Wanting to learn the pipes

[7 miles]

I would like any and all suggestions and advice . I would like to learn how to play the bag pipes but dont even know where to begin. Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks John

[Moosedog]

Hi John,

My partner recently gave in to that yearning--here's what we have learned so far:

1. Find a teacher. It doesn't seem to be an instrument that many people can self-teach. Lots of the fingerings, etc. are not intuitive and it's easy to learn bad habits early that are hard to break. If you have a local pipe band or university that's a good place to start looking for a contact.

2. Don't buy an inferior practice chanter. There are lots of cheap PCs out there but they will just frustrate you. There are plenty on the market from $75-150 that should work fine. Seems like a long or full-size plastic PC from any of the big manufacturers will work.

3. If you find a teacher you like, they can help advise on reed selection and treatment, and ultimately what sort of full pipes you might want to go with. I always heard that you should spend a couple of years on the PC before moving to full pipes, but I think more and more adult students are moving to pipes sooner (although you will continue using your PC throughout your piping career.)

4. Be aware that learning an instrument as an adult is far different from learning as a child, and make sure your teacher is comfortable with that.

The basics you'll need are: a practice chanter with reed, and a book or tutor. There are a couple of standard books (like the green College of Piping Tutor) but again, you teacher may have a system he or she prefers. It's also nice to have a small case for your PC--plastic chanters are pretty durable but having a safe spot for your delicate reed helps. We got by by using a small native fute pouch for the chanter (broken down into its two parts) and created a seperate little box for the reed to live in.

A side note: we've been having a late, wet spring and I have despaired of the bees being able to pollinate our fruit trees; as the weather has been too rough for them. Last weekend Kelly sat under the blooming apple tree and played the PC; suddenly the tree was filled with droning bees doing their thing and all is well! You never know what benefit might come from such an undertaking.

Good Luck,

Moosedog

[billmcc]

I can't think of anything to add to Moosedog's post.

[7 miles]

Is ther anyone in the Savannah, Georgia area that does teach?

[7 miles]

By the way thank you very much.

[highlander_Daz]

the book you want is called a Logans tutor book, its very cheap but thousands of pipers have used it

http://cgi.ebay.com/Logans-Complete-...2em118Q2el1247

[The Kilted Reverend]

Thanks Moosedog,

I have been thinking about learning the pipes myself.

good luck 7 miles

TKR

[Barb T]

I agree completely with Moosedog. Just a couple of other thoughts.

It's implicit in what Moosedog posted, but, just to be clear, not only do you learn on the practice chanter before you get your pipes, but even the best pipers in the world learn new tunes on the practice chanter and perfect them there before turning to the pipes. Don't buy a cheap practice chanter. I really like the long black poly practice chanters (like http://www.tartantown.com/product81.html). The hole spacing is like the big pipes, and the chanter itself is indestructible but sounds good.

Don't succumb to the temptation to buy your pipes too soon. The rule of thumb that my pipe teacher uses is that you have to be able to play a dozen tunes well from memory on the practice chanter before you should get pipes. The reason is that the big pipes are a whole new instrument. You spend so much time trying to learn how to play them that most people don't actually learn any new tunes for months after they get their pipes.

And, when it comes time to buy pipes, steer clear of the cheap sets made in the Far East (known colloquially as **** Pipes). You'll be investing a lot of time and energy into being able to play well, and you'll never sound good on a set of cheap pipes that are impossible to tune.

How long does it take to learn how to do all the grace notes well and get 12 tunes memorized and played reasonably well on the PC so that you can buy your pipes? Took me about 8 months, and I worked pretty hard. We have some young kids in the band who've done it in 4 or 5 months, but that's _really_ unusual. Lots of people take a year or even two. Depends on how hard you work. And one person I know has a husband who was so proud of her that he bought her pipes for Xmas before she was really ready for them, and it actually set her back quite a bit because she, of course, wanted to play the pipes, but she kind of stalled in learning tunes and didn't really have some of the technique mastered that she should have had.

[Ancienne Alliance]

If I may add something, it's a good thing to join a local pipe band. Most of them are open and friendly : they will even lend you a PC and a set of pipes. You will be with other beginners, that will stimulate you.

[haukehaien]

I would add that (if you haven't found them already) you might want to join the Bob Dunsire bagpipe forums. You'll find a wealth of information, including links to pipers/bands in your area who may be accepting students.