So here is the deal. I was well on my way to being a good piper. Then a year ago I had oral surgery. As a result I suffered (and continue to) from nerve damage. It effects my jaw and tissue around it. I have tmj now and the nerve damage causes my jaw muscle to clench instead of rest. My lower teeth on the right side are totally numb and my bottom lip is about 90% numb. I don't have any drooping of my face but I can't seal my lips around my bagpipes any more. I started using a airstream mouth piece and it helped tons. But with the large oval mouth piece I could still only play for a few minutes and then I couldn't keep my seal. I have tried to push on. One year and 6 months later I am realizing I just don't think I can ever play more than one tune per day. I was depressed because I thought about all the work I put into this art. Now I am a cook with out a sence of taste. A soldier with out a weapon. Hammish with out a kilt. And now I am restricted to my practice chanter.

My ear fell upon a sound of bagpipes but it was softer. More mellow. Was it Ullean pipes? No. It was smallpipes / kitchen pipes. It played the same as the ghb but it was small. I asked the piper about them and he said they can also be blow by bellows. He handed them over and said "try 'em". I did and now I'm hooked. I am thinking of selling my big pipes and getting a small set.

I wonder if it will be my return to passionate piping.