buying a chanter kit

[JayFilomena]

I just found out that the person in our finance department plays the bagpipes. I am thinking of buying a practice Chanter and learning the basics for my last three months over here. I had gotten some advice about a Naill or McCallum chanter, but as I surf the web, I find differnet notes, scales, prices, wood vs. Plastic etc. I gave myself a $150 price limit and would like a whole kit. Chanter, reeds, book and CD. I would like a little advice, by say... 28 May 2006. Also, do we have any advertisers on XMarks, or members that sell Chanters that I can keep business in the community?

Jaybird

[billmcc]

I have not purchased anything from this website, but here is a very informative (and long) article about the practice chanter and tutorials:
http://www.hotpipes.com/practice.html

The Bagpipe Web Directory is a useful resource:
http://www.bobdunsire.com/bagpipeweb/index.html#top

[highlander_Daz]

Thats a great website! Id suggest you get a full size chanter and hammer the scale grace notes and doublings until you can do tham cleanly from every melody note, then youve made a start, its not like a guitar where you can whack out a tune immediatly

[cavscout]

I agree, get the full size chanter because your fingers are going to be learning the spacing while you're learning the notes. The muscles and ligaments will stretch just like playing a guitar.

The British Shop is were I bought mine several years ago for about $70.00.

I don't see much need for spending the extra money on a blackwood and ivory practice chanter, I'd save that money for a really nice set of pipes. And with plastic, you can pick it up and pllay without the pitch changing based on the moisture of the wood. You only adjust the reed while practicing.

The College of Piping has a great if not the best series of instructional material, I've also got some music from a book called "Privy Piping" which keeps it interesting when you want to try a more modern song.

[Colin]

Kiltstore.net is affiliated with the bagpipe store http://bagpipestore.net/?mv_force_se...on_id=efa6bzIa if this link doesn't work, there is a link on the bottom left of the kiltstore.net page. It looks like the Xmarks 10% discount is good there as well.

[Freelander Sporrano]

I'm really considering buying one of these practice chanters.....My poor neighbours

[porrick]

Thats a great website! Id suggest you get a full size chanter and hammer the scale grace notes and doublings until you can do tham cleanly from every melody note, then youve made a start, its not like a guitar where you can whack out a tune immediatly

How true that is!

Personally, I break up tedious exercises with playing a few tunes only using G grace notes and the occasional light throw on the D. Playing the main notes without ornamentation is not that big of a deal - but it does sound boring and unispiring compared to the real thing. Anyway, never having played an instrument before, there is a good feeling being able to sound out e.g. Amazing Grace or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star well enough for my 6 year old to recognize...
I try to get in 3 x 20 minutes of practice per day, and there is actually improvement to be traced.

[Panache]

Jaybird,

I have a friend who has a website all about his bagpipe experience ( learning to play, joining a pipe and drum band, and solo competition ). I believe there is some advice on Chanters and links to vendors / other bagpipe sites.

The site is www.bagpipejourney.com


Hope this is of some help

Cheers

Panache

[Tartan Hiker]

I must second Oliver Seeler at the hotpipes.com site. My son is learning the pipes right now, and last fall I purchased for him the Dunbar full size polypenco chanter set with book and CD and the price and support are top notch, as is the product. About three weeks ago I ordered the Dunbar P-1 pipe set. Again, the price and support were both excellent.
The chanter reed that came with the pipes was too hard for my beginner to manage. I called the shop and Oliver told me to hold the phone a second. I heard pipe music. When he picked back up he told me that he was playing his own set with a new softer reed that was just getting blown in, and that he was going to pull that one out and mail it to me. It arrived two days later.

Oliver knows what he's doing and is truly interested in the customer's satisfaction. I'll never shop anywhere else for piping supplies.

[JayFilomena]

Jaybird,

I have a friend who has a website all about his bagpipe experience ( learning to play, joining a pipe and drum band, and solo competition ). I believe there is some advice on Chanters and links to vendors / other bagpipe sites.
The site is www.bagpipejourney.com Hope this is of some help. Cheers Panache

Thank you, I will check them out today. I am not sure that my finance guy will be willing to work with me. kinda limited over here. I'm sure if I show up at his door with a chanter and a book, we can work out some kind of practice schedule. As Mr. Myagi so masterfully put it..."you learn from book?"