Back to Gilwell on Bagpipes

**dadgad** · 18th May 11, 07:01 PM

Used to be a Bobwhite, myself. Hoping to get up to speed by the fall course (I'll be a TG for N6-220-11-1).

**MichaelPHahn** · 18th May 11, 08:55 PM

Good man!

I used to be a fox. Actually just completed my tickets and am being beaded this coming Monday night. I, and another Scouter who was in the same Wood Badge troop (SR 571 1066) will be in our MacLaren kilts, of course.

**beloitpiper** · 18th May 11, 09:41 PM

Can you play them on Chanter first? Because that's the first step. Bagpipes aren't just something you pick up and noodle around with around a campfire. It takes serious training and dedication to play a set of bagpipes.

**ohiopiper** · 19th May 11, 06:01 AM

I don't want to discourage anyone who really wants to play the pipes, but taking them up as merely a campfire hobby isn't going to work. They require a lot more work to become even remotely proficient than one would think. Although there are "just nine notes", there are many embellishment that are required to play pipe music and tuning must be taught. An untuned bagpipe is an abomination and should be penalized by either thumbscrews or... that's it. Just thumbscrews.

If you're serious about learning, I'll offer any assistance I can by way of the net, recommendations and advice. If you're not serious, do yourself and everyone around you the favor of picking another hobby.

Sorry to sound so "line in the sand" about it, but the bagpipes are not for the casual tinkerer.

**dadgad** · 19th May 11, 06:12 AM

I'll echo what ohiopiper said. I've been working on a practice chanter for over a year, and only just recently purchased some Macallum pipes. there's a lot going on with pipes, and it takes a lot of practice.

I think I heard, "Three years does a piper make."

**Chas** · 19th May 11, 08:08 AM

As far as Scouting goes, the very best instrument for entertaining the boys and yourself is the guitar - by miles.

Relatively easy to learn and practise. Very few neighbours complain about someone strumming next door - can the same be said for the pipes?

The boys, themselves will have an interest. They all want to be rock stars. If one of them has the aptitude, it is relatively easy to teach them a few chords. Remember, Status Quo only know three chords.

You can play and SING at the same time. You won't be the musical accompaniment somewhere in the background, you will be part of the song.

Some of the best music I have ever heard has been made by boys humming, clapping, clicking, or making some other percussive noise in time to a guitar with not one word sung.

Has anyone ever tried to "sing along" to the pipes?

A long way behind the guitar comes the accordion or simple squeeze box. But even they can be too loud.

Third is the fiddle or violin. Was very popular at one time, but now fallen out of favour. One of the reasons is that it can sound very close to the human voice, so not an accompaniment, but rather the addition of another singer.

As a Wood Badge holder since 1977, with hundreds of camping nights under my belt, I would not welcome the pipes round the campfire.

Sorry

Regards

Chas

**beloitpiper** · 19th May 11, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Chas

Has anyone ever tried to "sing along" to the pipes?

The only men allowed to sing along with pipes lived in the trenches of Ypres.

**kc8ufv** · 19th May 11, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by beloitpiper

Can you play them on Chanter first? Because that's the first step. Bagpipes aren't just something you pick up and noodle around with around a campfire. It takes serious training and dedication to play a set of bagpipes.

Originally Posted by ohiopiper

I don't want to discourage anyone who really wants to play the pipes, but taking them up as merely a campfire hobby isn't going to work. They require a lot more work to become even remotely proficient than one would think. Although there are "just nine notes", there are many embellishment that are required to play pipe music and tuning must be taught. An untuned bagpipe is an abomination and should be penalized by either thumbscrews or... that's it. Just thumbscrews.

If you're serious about learning, I'll offer any assistance I can by way of the net, recommendations and advice. If you're not serious, do yourself and everyone around you the favor of picking another hobby.

Sorry to sound so "line in the sand" about it, but the bagpipes are not for the casual tinkerer.

QUOTED FOR ADDED EMPHASIS!
I have been learning on the PC since about November, and still am nowhere near ready to even touch a set of pipes.

**EagleJCS** · 19th May 11, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by *dad gad*

I'll echo what ohiopiper said. I've been working on a practice chanter for over a year, and only just recently purchased some Macallum pipes. there's a lot going on with pipes, and it takes a lot of practice.

I think I heard, "Three years does a piper make."

The actual saying is "Seven generations and seven years to make a piper.".

For anyone seriously contemplating learning the pipes, check out the "So you want to play Bagpipes" thread under the Celtic Musicians topic. Chock full of info and advice from many of our resident pipers.

**Hothir Ethelnor** · 19th May 11, 08:02 PM

I started self taught.

If you're dedicated and have a keen ear for playing music off the cuff you can learn to play but you'll have to put in a lot of work if you want to show your face in front of other pipers. There are a large number of embellishments used in traditional piping and they can't be picked up by ear.

If you can read music you could teach yourself eventually but it's a long hard road to being a good piper.

as I said I started self taught I bought a full set of pipes (McCallum poly pipes) and went at it. I have played Irish whistles and Baroque recorders for 7 years so that helped me get going. In two weeks from first striking in I played in a 4th of July Parade. It wasn't spectacular but it wasn't bad either (at least the pipes were in tune) I played all the tunes with simple gracenotes and managed to keep that bag filled for 30 minutes.

But now I have taken some instruction and my piping is getting way better. I had to relearn the fingering for two notes (I jumped in without even looking at a fingering chart) and after that I started with the embellishments I just conquered the Lemluath this week and the Torluath is getting there. I can now play 4 tunes "properly" and I'm working on my reportoire.

So is it a bad thing to start on your own? I can't say it is. But eventually if you are at all serious about your $1000+ investment you'll want to make sure you're doing it right and that my friend is why you should find an instructor. (and you could skip some of the pain of relearning a thing or two if you find one now.)