Taking up the bagpipes (Gibson or McCallum Chanter?)

[Kamilavalamp]

Thanks for the information Mr. James, and everyone here. After a false start a couple decades ago, I have decided to give The Pipes another try.

I just order the Dunbar #2 package as well. I like the idea of the o-rings replacing the hemp, which, I quickly learned the last time, is a messy PITA for a beginner (BTW: Does anyone have a good link to a pipe maintenance reference?).

I am one of those guys who hates learning things through traditional methods. I gave up piano and guitar lessons because I hated wasting time learning music theory and scales. I was just naturally gifted with good manual dexterity so exercises just bored the poop out of me. I just want to play music. And frankly, I hated paying good money to be bored (hey... I am of Scottish descent).

Taught myself guitar, can't read a lick of music. I got a cheap set of pipes and a PC (pretty much fit only for kindling) as a gag birthday gift many years ago. Taught myself all the notes, then managed to pull off barely passable renditions of Going Home and Amazing Grace on both of them. Can't wait to give it another go with quality equipment and learning materials.

Try the 5-String Openback Banjo and play clawhammer style,
That was my first instrument and I didn't have the patience to learn songs note by note so I learned clawhammer, You just learn some chords and then bang out the tunes using your manual dexterity and judgement to make em sound right. You can also play Irish tunes on it as well if you tune the 2nd string to a C.
Here's a video of me playing at a party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLMXRSoL2ug