Banks of the Allen again

I picked up my pipes too late yesterday evening- I was already tired and crotchety and things did not go well. Following my visit to Mr Kinnear I’ve tightened the bellows strap, which means my arm is no longer being rubbed, but I do now have a lovely bruise on my hip bone: I seem to have to really bear down on the bellows to get the pressure. I’ve also gone back to the shorter bit of tubing between bellows and bag. The connecter has been pulled out a few times, but on the whole it seems to work and improves the way things feel. I think it perhaps helps the drones rest closer to my body, maybe. I am still convinced that Morag is heavier than other pipes: I stood to play at Mr Kinnear’s, which I find too tiring with Morag. I’ve been playing in a skirt, and find that the chanter tends to rest on the fabric and get stifled unless I hitch my skirt up. I sometimes play cross-legged, which the fan says can’t help, but I actually find it comfortable. On the whole I feel there is too much pressure in the system, everything sounds little loud and sharp. I don’t think I’ve got my drones in tune, either, this afternoon, and the fan is at a session so I am stuck with it. I’m trying hard not to think about that little velvet, clinging monkey with its vibrant voice. If I put in an order today I’d have 8 months to wait, and even if I have them...well a great player may make much of a basic instrument, but a great instrument isn’t going to make a better player of me: only practice will do that. In terms of tunes I am finding some new ones to try, although the fan cautions against trying to learn too many at once. I’ve found the marvellous Ceol Sean site and have the Boy’s Lament For His Dragon from there, also Joe McGann’s Fiddle and I’ve remembered I wanted to play the Heights of Casino and Troy’s Wedding. Perhaps I should stop collecting new tunes and just concentrate on the selection I have for now. Here is the Banks of Allen, again, hopefully a little improved from before as I’ve been working on it this evening. Still struggling with gracing for some reason. It has taken way too many takes to record this: I’ve lost concentration somewhere along the line. I didn’t once manage a perfect run through and kept collapsing totally after mistakes instead of picking up and carrying on. (I’ve also lost the knack of stopping cleanly)