Welcome to my site of musical exploration. There are 2 themes contained in the blog. The first is Ethnomusicology (acoustic music: folk, world, instrument making, and live playing etc.) this comes under the title of “ethnopiper“. The 2nd is an exploration of electronic music (synths, modular, sound production, CDs, cassettes, sampling, software and hardware instruments, patching and soundscapes etc.); this comes under the title of “BusinessControlled” (a solo project from the 1980s); for me the 2 genres are connected. Below there is a general description and check out the menu headings above for an in depth look. Please contact me… always good to chat.
The Northumbrian Small Pipes
The Northumbrian Small Pipes are a traditional bagpipe from the county of Northumbria, on the Scottish and English Border. I offer: didactic performances; lessons on the instrument; teaching the traditional repertoire from Northumbria; instruction using the 7 keys on the chanter; different drone configurations and the musical notation variation. I also offer workshops where one can explore the musical repertoire of Northumbria and the Scottish Borders, and discus tunings and limitations when playing in ensembles. I have produced CDs playing traditional melodies and occasionally duets with the pipes. A recorded Radio interview accompanies the music. I have played in concerts with in the UK and on mainland Europe, and am available for bookings festivals, weddings and other social functions. Check him out on Bandcamp, youtube, facebook and soundcloud to hear performances via the Links Page.
The Border Pipes
The Border Pipes are an older style of bagpipe than the Northumbrian Small Pipes, and used to be found along the Scottish and English Borders. I have played it since 1991 and concentrate on the traditional repertoire of Northumbrian and Lowland Scotland. I can offer: performances, workshops and lessons on the 9 note chanter introducing the student to Border piping repertoire of the 18th and 19th centuries. I have given performances and concerts in the UK and main land Europe, and I am available for bookings for weddings and other social functions. I have one solo Border Pipe CD for sale, as well as a CD which gives an introduction to the Border and Northumbrian repertoire.
The Turkish Ney
The Ney is an open-ended flute that is played throughout the Middle East and Turkey. I have studied the Turkish Ney in Istanbul at the Music Conservatoire (I.T.U.) and later in Bursa, Turkey. I offer lessons on the Turkish Ney, teaching music from the Ottoman repertoire: Sanat, Mevlevi Ayins (ritualized music from the Mevlevi Lodges), including religious song/melodies called ” Ilahi”. I give workshops on different types of “open-ended flutes” introducing flutes from Central Asia, North Africa, Iran and the Middle East demonstrating the music and techniques of the various instruments. I also gives lessons via Skype, which allows students to learn from their own room, these lessons are also taught using mp3 and jpeg aids. Please go to the “Related Links” page to hear recorded examples.
Ethnomusicology
“The study of music and culture can help to bring understanding and explanation to ‘the other’; trying to understand the complex world of ‘the other’ can bring greater understand of ‘the self'”.
I have trained as an Ethnomusicologist in Limerick University, at the World Irish Music Center in Ireland and have completed my M.A. in 2001. I can offer lectures and workshops in various aspects of Ethnomusicology with personal accounts of my field research in Asia and the Middle East, the Baltic States and Northern Iberia. By exploring his site a more detailed description of what I can offer in the field of Ethnomusicology.
“BusinessControlled” Project
Sound Production, Sampling, Microtonal & Electronic Music
I have been interested in Sound Production since the 1980s. Ethnomusicology and Folk music have satisfied my acoustic/traditional microtonal research, but I am also interested in electronic music and how it can create alternatives to the traditional sonic soundscape. I am experimenting with various hardware instruments: The Axoloti Core; The Behringer Neutron & Crave; The Roland DJ 505; The Volca FM, The Volca Sampler and the Volca Bass; and the Akai MPC One. I am interested in Soundscapes, A-tonal music and improvisation; using the computer’s virtual instruments (Vsts) and FXs as an instrument in their own right. I use Reaper DAW, Ableton, and Maschine software to experiment with multitracking audio and virtual sounds, sampling these sounds to create rhythms and musical timbres. And I have recently veered away from the computer to concentrate on standalone devices to create my analogue music, by using the Tascam Model 24.
Ethnopiper & BusinessControlled 