I think part of the problem with standard music notation for pipes is that it would be far too busy if tunes were notated accurately for note durations. There would be so many double-dots and 16th or even 32nd notes - in addition to changes to the way embellishments are notated - that people would get much more intimidated. So, we make do with the way things are and pass along the oral traditions: "6/8's and strathspeys really emphasize the dot-cut."; "REALLY emphasize the dots there!"; "Cut that note just a little more!"; "Hold that high A longer!"; "I know that reel is written with dot-cuts, but I want it just a little bit rounder, but not completely straight."

(I'm helping clean up the scores my pipe band is using, incorporating the hand-written changes that have been made over the years, changing the scores to more accurately reflect the embellishments, etc., that we're playing).