Ornamentation 2: Rolls and Cranns

The following assumes you have a good understanding of the basic articulations, especially cuts and taps, which are discussed here.

The Long Roll:

Rolls in general are a way to break up long notes and keep the rhythmic pulse of the music going. They're a staple ornament of the music. The long roll breaks up a dotted quarter note into eighth notes by inserting first a cut, then a tap. Try it on G: first blow the note, then quickly lift your left middle finger and put it down again (the cut), then quickly bounce your right index finger off the G hole (the tap). If you did everything correctly, you should hear three distinct G notes; the cut and the tap are little flappy separators that have no rhythmic value.


G     xxx ooo   eighth note 
cut   xox ooo
G     xxx ooo   eighth note
tap   xxx xoo
G     xxx ooo   eighth note

Practice this very slowly and make sure the notes are coming out crisply and evenly. Remember, you're making three equal eighth notes. It's crucial that your rolls be as rhythmically precise as you can make them -- this is part of the snap and drive of the music.

Practice rolls on E and F# (cutting with the left third finger), G (cutting with the left middle finger), and A and B (cutting with the left index finger).

The Short Roll:

Whereas a long roll is applied to a dotted quarter note (dividing it into its three constituent eighth notes), a short roll is applied to a quarter note to divide it into two eighth notes. This is a little trickier because you have to start with a cut before the main note:


cut   xox ooo
G     xxx ooo   eighth note
tap   xxx xoo
G     xxx ooo   eighth note

Since you're starting with a cut, it's easiest (and therefore common) to short-roll a note only if it comes at the beginning of a phrase or after a lower note.

The Crann:

Because it's impossible to play a roll on D on the pipes, it has its own ornament: the crann. Legend has it that this technique was adapted to the flute by Matt Molloy; listening to his albums is probably the best way to hear how it sounds on the flute. Cranns are a bit more difficult than rolls, and they can sound muddled if they're not precise. Many accomplished flute players never use them.

The basic idea of the crann is to break up a long D by inserting two or three cuts, each with a different finger. Different players might use different fingers for the cuts, or do them in a different order. The important thing is for the rhythm of the ornament to be as precise as possible.

A short crann divides a D quarter note into two sixteenths and an eighth. This is done by inserting two cuts, as follows: 


D     xxx xxx   sixteenth note
cut   xxx oxx
D     xxx xxx   sixteenth note
cut   xxx xox
D     xxx xxx   eighth note

This movement forms the core of the long crann, which happens on a D dotted quarter note. Simply cut one more time with the right index finger, adding another eighth note after the short crann: 


D     xxx xxx   sixteenth note
cut   xxx oxx
D     xxx xxx   sixteenth note
cut   xxx xox
D     xxx xxx   eighth note
cut   xxx oxx   
D     xxx xxx   eighth note

As often as not, I tongue in lieu of the third cut.

In reels and occasionally in hornpipes, you’ll often encounter a situation like the one below -- a short crann is preceeded by another D, which means adding another cut before the short-crann movement. I do it like this: 


A     xxo ooo   eighth note
D     xxx xxx   eighth note
cut   xxo xxx
D     xxx xxx   sixteenth note
cut   xxx oxx
D     xxx xxx   sixteenth note
cut   xxx xox
D     xxx xxx   eighth note

Practice these very slowly and strive to get the rhythm as perfect as you can.

When you crann the middle D, compare the oxxxxx fingering with xxxxxx. Cranning the former produces a hard crackling effect -- all the cuts are turned into C naturals -- whereas the latter is a little softer and less jagged. Many players also use cranns on E, using the same cuts described above.

It can't be overstressed that you must have a clear idea of the timing and rhythm of your cranns and rolls in order to use them effectively. Long hours of listening and practice will definitely pay off in the long run.


1