Advice from pipers please . . . .

[Father Bill]

Okay. Bored out of my wits and my beautiful lady who loves me so much suggested that these days I have the time to take up a musical instrument. Now, any of you who know me personally, I'm keeping this under my bonnet for now, so let's not spread it too far abroad but, I'm looking for advice.

I live 20 minutes away from a well respected pipe band, and have a friend in the band, so I'm inclined to contact him and see where it leads.

I live two hours away from a top notch piper's supply store with a proprietress who is herself a piper and whom I trust.

Now, pipers, I'll listen carefully and appreciatively to your comments with deep and sincere thanks.

[Taygrd]

The pipeband to the south of me gave instructions at no cost and the pipers were exceptional so I traveled the hour to the park where they practiced. I found that if they were closer I would have gone more frequently than I did and may have become a better piper. But my poor Hardies have to tolerate my sub par piping With that said I would try the closer of the two, plus you may get a wider variety of experiences from a band than an individual. Of course that can sometimes be a bit much as well
Whatever you do you I know you shall do well, after all God is your Pipe Major

[Destin_scot]

When it comes to learning the pipes, practice, practice, practice, then practice some more...

There are only nine possible notes you can plan on the GHB, the hardest part I found was mastering the embellishments, (which I still haven't completed yet).

Get your initial direction and instruction from the close band, once you've graduated from the practice chanter to a full set of pipes, then you can seek additional instruction elsewhere.

Best of luck in your endeavors and keep us posted as to your progress.

[BobsYourUncle]

First of all, I say GO FOR IT! The fact that you are asking this question says to me that you already know a bit about what you are getting yourself into, and that you already know that learning the pipes will be more than a bit of a challenge. As Pipe Major Bill Robertson, former Royal Scots, has famously says, it takes PERSISTENCE to learn the bagpipes.

You see, I decided some 18 months ago, as I looked down the double barrel of my approaching 50th birthday, that if I was ever going to fulfill the dream of learning the pipes, it was now or never.

I got a practice chanter, and took some lessons at the New York Caledonian Club, not wanting to make demands for instruction on a band until I was sure that I could actually follow through on the instruction. The dropout rate is very, very high, and I didn't want someone to put lots of time in, only to have me quit on them.

I enjoyed the 8 lessons a great deal. At first, it seemed utterly impossible to even learn the basic scales. My fingers ached because I had the beginner's "death grip", and ached so much that I thought I was developing arthritis. However, once I got some confidence in playing, and relaxed the death grip, the aching stopped.

I contacted a local pipe band to see if they would take me on as a student. Their response was that I was too old.

I contacted another local pipe band, and they were only too happy to take me on as a student.

It has been difficult to be consistent in attending lessons, and in finding practice time due to the exigencies of life.

BUT I have fallen in love with this music, and my soul calls out to play it. I have persisted.

I have gone from learning scales, gracenotes and embellishments to learning more and more tunes. The band criteria is that once I have learned three sets from their marching repetoire on the pipes themselves, I am eligible to march in parades. If I show some aptitude, I may be able to play with one of their competition bands [they field bands at Grade 5, Grade 4 and Grade 3, and for several years have gone to the Worlds in Glasgow].

MY SUGGESTION is actually that you do BOTH--that is, that you take lessons from the band, but also take individual lessons from the piping supply store piper. Here is my rationale--I began my instruction in the band in a small group, with one instructor. The total lesson time was one hour. The amount of individual attention available was small. I do not have any musical background, never learned any other instrument previously.

I found that the group lessons from the band were not allowing me to make sufficient progress. I asked the Pipe Major if he could recommend anyone in the band who could give me individual lessons on top of the weekly group lesson. I ended up taking individual lessons from his wife. My progress increased exponentially. None of the other group members sought out individual lessons.

My fellow instructional group members have all dropped out, and stopped taking lessons. I am the only one left of the group.

I am having a ball. The process, at each stage of learning, involves a required task that seems impossible. They are asking me to do things that my fingers cannot possibly do, then they toss that impossible piece of playing off in front of me at high rates of speed, and with elan.

