[modern page] Robyyan Home : Articles : Pipe and Tabor

Introduction

These notes are the handouts from a class on Pipe and Tabor, taught at the University of Atlantia, Dec. 2, 1995 in Kapellenberg, Barony of Windmaster's Hill. (Chapel Hill, NC)

The class was taught by Robyyan Torr d'Elandris, OL. Contact the instructor at robyyan@mindspring.com.

NOTE: these are notes from a class, slightly expanded for this distribution method. They are not intended to be a complete introduction to pipe and tabor. I recommend purchasing either or both of the method books referenced below to develop skill at this instrument combination.

NOTE2: here are other WWW sites with pipe and tabor information.

Pipe and Tabor from Ishmael the Fiddler, with more links.

Pipe and Tabor Overview

Pipe and Tabor Method Books

Bagwell, Dick. The Pipe & Tabor Tutor. Berkeley, CA: Piper HQ, 1988.

Kelischek, George. Tabor-Pipe Primer. Brasstown, NC: Susato Press, 1993.

Suppliers of Methods and Pipes

The Kelischek Workshop
Rt. 1, Box 26
Brasstown, NC 28902
704-837-5833
704-837-8755 fax
Good quality, inexpensive plastic pipes in a variety of keys. Brand name "Susato". Both method books.

Sweetheart Flute Co.
32 South Maple St.
Enfield, CT 06082
203-749-4494
Very nice wood pipes in g and d (traditional keys), including a low G Elizabethan pipe.

Most suppliers of early music instruments will redistribute pipes from these makers. There are also metal pipes by Generation, but they seem to have a particularly shrill sound that I don't like.

Pipe and Tabor Cheat Sheet

Here's a cheat sheet, showing the fingering of the first few notes of a number of pieces, primarily dance tunes, that I've worked out on pipe and tabor. The numbers in the fingering charts indicate which overtone to begin on.

Notes on the Arrangements

The arrangements are all graphic files you may download and print. The first, Intro to Pipe and Tabor, provides a fingering chart for a pipe in the key of C, examples of the harmonic overtones that allow the pipe to work with only three holes, and some beginning exercises with suggestions for tabor rhythms. The numbers in the fingering charts indicate which overtone to begin on. The others are dance tunes arranged for pipe (in C) and tabor, with a fingering chart for each note the first time it appears in the piece. Caution: these melodies may have been transposed from the most familiar key for ease of fingering on the pipe.

The Arrangements

The arrangments have moved! At their new home, you will also find music arranged for pipe and tabor that is not used in this class.