but these are generally anonymous instrument. -
Invariance of Controller Fingerings Across a Continuum of Tunings
Invariance of Controller Fingerings across a Continuum of Tunings Andrew Milne∗∗, William Setharesyy, and James Plamondonzz May 26, 2007 Introduction On the standard piano-style keyboard, intervals and chords have different shapes in each key. For example, the geometric pattern of the major third C–E is different from the geometric pattern of the major third D–F]. Similarly, the major scale is fingered differently in each of the twelve keys (in this usage, fingerings are specified without regard to which digits of the hand press which keys). Other playing surfaces, such as the keyboards of [Bosanquet, 1877] and [Wicki, 1896], have the property that each interval, chord, and scale type have the same geometric shape in every key. Such keyboards are said to be transpositionally invariant [Keisler, 1988]. There are many possible ways to tune musical intervals and scales, and the introduction of computer and software synthesizers makes it possible to realize any sound in any tuning [Carlos, 1987]. Typically, however, keyboard controllers are designed to play in a single tuning, such as the familiar 12-tone equal temperament (12-TET) which divides the octave into twelve perceptually equal pieces. Is it possible to create a keyboard surface that is capable of supporting many possible tunings? Is it possible to do so in a way that analogous musical intervals are fingered the same throughout the various tunings, so that (for example) the 12-TET fifth is fingered the same as the Just fifth and as the 17-TET fifth? (Just tunings ∗∗Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] yyDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA. -
See Program 2018
2018 BALMORAL CLASSIC Welcome! Welcome to the Twelfth annual Balmoral Classic, Pittsburgh’s The award winners of the US Junior Championship will be annual celebration of Scottish Bagpiping, Snare Drumming, announced during the opening of the Saturday evening and traditional Scottish arts. concert at 7:30pm in the Carnegie Lecture Hall, and the overall winners in piping and drumming will be asked to The Balmoral Classic’s core event is the US Junior perform at the start of the second set. Trophies and prizes are Solo Highland Bagpiping and Solo Snare Drumming listed elsewhere in the Program Guide. Championships, the only US national competition for pipers and drummers 21 years of age or younger. This free event The articulate and charming Scotsman Arthur McAra will takes place on Saturday, November 17 at the University be the emcee for the Saturday piping competition and the of Pittsburgh’s Bellefield Hall. There are thirteen piping Saturday evening events. and three drumming contestants representing California, On Sunday, November 18, there will be a Piobaireachd Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, workshop on the Silver Medal tunes for 2019 conducted by Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ontario, and Scotland. Dr. Angus MacDonald of Glenuig, Scotland. The workshop They have worked intensively for years to earn their position will take place from 11am to 1pm in the Panther Room of by competing with distinction in the upper amateur grades the Wyndham University Center, 100 Lytton St. and is free of their respective regional pipe band associations. For any and open to the public. Music to be covered is: The Battle competitor at this level it takes a lot of talent, focus, and of Strome, Salute to Donald, MacGregors’ Gathering, and time, in some ways analogous to preparation for top athletic Marquis of Argyll’s Salute. -
Invariant Fingering Over a Tuning Continuum
Open Research Online The Open University’s repository of research publications and other research outputs Isomorphic controllers and Dynamic Tuning: invariant fingering over a tuning continuum Journal Item How to cite: Milne, Andrew; Sethares, William and Plamondon, James (2007). Isomorphic controllers and Dynamic Tuning: invariant fingering over a tuning continuum. Computer Music Journal, 31(4) pp. 15–32. For guidance on citations see FAQs. c 2007 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Version: Version of Record Link(s) to article on publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1162/comj.2007.31.4.15 http://www.mitpressjournals.org/loi/comj Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. oro.open.ac.uk Andrew