These are two different instruments!!! The myth that if you can play a recorder then you can play a bagpipe is NOT true. This is baisically saying that if you know how to play the kazoo then you can play the trumpet. There are many differences in terms of finger positions, note placements and breath.

With the recorder you sigh into it to produce a note and you can make a note louder by putting more air throught it. With the practice chanter, either you don't have enough air or you have enough. If you don't have enough then a "noise" will come out that truely sounds like something thats about to pay a visit to St. Peter. If you have enough then a good clean note will come out. There is no volume control with the practice chanter, it is at one constant level of volume. Over bowing will result in a head ache and a god awful sound. Over blowing on a recorder will result in a high pitched squeal, shattered windows, and bleeding ears. If you can do this, then your ready for the full set of Bagpipes!

The recorder requires you to use the tips of your fingers to cover the holes on the sound board. The bagpipe requires you to use the pads or the middle of your fingers to cover the holes. This allows you to move from note to note at a much faster pace and a 99% chance of always forming the correct note.

Most Recorders are pieces of crap that are mass produced and sold at incredibly low prices. You get what you pay for, sometimes you'll get lucky and come across a recorder that sounds half way decent and probably can bear the title of "instrument" but 9 times out of 10 you will end up with a piece of plastic that is out of tune and is good at annoying people with high pitched squeals. Practice chanters (the non-**** ones) are tuned and hand crafted by experts who know what they are doing. These are more pricey, but are sure to please as far as pleasing can go with practice chanters.

I'm not saying that recorders are bad instruments, the good ones sound amazing and they are deffinatly a beautiful sounding instrument in the hands of a profesional.

Bottom Line: Recorders and Bagpipes are two defferent instruments. Learning one does not mean you have learned the other.