NP Friday, August 02, 2019

[Don Edwards 548]

When we Americans talk about "bagpipes" we almost always mean the Scottish "great pipe". Which, IMHO, the English were quite correct in deeming to be military armament rather than a musical instrument.

However, there are a great many other sorts of bagpipe - not surprising considering that they were played in a roughly rectangular area with the corners being Ireland, Moscow, Morocco, and Syria. Some of them have quite a sweet sound.

[The Old Hack 2,448]

2 hours ago, Don Edwards said:

Which, IMHO, the English were quite correct in deeming to be military armament rather than a musical instrument.

It would seem that others agree as well.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

5 hours ago, ijuin said:

Bagpipes and Accordions sound bad when played by someone who has little practice with them. In the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, they sound significantly better.

In truth, I don't doubt you are right. Personally strings, which I love, are arguably the poster children for "Can sound bad in the hands of the unskilled".

On the other hand, even the skilled can sound fairly bizarre0 .

 

[ijuin 572]

Yes, well, bagpipes and accordions and similar instruments are notorious for “when they’re bad, they’re really bad, as opposed to, say, a guitar which is not nearly so earsplitting when played poorly (unless we’re talking about somebody playing with the distortion and an amplifier on an electric one).

[The Old Hack 2,448]

15 hours ago, ijuin said:

Yes, well, bagpipes and accordions and similar instruments are notorious for “when they’re bad, they’re really bad, as opposed to, say, a guitar which is not nearly so earsplitting when played poorly (unless we’re talking about somebody playing with the distortion and an amplifier on an electric one).

This is admittedly a personal bias but due to thin walls and a neighbour who is thankfully long gone I have developed a real dislike for badly played guitars. Or possibly it was a banjo.

Then again, that guy was so incompetent that he could probably make the church organ of a grand cathedral sound like a banjo.

[Darth Fluffy 302]

27 minutes ago, The Old Hack said:

... make the church organ of a grand cathedral sound like a banjo.

... and now I'm hearing "Dueling Grand Cathedral Organs" in my head; thanks.

 

[ijuin 572]

That sounds like he is so incompetent that it is actually a skill in itself.

[hkmaly 490]

14 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Or possibly it was a banjo.

Then again, that guy was so incompetent that he could probably make the church organ of a grand cathedral sound like a banjo.

2 hours ago, ijuin said:

That sounds like he is so incompetent that it is actually a skill in itself.

Being able to play on guitar so it sounds like banjo would definitely need lot of skill. At least classical wood guitar. And church organ? ...

14 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

This is admittedly a personal bias but due to thin walls and a neighbour who is thankfully long gone I have developed a real dislike for badly played guitars.

I suspect if your neighbour would play on bagpipes or accordion, you would develop psychosis instead. Or possibly kill him. Or both.

[The Old Hack 2,448]

2 hours ago, hkmaly said:

I suspect if your neighbour would play on bagpipes or accordion, you would develop psychosis instead. Or possibly kill him. Or both.

I came close. Believe me.