Recently re discovered and restored the old website archive for my research into the Welsh Pibgorn.
it will not be updated but here for reference.
Category Archives: News
Blas- folk radio cymru
My latest project is online
www.folkradiocymru.com
New Plactic Pibgyrn Ready to Order and Ship
March 1st 2013 Gafin Morgan has now launched the Plastic Pibgorn and is available to buy online, you can buy it now and it will be with you in a day or so.. fantastic
they are allot of fun and have been years in the making..
http://www.pibgorn.co.uk
Great news, following the great sucess of the first Pibgyrn Festival for many years it has spured instrument maker Gafin Morgan to work on the finishing touches of his Plastic Pibgorn Project and it is now almost ready for production, I have seen and played the prototypes and they look great and sound good, very stable, you will also be able to chosse the colour of your horns..a bit over the top and the first ones are going to be pink.
They will come with a case and they are expected to sell for less than £125 at the momnet in the key of D but other keys will shortly follow..
Been many years in the making but will change they way we play, as are stable robust and good looking.. well done GM, much hard work.
His web site will be up soon which I will add a link to, watch this space?
Gwyl Pibgyrn Pontsticill 22 / 24 th June 2012
Gwyl Pibgyrn Pontsticill 22 / 24 th June 2012
Over the Midsummer weekend of 22-24 June 2012, at the beautiful village of Pontsticill in the Brecon Beacons, there will be the largest gathering of pibgorn players, makers and academics for two hundred years.
The weekend, organised by Bagad Pibau Morgannwg, will be packed with concerts, a twmpath, workshops, dance displays, makers’ stalls, free lectures and demonstrations.
The line-up includes outstanding performers from Wales, the Basque region and England, with special new collaborations just for the occasion.
Performers include Patrick Rimes and Angharad Jenkins (Calan), Stephen Rees and Andy Mclauchlin (Crasdant), Ceri Rhys Matthews (Fernhill), a rare appearance by Jonathan Shorland, the founder of the modern pibgorn making revival, performing with hurdy gurdy player Steve Tyler, and Antwn Owen Hicks, Gafin Morgan, Gerard KilBride (Bagad Pibau Morgannwg/ Taran) with special guest Chris Allen (local hurdy gurdy maker).
The Bethlehem Village Band will be leading the Twmpath on Saturday night and the José Antonio Martínez Oses Trio are travelling from the Spanish Basque region especially for the Festival, playing incredible traditional music on the alboka, a close cousin of the Pibgorn. José Antonio Martínez Oses is also the finest maker of the alboka in the world.
Throughout Saturday, there will be Dance Displays by Dawnswyr Nantgarw, music workshops, free lectures By Robert Evans and Emyr Davies (St Fagans: National History Museum), reed making and horn carving demonstrations and sessions in the local pubs.
More information and ticket details can be seen at www.pibfest.com. It’s strongly advised to book early for this incredibly rare, special event.
Midi Pibgorn
Been messing about with midi for sometime with the band
and thought I would have a go at making a midi pibgorn. Usinging an existing Yamaha vl70m wind controller module and a BC3a as the midi wind sensor plugged into a £10 viking helmet off ebay as the horns added to my technopipes, the results are very very good, if a little crazy.
The bc3a vents air out of the top horn hole and sends wind midi data to the vl70m, and the bottom hole sends standard note change midi data to the module. I have fitted a bulk head( top half of a kinder egg) between the two hole to stop moisture passing through and a small vent hole at the top of the horn so not to blow the pressure sensor of the bc3a.