A cold morning in a cool room with a draught coming under the door is not conducive to feeling comfortable and singing well and the particular outcome today was that pitch continually dropped downwards. However, high we started out we always ended singing in our boots. Even those with low voices noticed it and then it's really bad. Alison Burns commented during her day with us that the low ceiling was not helpful for keeping good pitch but of course it's also a 'mind over matter' thing. We addressed it by thinking 'up', lightening our voices and what made the most difference was becoming more familiar with the music so that we were less tense and heavy about it. Confronting the problem really paid off as the singing gradually improved until we did achieve that tingle moment in Pachelbel's Canon to 'Alleluyia' when the four parts blended well and we were actually listening to each other while singing.
The good sound continued in I'LL FLY AWAY which we are now able to sing confidently and you can just feel how much this song appeals to the group.
Before starting out on the JAMESTOWN JIG, we spent some time all together, practising the jig rhythm with its two-beat metres, the beats often sub-divided into triplets and getting the feel of playing these with two beaters. This is a learning process for the hands and the brain, which can take some time until it becomes automatic. Young drummers in pipe bands take years so we shouldn't be surprised if it feels awkward in the short time we spend on it.
In the end, the jig played on all the instruments, underpinned by the rhythm section of three, really had my feet tapping!
