asgardeventide | 020 ✿ Audio+Text

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020 ✿ Audio+Text

I've started singing again. Nothing serious, it's just a couple of nights a week at this little jazz lounge in Freyr, but it's nice to be start doing something so familiar again. And I don't want to get rusty.

So - I don't know - if anyone ever wants to drop by the address is here. [She's switching over to text briefly to type out the lounge's location, then it's back to audio!] It's got some pretty good food and drinks, so it's worth checking out!

[And then her tone turns slightly more awkward, because this is kind of a personal subject.] Oh, and does anyone know if there's anything that's sort of like... books that explain how to write? Stories, I mean. Fake things that are completely one hundred percent not true. I've never done it before, so I don't know if there are specific rules or what.

[What? It's a totally benign request and has nothing to do with a desire to try writing romance-y things about people she may or may not know.]

[Filtered away from John Allerdyce]

Hey, what kinds of things should a person expect if she happened to be going on a date with someone and it involved burgers? What should I even wear...?

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[Okay, so maybe he doesn't know so much about what witches can and can't do other than in stories. They're all fairly powerful there, so it had made some sort of sense in his head at the time. And his mouth does, of course, tug off to the side when she starts giggling - although, admittedly, she's pretty cute when she does that, and the expression doesn't last long.]

Oh, aye, I see. But ye know what one is, I'm guessing. Well enough so ye can tell the difference if I played these for ye now, right?

Yep! [She likes the piano, and just by sight she can tell there's no way the bagpipes are going to sound remotely similar, so she's excited.]

So go ahead. I won't interrupt.

All right, then. Here goes.

[He walks a short distance away before doing anything, however. The pipes are loud enough as it is, and he doesn't want make it worse by playing it right in her ear. Once he's satisfied with that, he starts to inflate the bag, creating a droning sort of noise that doesn't sound so musical at first. But then, using his the pressure of his arm, he's able to create a more even tone - and soon enough, he starts to play something that sounds like an actual song.

As he plays, he doesn't look directly at Euri, but rather at a spot on the tree above her head. That way he can sneak a glance at her out of the corner of his eye and get a look at the expression on her face, because he is curious to see her reaction.]

[Her gaze is locked on him. It isn't the same as singing, of course, but instruments still fascinate her and this one in particular looks so bizarre. She not only wants to see what it sounds like but how it works.

And as he plays her smile slowly widens, until she's grinning from ear to ear. This isn't like any instrument she's heard before, it's enthralling.]

[He can see that grin, but his face remains impassive - mostly because he needs to concentrate on the song. It's been quite a bit since he's played for...well, anyone, and he doesn't particularly want to mess it up.

Fortunately, it's not a terribly long song as those go, and he's able to pull it off well enough. As the last note fades away, he lets the blowpipe fall to the side at about the same time he focuses his eyes back on Euri's face.]

Well? What do ye think?

[She waits until he's finished, then starts clapping enthusiastically.]

That was amazing! I've never heard an instrument like that before! It's so rich, it's beautiful to listen to!

Edited 2013-05-26 00:14 (UTC)

Aye?

[He's actually quite pleased to hear that reaction, and it shows, both in the way he straightens and stands just a little bit prouder and a brief smile directed at her.]

Not too many people would agree with ye. And I'll admit I've not heard anyone call it rich before. Here, would ye like to have a go at trying it?

[She'll jump to her feet excitedly.]

I'd love to! I've hardly ever used instruments before.

Right.

[It takes him a couple of seconds to get back over there, but once he does, he untucks the bag from under his arm and holds it out towards her.]

Here ye are, then. Ye saw how I held it under my arm, so just do what I did there to start.

[She takes the bagpipes awkwardly, trying to shift the instrument in her arms to hold it the same way he did.]

How's this?

Here, more like this.

[He steps closer, winding up at her side before reaching over so he can help adjust the bag and get it to settle more properly, as long as she lets him.]

You're going to need to be able to keep pressure on the bag with your arm when ye play. Now, let's get these drones settled on your shoulder, aye? Ye want all three of them on the left shoulder, like so.

