Nigel wrote:
> This subject has provoked the biggest thread I've seen on Scots-L, so it's
> obviously extremely important. Of course I'm completely eaten up with
> jealousy because I'm not a fiddler. I don't even know whether I birl - how
> can you tell? [1]. I shouldn't think it's physically possible on the
> mandolin, but what about the whistle? I expect my proportion would be
> 1:1:27 (something to ask at your next session: "Hi there, what's your
> proportion in a birl?").
As Toby said, the equivalent on mandolin would be yir triplet- as typified by
the Shetland-style banjo- comes out like machine-gun fire. Or listen to Jim
Sutherland on the cittern (Easy Club recordings).
On the whistle, it's much more common to hear rolls or other fingerings used
instead, but there is a more Scotch style if you listen to recordings of Jimmy
Greenan or Alex Green, who used tonguing to get that birl effect. Recently
there's Brian Finnegan from the north of Ireland who seems influenced by that
flute band thing, and does amazing things with whistles and high pitched
flutes (recorded with his own band, Upstairs in a Tent, Flook). He is an
outstanding musician and composer.
Nigel, you seem a bit confused by the whole subject of birls. Maybe you could
head west of your semi-highland fastness, to Glesgae and visit the Birl
Collection, where there are examples from all over the world.
Derek
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