I try the impossible thing, and fail. I try, and try, and try. Eventually, I start to do one bit of the movement correctly. Then it sort of sounds like what the instructor did. They break it down for me, and tell me to do it very, very slowly, don't try to go fast, the speed will come. And soon enough, I am doing the impossible movement, faster and faster, and yes, eventually with elan. I am told that this is the basic learning process, and that master pipers go through the same process at a different level. Impossible, to hacking at pieces of it, to playing it correctly.

What it takes is PERSISTENCE. If you love this music even a little bit like I do, you will find a way to learn it successfully.

When I am discouraged about any temporary set back, I look at the tiny youngsters who are learning the pipes at the hall where the band practices. Some of them have magic fingers, and these tiny folk play the most magnificent things. I look at them, and think, if they can do this, I can certainly do this. All it will take is PERSISTENCE. So I pick up my practice chanter, and put some air through it.

Some people have called it the Devil's bag, I guess because it is difficult to play well. Perhaps that visceral feeling is scary to some folks, and makes them want to suppress the pipes and pipe music as evil. I don't get that.

I feel the divine with every throb of the drones, and I have never had any other way of expressing what my soul has yearned to express. I feel that I am communicating directly with God in a way that I didn't know existed before piping.

GO FOR IT! Be persistent. Do what you have to do. You will not regret it for a moment.

Cheers

[EagleJCS]

Fr. Bill, you may want to read this thread, found as a sticky under the Celtic Musicians Sub-forum.

Definitely take lessons, either from the pipe band or from a private instructor. The pipes are not an instrument to try to learn on one's own. I started with a private instructor, and she eventually invited me to come to a band rehearsal, which led to me hanging around the band, eventually joining in chanter practice, then marching in parades, then competing. Now, I'm Pipe Sergeant of the band (mainly 'cause no one else wanted the job).

It will help some if you can already read music, but it's not necessary. You will learn that skill along the way.

You will probably also want to invest in some earplugs in 6-8 months, both for yourself and your wife (and whoever else lives with you). I'm not kidding. The pipes, once you start practicing on them, are VERY loud. Anywhere from 95-100 decibels or more, depending on how close the reading is done.

Best of luck in your decision!

[piperdbh]

If you can say Mass, you can play the 'pipes.

[flyrod6057]

Padre, my advice is to simply take the plunge. I started piping a year ago at the age of 42, and I will say that it's been a wonderful endeavor. I haven't much to add to the previous posts, other than to say that learning the pipes is a labor of love that will challenge, reward, and frustrate you, often simultaneously! Piping is an art and a discipline that will keep you occupied for as long as you care to strive toward it. It's also quite rewarding when you can belt out a few tunes for the neighbors!

If you feel the itch to begin piping, then by all means: scratch it! The worst thing that will happen is that you'll learn to play a few tunes.

Best of luck!!

[English Bloke]

Post deleted

[Neil Clark]

Couple of things. Firstly, go for it, at all costs! I've been playing most of my life, and now make my living from it, or will in 6 months time.

2 teachers. Be careful here, it can be counter productive, mainly in methodology, but also in different settings of tunes. If you MUST go to both, make sure each knows that you are doing this. I teach some pupils on Skype who are already attending lessons, if I can, I contact their teacher. If not, I ask the pupil to tell the teacher. Now, I can say that actually, I don't agree with some of the stuff the teacher is "alleged" to teach, but, it's not good to contradict, the pupil will only be confused.

Basically one OR the other would be better.

LOGANS TUTOR, as pictured, is now well out of date, and difficult to follow.

Either the National Piping Centre book, as pictured, or the College of Piping book are fine. However, approach your chosen instructor first, and ask THEM which book they want you to use, this will save you money if you have the wrong one. Personally I prefer the COP book, but thats only due to familiarity. When Skyping, I work from whatever the pupil has.

Good luck!

[Father Bill]

You folks are all so encouraging! After BobsYourUncle's comment though, that he was rejected by one group because he was fifty years old (and subsequently accepted elsewhere) I though maybe I should mention that I am sixty. ...okay, almost 61.

Is age a problem for a beginner?

I note some slight differences of opinion, but that's helpful too - it builds perspective.

Thanks folks! I'll keep reading as I hear more.

Bill+