A bit of an accomplishment!

[KD Burke]

So, in May of 2009, I started a thread entitled "What's in a well-rounded piper's repertoire?". My intent was to find tunes to ask for when the local band was playing at the pub.

Now, nearly five years later, I'm on the pipes myself, competing in Grade 4, and part of the local band!

I was looking back over the old thread and was astonished at the number of tunes that were unfamiliar to me then, that I can play quite creditably now!

Moral of the story is: If you've ever considered learning the pipes, then go find a teacher and learn them! It's a wonderful journey!

[OC Richard]

I'm on the pipes myself, competing in Grade 4, and part of the local band!

Congratulations!

I'm a bit fuzzy on it now, but as I recall, portions of Florida have a separate Pipe Band Association (not part of EUSPBA).

In EUSPBA territory there's a Grade 5 (which doesn't exist in most PBAs around the world) and Grade 4 is quite competitive. Oftentimes the winning G4 bands play very well and might be middle-of-the-pack bands in G3. So if you're in a competitive G4 band you're doing things right!

I was looking back over the old thread and was astonished at the number of tunes that were unfamiliar to me then, that I can play quite creditably now!

Congratulations again! Building repertoire takes time. It was overwhelming, back when I joined my first band, how many tunes they played. Nowadays many competition bands have very small repertoires: their 2 or 3 competition sets, the Massed Bands tunes, and little else, maybe Amazing Grace etc.

In the first band I joined (I was a teenager and a newbie) it was a load of tunes to memorise, because they played three sets of three 4/4s each, three sets of three 6/8s each, sets of retreats, sets which were slow air>3 jigs or slow air>3 hornpipes... a literal pile of sheet music.

This has served me well over the years! And I can usually play along with those old tunes, even though the last time I actually played them was 35 years ago.

One thing I used to do, as a kid, was (on a rainy day) sightread through the entire Queens Own Highlanders book and Scots Guards book. It's great to do this, because so many tunes you hear bands play will then be 'under your fingers' to some extent.

Moral of the story is: If you've ever considered learning the pipes, then go find a teacher and learn them! It's a wonderful journey!

Amen, brother!

BTW here's the original thread

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ertoire-51772/

[EagleJCS]

Richard,
The other organization in Florida was SUSPBA. It has shut down as of July 13, 2013. See the article in Pipes/Drums here.

EUSPBA has Grade 5 for bands (beginner bands, not required to march into the comp circle, playing only marches in simple time, not compound time).

There is a grade 5 for soloists, but that's practice chanter only. If you're up on the pipes and competing with a band, as a soloist you'd be in Grade IV Sr (or Jr if you're under 18) or above.

[OC Richard]

thanks for the info and link, I didn't know they had shut down. Odd to have half a state be in a separate PBA than the rest of the Eastern US.

(EDIT: a map I just found shows the whole state of Florida in SUSPBA, but I'm pretty sure I saw a map a few years ago showing Florida divided between SUSPBA and EUSPBA.)

[416 Rigby]

Good for you! I agree, It's never too late to start. I'm going to be 50 this summer (gulp) and I started the long journey of the Highland Pipes just over a year ago. If it's something you've always thought about doing, just do it. They're frustrating but I just love the damn things!

[OC Richard]

Rigby I see your tag says 'retired' and that could be key, because people starting 'midlife' have a steeper learning curve than youngsters, and the people I've seen succeed have these things in common:

1) good instruction
2) fanatical dedication
3) ample practice time
4) prior musical experience