Getting Started with the Pipe and Tabor
The Taborers Society is dedicated to the promotion of this instrument and to this end organises an Annual International Festival which, this year, is in Gloucester on 13 to 15 June 2008. In addition to outdoor and concert performances, the festival provides workshops to help beginners and more experienced players learn more about the instrument. This year we have workshops in Medieval Music, Playing for Dance and a special workshop by a visiting player. For more about how to obtain a Pipe and Tabor go here. For answers to specific questions about playing, contact the Chairman and Festival director Stephen Rowley +44 (0)1453 763181 (steve@artension.com).
Ahead of the next International Pipe and Tabor Festival we will be giving a pipe and tabor workshop at the Glosfolk ‘Make a Song and Dance’ day on Sunday afternoon, 13 April at the Gala Club, Fairmile Gardens, Longford, Gloucester. Entry to the overall event will be free. There will be a charge of £7.95 for the workshop which will give the participants a 3-holed pipe and fingering chart to take away .
1) Holding the Instrument
Hold the pipe between the ring and little fingers of the left hand. This leaves the other fingers and thumb free to cover the holes (the single thumb hole is positioned on the
bottom of the instrument).
You can cover the holes using either the pad of the fingertip (See image on left), or the fleshy part of the 2nd joint (see image on right).
2) Overtones
Carefully cover all the holes and getting a clean tone. Then practice overblowing (blowing soft, medium, hard, harder, etc.) to understand the principle. After you have mastered these overtones - try the D scale, and find a popular tune that fits into that scale.
Note. The lowest notes on the instrument, shown with ‘no overblow’ are
very quiet and of little practical use. The range of the instrument really starts with the D note on the first overblow.
Click on the picture for a larger version.