So You Want To Play The Bagpipes

[SFCRick]

Grand advice

[Nighthawk]

to be honest I like to get people on a set of GHBs fairly rapid, blowing steady low A and one drone for a few minutes , normally after 3-6 months chanter practice, the i encourage them to hit the scale on the GHB changing from Blow to Squeeze whilst changing note, it suprising how it re-motivates students after 3-6 months drilling scale and doublings when the blow one note on a set of pipes it can really give fresh motivation at the 3-6 month stage where many students are hacked off with chater practice

My instructor actually told me today that he normally won't even bring up getting a set of pipes until his students have been on the chanter for 6 months. I've been going for two, and he told me today that if I keep advancing the way I am, he's going to help me get into a set by Christmas. I am apparently doing well.

[vmac3205]

Congrats, Nighthawk. Good on yer.

[Nighthawk]

Congrats, Nighthawk. Good on yer.

:beer: ...I mean, thanks! I'm finding I love it! I have 2 chanters now- one at home and one in my car- for those occasions when I take the Mrs to the grocery store, and she lets me stay in the car. I roll up the windows and play along with the CDs of a local guy named Ben Holmes. I mentioned that to my instructor yesterday, and it turns out that he and Holmes are actually really good friends, and he glowingly approves of my taste in pipers to take inspiration from.

[Phogfan86]

My 11-year-old and I have been playing chanters for 10 months. He's been on pipes since about six months, and now he's learning how to march with the band. He still needs to learn a number of their tunes, but he knows a few. The important thing is, he's learning how to march.

I just started on the pipes -- it takes us old coots longer to learn new stuff, y'know.

I think expecting anyone to play chanter and wait for a couple of years before they pick up the pipes is a bit unreasonable.

[linguistisch]

New here to the forum, great information, glad I found this website.

If it helps anyone, I started on the Dunbar PC in late August and found an instructor in September (who was grade one over the years, now judges). He's much calmer than I am and has a more soft and steady approach. Now that I have been working at a few tunes and the movements for the last two months I have started asking about GHBs. I think all of us newbies want to imagine the day we get our pipes and are eager to experience the full instrument but it's easy to get ahead of ourselves, especially when we have good instructors who want us to get proficient at fingering in order to play anything we see. He said he has most students on pipes within 8-10 months playing, but told me at my rate (probably because I'm very eager and practice about 20min-1hr a day) I could probably expect to go look at pipes at our shop here by March. We'll see. In the mean time I searched out exactly what I want and have it all priced, now the fun part of putting away $300 a month.

[forestpiper]

I've been going for almost two months. It's starting to get fun. It was tough and tedious at first (and still is at times) but has become very enjoyable.

All I can say is hand in there - it took me about 7 months on practice chanter before taking up the pipes. Don't jump on the bandwagon too soon or it will be really frustrating! It has been a ride, for sure! Thankfully I stuck with it and I am piping all over the place, doing funeral, weddings, band gigs, birthday parties and memorials. I am playing for a boy scout troop next month as they retire a flag. The possibilities can be limitless, but you have to get through the "un-fun" stuff first!!

[Derek Conley]

Very inspiring! I'm on my whole... 3rd lesson! Just did doublings the other day. Fun times... it's amazing when my fingers just decide to do whatever they want..

[Phogfan86]

... it's amazing when my fingers just decide to do whatever they want..

It can't be your fingers! Clearly you have a defective chanter, good sir!

[JimB]

I just ordered a dunbar chanter for my Christmas present two nights ago(authorized by my better half, but ordered not to open it til Christmas). I sure hope this works out. I know nothing about music.