I was forced to think about these more while evaluating Jerry Freeman's tweaked Sweetone, and I remembered something that's has puzzled me since I started going to session.
Let's take one tune as an example, the Glass of Beer. Here's an ABC of it from JC's:
The section I'm spcifically referring to covers the first 2 measures, where I've bolded the notes.X:1
T:The Glass of Beer
R:reel
D:Oisin: Over the Moor to Maggie.
D:Frankie Gavin: Up and Away
Zhn-reel-77
M:C|
F:http://jc.tzo.net/~jc/music/abc/Contra/ ... eer_Bm.abc
K:Bm
|: fBB2 fBaB | fBB2 e2de | fBB2 f3e |1 dfaf e2de :|2 dfaf e2fe ||
|: d3e f3e | defd eAA2 | d3e fgfe |1 dfaf e2fe :|2 dfaf e2de |]
When I hear fiddles play this, the B sounds more like a drone note than a distinct note. When I hear whistles play this as written, each note is much more distinct, as a matter of course. But my question has more to do with how this bounce is executed on woodwinds. I've heard a number of flute players and whistlers totally remove the "drone" note when playing this kind of passage, and lengthening the upper octave note. Things end up getting played like:
I've heard the "bounce" removed in this way from various players on tunes like Glass of Beer above, Drowsy Maggie, Tam Lin, and Gravel Walk, just off the top of my head. Is it a matter of someone's ear not catching the drone note when they learned the tune, or more of a matter of giving more emphasis to the non-drone notes like a fiddle does? I guess my question is, is this a common or recommended thing to do in some circumstances?|: fBB2 f2a2 | f2B2 e2de |
Thoughts anyone?