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Lesson 8: Uilleann Pipe Slow Airs and Slides

Slow airs played on the Uilleann Pipes are amongst the most beautiful music in the world. Airs are very free with rhythm which simple means the sheet music below is mostly a guide to how one should be played. These beautiful tunes typically contain what are called "slides" and sometimes called "slurs." The diagram to the right shows how they are written on paper, but in most sheet music it will not be written. You will have to decide where you think it sounds best to play them yourself. Basically, a slide makes notes rise or fall very slowly. When you perform a slide you are gradually, and sometimes only partially covering or uncovering a hole in such a way that the pitch of the note smoothly rises or falls. You kind of push or swoop your finger up and away from your wrist, don't swoop towards your wrist. If you need to slide up more than 1 note you let the highest moving finger guide the rest. By concentrating on that finger the rest will just naturally do what they are suppose to. As far as sliding down multiple notes this is very hard and probably won't ever have to do it so just forget about it.
Dawn of the Day
You can practice slides as well as many other things you have learned in this tune below. Slow Airs are the only tunes I don't use a metronome on because it's more important to feel the tune then to play in time.
Also, I introduce a new title ornament here, in bard 8 and 12 i close the hole just below E for a second before I play the E, it helps this tune sound a little more haunting wouldn't you agree.
Also, I introduce a new title ornament here, in bard 8 and 12 i close the hole just below E for a second before I play the E, it helps this tune sound a little more haunting wouldn't you agree.