How do you tell a bad bagpiper to stop playing?

[Ayin McFye]

Someone's comment in another thread sparked this thought in my mind, because I have been witness to it before.

There have been a few times that I've been around someone who was playing the bagpipes in public, and not only did the pipes sounds out of tune, but he just really didn't seem to know what he was doing in general.

I could listen to a talented bagpipers for hours or even days, but a bad bagpiper can raise the hair on the back of your neck.

Do you just approach the individual and say "I'm sorry, but I noticed that your playing is a bit off, and doesn't quite sound right. Do you think you could stop?" or something to that effect, or do you say "Holy cow, you really stink. Please don't leave your house with that instrument until you've gotten better"

Would it make a situation worse if the "bagpiper" was horribly dressed like something you'd find in the KILT DON'T thread?

[MacAngus]

I'm a piper and have heard some really awful pipers in my day.
A couple of things could be at fault for sounding awful
1. They are self taught almost everyone that says they are self taught are bad
2. The reeds in his/her pipe have been played past their prime which causes nasty eye shattering squeals and squeaks.
3. They're pipebag needs to be seasoned. If you don't season the bag the air leaks out and you can harly play at all.
I think every piper has some sort of dilemma every once in a while that they can't control.
I.E. I played for a funeral today it was about 19 degrees and the wind was blowing like crazy while i was playing I had a choke on the chanter .
I don't know what non pipers think but some might say tats awful most pipers if they heard it would know it was because of the cold.

[Jack Daw]

I'm a piper and have heard some really awful pipers in my day.
A couple of things could be at fault for sounding awful
1. They are self taught almost everyone that says they are self taught are bad
2. The reeds in his/her pipe have been played past their prime which causes nasty eye shattering squeals and squeaks.
3. They're pipebag needs to be seasoned. If you don't season the bag the air leaks out and you can harly play at all.
I think every piper has some sort of dilemma every once in a while that they can't control.
I.E. I played for a funeral today it was about 19 degrees and the wind was blowing like crazy while i was playing I had a choke on the chanter .
I don't know what non pipers think but some might say tats awful most pipers if they heard it would know it was because of the cold.

Yeah, in competitions you get marked down for choking, but I've heard some of the best pipers choke - Ed Neigh, Mike Cusack, E. J. Jones, etc. - and, on a climate-controlled stage. If choking were the only problem, I can forgive that easily enough. But, I agree with you: Most self-taught pipers think they know what they are doing, but unfortunately don't. Although, I've also know one self-taught who is not bad.

[meinfs]

1. They are self taught almost everyone that says they are self taught are bad

Ouch!

[piperdown]

Nothing worse than a chanter and drones that arent in sync...add to the mix a sub-par performance and...well...lets just say I'd rather be serenaded by a dozen hungry cats...LOLOL

[unaspenser]

I don't know if there's any courteous way to tell a musician with a lack of talent to knock off the racket. My solution is usually to just get away from the noise.

[Jack Daw]

I don't know if there's any courteous way to tell a musician with a lack of talent to knock off the racket. My solution is usually to just get away from the noise.

I mentioned in another thread that I wanted to tell one atrocious piper to stop, but I didn't have the heart. Now, if I had had a water hose...naw.

[JS Sanders]

Nothing good will come from pointing out his deficiencies.

As written previously, putting distance between you is the best remedy.

I live in Memphis - you wanna take a guess how many sub-standard blues wannabe- musicians come here? And I won't even bother comtemplating the number of Elvis impersonators. I could spend my entire weekends telling everyone how offensive they sound.

Also, could spend a lotta time sitting in an oral surgeon's chair getting things back into place because of my efforts.

Slan yall,
steve

[Frank McGrath]

Nothing good will come from pointing out his deficiencies.

As written previously, putting distance between you is the best remedy.

I live in Memphis - you wanna take a guess how many sub-standard blues wannabe- musicians come here? And I won't even bother comtemplating the number of Elvis impersonators. I could spend my entire weekends telling everyone how offensive they sound.

Also, could spend a lotta time sitting in an oral surgeon's chair getting things back into place because of my efforts.

Slan yall,
steve

I would rather sit in a room with a thousand off key pipers than in a room with one Elvis impersonator. I just like pipe music that much.

A no talent listener.
Frank

[Brother Falldown]

I would rather sit in a room with a thousand off key pipers than in a room with one Elvis impersonator. I just like pipe music that much.

A no talent listener.
Frank

Good Lord! That really says it all!