strathspey@strathspey.org:11677

Malcolm and Helen Brown

Re: Dancing to pipes - or not!

April 19, 1998, 10:09 p.m. (Message 11677, in reply to message 11668)

Bryan wrote:

> Good point. Ive often wondered what the H--- drummers thought they were
> contributing by playing endless rolls which have little relation to the
> pulse of the music. You hear them all over the place. 
> Maybe its something that should be highlighted to Recording Producers.
 

The point about playing endless rolls which bear little relation to the
music is well made. One thing that would help the drumming to
fit the music would be to make sure that the drummer knew the tune they
were accompanying. Something that pipe band judges are looking for when
adjudicating, is a drum score that is both technically demanding and highly
complimentary to the melody.  This is something that I have always
tried to bring to my dance band drumming.

On endless rolls however, please remember we drummers can only play two
fundamental sounds; the tap and the buzz, and just playing on the beat will
send not only the drummer, but also the dancers to sleep! Would you really
like to dance to the tick of a metronome? IMHO a crescendo roll for a few
bars just before a tune change can be most effective.

Duncan 

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