| Doublings Technique, Timing, and Beat Placement We don�t always think about it, but how we time our doublings can have radical effects on our playing of a given tune. There seems to be a great deal of debate in some circles regarding the correct timing for doublings, and indeed, it would seem that 10 pipers are unlikely to play a given doubling any fewer than 10 different ways (despite what they may say they are playing). And if you were to hear those same 10 pipers individually, you�d likely say they were all playing �correctly,� or at least acceptably. That said, it is probably virtually impossible, and frankly a moot concern, to try and narrow down the timing of a doubling to a few milliseconds� difference between �this� and �that� which is hardly (if at all) audible to the unassisted human ear. However, we can strive to place the beat as precisely as possible. Certainly whether we are putting the beat toward the beginning, middle or end of the doubling can be noticeable (even if slight variations in those locations are not), and can affect how we play a given tune. During band practices, we can often find ourselves trying to figure out why we seem incapable of playing a tune together as a band when individuals seem perfectly capable of playing the tune on their own. I would argue that much of this comes down to each piper playing doublings a shade differently. Individually, they all sound fine, presumably because a piper of even moderate ability is likely to play all of her doublings the same, whether or not she is playing them correctly, so within the context of her individual performance, the tune will sound fine to all but the more acutely sensitive listeners. There is a consistency in her piping that creates at least the illusion that she is playing it correctly and only more sensitive listeners will be able to tell if the doublings themselves are timed properly. However, putting her with another piper, who also seems to be playing just fine (thanks to his own internal consistency) produces noticeable differences in their playing, and this is, in my experience, not accredited to the timing of doublings nearly often enough. So, it is arguable that improvement in the performance of individual doublings could lead to substantial improvements in the performance of a tune as a whole. Is there a �correct� way to play a given doubling? I suppose that depends on how specific you want to be, but I would probably argue that technically no, there is not. However, I do firmly believe there are better and worse ways to play a doubling, and we can certainly make the effort to produce the best doublings we are capable of. Bagpipe music is fairly unique in its reliance on doublings to add flair to its music, but doublings can also do a great deal to guide a tune�s timing, and controlled, accurate fingering through your doublings can do more than you might imagine to improve your piping as a whole, not just the clarity of a few notes. First, I would like to say that what follows are suggestions (based on my experience, instruction, and reading) for producing clear, well-timed doublings. They�re not set in stone, but I do believe they are excellent guidelines for timing doublings, and, on the whole, you will probably find that most experienced pipers will agree with at least the basic timings set forth here, even if they feel it necessary to nit-pick about some specific details (usually, I find, based on semantic and syntactic differences, not actual physical differences in how it�s played). As you might have noticed, I am hesitant to say that this is �right� and everything else is �wrong� because, as I said above, there are many minute variations in piping that are hardly worth arguing about much, even though they may produce problems in a group setting. Rather than making a text to perpetuate this arguing and �I�m right, you�re wrong� attitude, I�d prefer to say this: practice your doublings at various speeds, and be able to modify how you play them. I�ve heard a number of people who play fine doublings, but they�re all the same speed, whether it�s in a jig or a slow-air. To me, that just doesn�t sound right. If for no other reason, you should be able to vary your tempo/timing on doublings just to be able to adjust to the demands of different tunes. Beyond that, this kind of practice will also allow you to adapt to other pipers who are incapable of making a change, so that for the sake of the infamous �ensemble sound � you will be able to stay together and sound just about half-decent. In other words, learn to really play the doublings (and by extension the tunes), meaning you are in control of how you play, rather than just twitching your fingers and hoping they twitch �right.� Then, we will not have to tell other pipers they�re wrong all the time and try to make them conform to us�if we both do this kind of practice, we�ll conform to each other, and find a compromise naturally. So enough with my philosophy of doublings, let�s get down to business, shall we? As I said above, this information comes in large part from instruction I have received as well as from my own experience and experimentation. However, I would like to recommend a print source for reference as well, for those who don�t like to just take it on the word of one person. Rhythmic Fingerwork, by James McGillivray is a very good book for cleaning up your fingering in general. It includes some excellent information and many good practice exercises and a CD so you can hear how they should sound. This book was one of the primary sources I used when I needed to look up a point I was unsure of here. It should be noted however, that this is a book for intermediate to advanced pipers. The exercises and information would likely just prove too complicated and overwhelming for a beginner. There are many other excellent books on the market for beginners to advanced pipers, but this is one in particular that I like and have used quite a bit. |