[And barring any objections, he'll lean in and help her get that settled as well.]

[Oh, she doesn't mind the closeness at all. She actually starts grinning quite happily, adjusting the bagpipes according to his instructions.]

Okay. [She's also trying very hard to not start blushing.] Is this better?

[Why she's grinning, he has no idea - but he winds smiling himself as the drones wind up in the right place.]

Aye, that's just fine. Next, you'll take the chanter -- you'll remember that from before, I'd imagine -- and bend it down like so.

[He covers a few of the keyholes on it as he demonstrates, before letting go so she can copy the motion. However, he's still standing close by, enough that he can help again if she needs it.]

Then you'll take the blowpipe here and use that to fill the bag with air. Once ye start hearing that bit of a wailing noise through the drones, ye know you've got just about enough to play. Got it?

Okay, let's see....

[She drags her gaze downwards to Jamie's fingers, watching him before mimicking his actions with her hand. She struggles a little, not used to any kind of instrument let alone complicated ones like bagpipes.]

Right, alright. I think I have it! Maybe....

[It's not easy, he knows, but she's doing quite well, and he gives her an encouraging smile.]

Yes, that's it. Just make sure that your finger's fully covering one of the holes. Once you've done that, I think you're ready to have a proper go. Don't worry about moving your fingers on the chanter, or anything like that. If ye can get it started, I think you'll be able to hold at least one note just fine.

[If she can sing, she should be able to control her breath well enough to manage that much, he thinks, and steps back in order to give her a bit more room to try it out.]

Go ahead and see if ye can, aye?

[She nods, careful to not adjust it in her arms.]

Right, okay. Here I go!

[Her first attempt she doesn't blow quite hard enough, but she realizes that quickly and gives it another go, blowing much harder and managing to get a note.]

[Truthfully, he's not too surprised the first attempt doesn't quite work, because it is more difficult than it looks - but he decides to wait a moment to see if he needs to step in again or if she can manage it on her own. When she does indeed get the note to sound he smiles broadly, clearly pleased with the result.]

Hey, there ye go! We'll make a piper of ye yet, Euri. Here, don't worry about holding it too long, though. I'd not want ye to risk doing something that might cause problems, not if ye plan on singing at that club like ye mentioned.

[She is looking thoroughly pleased with herself, not holding the note for too long just in case.]

Thank you! Is playing the bagpipes really strenuous?

Not once ye get used to it, but there's a lot you've got to be able to do in order to get everything to go smoothly. And it helps if the pipes have been sized to fit ye, because if it's too large it makes it more difficult to play.

[He saw the problem she had getting it to settle under her arm in the first place, and has fair idea that set might be too large for her in general.]

Most people start off with just practicing on the chanter anyway. It's easier to manage, and quieter, too.

[Euri nods along, taking everything in with a keen interest. This is probably the most she's learned about an instrument ever.]

The chanter's the thing I blow into?

[For his part, Jamie is happy to share. He's way too used to people saying they're interested and then going off and changing the subject when he brings it up.]

Yes and no. If you've not got the pipes together and you're just using it for practice, then aye, it would be the thing ye blow into. There's a specific sort of chanter ye can actually get for just practice, but I don't have one. If it was with these pipes in the TARDIS, it didn't get brought here with them.

I see! But if it's for practice, it must be pretty common, right? Maybe there's a music store here that sells them.

Aye, well, maybe on Earth, but I wouldn't know about here.

[Besides which, it'd likely not be something he could afford right now. Unless she hadn't meant it for him...]

Why, were ye thinking of picking one up for yourself?

Maybe. It might be fun to try. I've never tried learning how to play an instrument before, and I've got a teacher right here. [He gets a poke in the chest for emphasis.]

If you're willing, I mean.

Hey!

[He pulls a little bit of a face as he's poked, but it's there and gone so quickly it only really comes across as his lips pressing together very briefly. As her words sink in, it's replaced with a slightly more perplexed expression.]

Wait, ye want me to teach ye how to play? Well...I did promise the Doctor I'd finally show him how to play the pipes, so I suppose I could for ye as well, if that's what ye wanted.

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