Milne,* William Sethares,** and James Isomorphic Controllers and Plamondon† *Department of Music Dynamic Tuning: Invariant University of Jyväskylä Finland Fingering over a Tuning [email protected] **Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Continuum University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 53706 USA [email protected] †Thumtronics Inc. 6911 Thistle Hill Way Austin, TX 78754 USA [email protected] In the Western musical tradition, two pitches are all within the time-honored framework of tonality. generally considered the “same” if they have nearly Such novel musical effects are discussed briefly in equal fundamental frequencies. Likewise, two the section on dynamic tuning, but the bulk of this pitches are in the “same” pitch class if the frequency article deals with the mathematical and perceptual of one is a power-of-two multiple of the other. -
Beyond the Spectrum of Music: an Exploration
BEYOND THE SPECTRUM OF MUSIC: AN EXPLORATION THROUGH SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF SOUND COLOR IN THE ALBAN BERG VIOLIN CONCERTO by Diego Bañuelos A written project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts (Music) at the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON 2005 © Copyright by Diego Banuelos 2005 All Rights Reserved To Cathy Ann Elias ii CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . iii SOUND EXAMPLES . vi PART I: INTRODUCTION . 1 PART II: ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES. 14 Spectrum and Spectrogram . 14 Noise and Peaks . 20 Plotting Single Attributes of Sound . 27 Dimensions in Sound Color and the Purpose of Spectral Analysis. 27 Sensory Roughness (SR) . 30 Registral and Timbral Brightness (RB and TB) . 39 Peak Variance (PV) . 42 Noise to Signal Ratio (NSR) . 44 Summary . 47 PART III: SPECTRUM-BASED ANALYSIS OF ALBAN BERG’S VIOLIN CONCERTO (SECOND MOVEMENT) . 48 Micro-Structure . 53 Macro-Structure: Movement II in Continuity . 69 Conclusion . 80 APPENDIX A: SR, PV, NSR, RB, and TB graphs of the Berg Violin Concerto (movement II) . 84 APPENDIX B: Spectrograms of the Berg Violin Concerto (movement II) . 89 WORKS CITED . 110 iii ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 2.1 Spectrogram of the first six measures of Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto, movement II . 14 2.2 Spectrum of a violin open A-string analyzed over a period of 0.19 seconds 17 2.3 Stages in the construction of the spectrogram . 19 2.4 Spectrum and noise floor of a violin A-string . 22 2.5 Two spectral representations of a violin A-string. 26 2.6 Succinct representation of a Plomp and Levelt curve. -
Bagpipe Further Reading
Robert Menzies (Capt). The Bagpipe Preceptor; or, The art of playing the great Highland bagpipe rendered perfectly easy to every capacity ... To which are added a few favourite simple airs, etc. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1818. Library shelfmark: Mus.Box.q.59.4 Tom and Valerie Byran. Ullapool. Music of Lochbroom and Coigach - past and present. 1988. Library shelfmark: Mus.D.s.59 William Bryson. The Edcath collection of Highland Bagpipe music. Compiled by William Bryson. Book 3. Edinburgh: Hugh Macpherson, 1968. Library shelfmark: Mus.Box.q.180.5 Archie M Cairns Pipe Major. Canadian Forces Pipe Band Manual. Compiled /composed / arranged by Pipe Major A H Cairns and Master Warrant Officer J B Kerr. Department of National Defence: Ottawa, 1979. Library shelfmark: MH.183 Archibald Campbell. The Kilberry book of Ceol Mor. Glasgow, 1948. Library shelfmark: Mus.D.I.22. Fifth edition. Glasgow,1980: MH.204= William Connell. Ceol-Mor. A self tuition book written in authentic Cameron style of playing. Book 1. 1980. Library shelfmark: Mus.Box.643.1. William Connell. Teach Yourself to Play the Great Highland Bagpipe. A complete self-tuition method. Book 1. Willie Connell. Library shelfmark: MH.v.438 and corresponding cassette: M.Cas.110 Simon Fraser.The Piobaireachd of Simon Fraser, with canntaireachd. Compiled and edited by Dr B J Maclachlan Orme. Second edition. B J Maclachlan Orme? Burwood, 1985. Library shelfmark: Mus.Box.718.9 Glasgow Piobaireachd Society / Comunn na Piobaireachd. The Piobaireachd Society present a Collection of Ceol Mor composed during the twentieth century, 1930-1980. Piobaireachd Society: Glasgow, 1980. Library shelfmark: MH.v.392 Glasgow Piobaireachd Society / Comunn na Piobaireachd.The Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor.