Am I a Scot?

[Boy's war]

Welcome friend.
BSMWS

[socalferg]

Greetings and Welcome from SoCal

[StevieJoePayne]

Thank you. I was trained on the clarinet many years ago so I have some understanding of learning an instrument. I did not have arthritis then which is an additional challenge. I have no idea how far I might go with it but any steps are an education. I will know more about it than I do now. I do appreciate your advice about the tutor of the tooter.

Stephen

[Bigkahuna]

I think we should come up with a "Heinz" Tartan for those of us of 57 varieties.

[Kiltman]

Hi Stephen,

Welcome to XMarks from the other side of the Atlantic in Norfolk, England. For your own peace of mind, take everything you hear or see about clans with a pinch of salt.

Regards

Chas

Yes, do that. Spelling differences are of little importance. In any event, you don't need to be a Scot to wear the kilt. Welcome from Eastern Washington State.

[The Tartan Oyster Club]

Welcome to the club from the club.

[Mike S]

Thank you. I was trained on the clarinet many years ago so I have some understanding of learning an instrument. I did not have arthritis then which is an additional challenge. I have no idea how far I might go with it but any steps are an education. I will know more about it than I do now. I do appreciate your advice about the tutor of the tooter.

Stephen

I play Sax, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Flute (folk and orchestral) Guitar, Keyboards and quite a few other instruments, most semi-professionally. Some of them self taught in fact.

I also play the Great Highland, Irish Uilleann, and Lowland/Borders pipes. Believe me, you will need a tutor if you really want to play them properly without embarrassing yourself, and picking up a myriad of bad habits and short comings. The pipes are in a whole different league of difficulty and things to manage. This would explain the phenomenal drop out rate among those intending to study the pipes (much higher than most other instruments in fact).

This isn't meant to discourage, but the pipes will require the utmost dedication, perseverance, and instruction to achieve proper results and competency. You should definitely know this going into it.

[Carolina Kiltman]

- The Cape Fear River Valley, NC - -

[SteveB]

Stephen,
I also do not want to discourage you in taking up the pipes. I started with zero musical background. I am learning to read score, both as is traditional for woodwinds, and the somewhat weird form of meaning for the Highland pipes. The tutor is the only way to keep from being a total embarrassment in the journey. I am just starting on tunes after five very intensive months of learning the fingering of the chanter. One of the first tunes that a student learns is Amazing Grace. Almost all of us are familiar with it as a hymn in our church service. The score looks real simple in the hymnal for the organ, piano and guitar. Then when you first look at the score for the Highland Bagpipes, it looks even simpler. It is far from simple. The interpretation of the music is very important, as there are only eight basic notes on the Highland pipes, it is the embellishments that make the tune work. Each embellishment has several techniques. Which technique you use varies according to the real sound that is acceptable.
Good luck on the journey, and be prepared to use a lot of time on the highway in heavy traffic.

[Big Paul]

from Detroit, Michigan, USA!