I haven't joined in, but my daughter is also interested in learning the pipes. She plays any woodwind instrument from the baritone sax to piccolo. Her major instrument in college was oboe and she has played the oboe in local symphony orchestras, so I think she could handle the fingering and such. My problem is that being on a retirement income, I don't have 500 to a thousand dollars to spend. If I did, there would be at least one tank on its wey to Amelia county Va. She doesn't have the cash either as she is only working part time while working on her Masters degree.