Any advice for a beginning piper?

**alabama kiltie** · 28th January 07, 10:23 AM

My Dunbar practice chanter just got here yesterday. After about an hour of practice I'm fairly good at remembering the finger positions and how to play all the notes. I do have a tutor book from the College of Piping but no teacher. I'm not even sure if there is a bagpiper in smalltown Alabama. So any advice, tips, or information is welcomed

**cessna152towser** · 28th January 07, 10:38 AM

from the Scottish Borders.

Probably best just to practice and practice on the chanter and once you have a few simple tunes to translate that onto the pipes. Then you will want to translate it onto pipes, getting used to squeezing in on the bag with your arm while you draw breath and letting the bag gently push the arm back out as you blow. A goretex bag can be more predictable; true bagpipes have a sheepskin bag, but this needs to be seasoned to remain airtight. When you first start on the full size pipes it might be a good idea to block off the centre drone the first few times, until you feel confident that you can maintain sufficient blow to sustain a flow of air through all three drones. If you want to become a serious piper and join a marching band or pipe in the haggis at Burns Suppers you will need to learn the full tunes including all the grace notes; but if you just want to stand on your own and busk you could probably get by with playing just the simpler version of the tune.

**alabama kiltie** · 28th January 07, 10:44 AM

Right now I'm going by the lessons in my book. NExt up are the grace notes but i have yet to get them down. I'm not planning on trying a full set of pipes for a long time though. Mainly because of money issues. When you are a 14 year old with a part time job paying around $5 an hour, $750 for an instrument is a lot. I might try and get a set of less expensive small pipes first. That would also make the transition from PC to a full set easier. My main goal is to be able to play both the classics (ex. Amazing Grace, maybe some Piobeireachd) and some of the newer stuff (ex. Korn, Peatbog Faeries) the way they are written. Grace notes, Leumluaths, Taorluaths and all

**Tattoo Bradley** · 28th January 07, 11:04 AM

No advice as far as the Pipes. But, welcome!

**PiobBear** · 28th January 07, 11:26 AM

I might try and get a set of less expensive small pipes first. That would also make the transition from PC to a full set easier.

Not necessarily, and a decent set of smallpipes can easily cost as much as great pipes (I play both).

My main goal is to be able to play both the classics ...and some of the newer stuff ...the way they are written. Grace notes, Leumluaths, Taorluaths and all

A worthy goal. The CoP books are very good (did you get the one with a CD?), but please do an exhaustive web search, try if at all possible to find a tutor. It's easy to fall into incorrect fingering, timing, etc. on your own, but it can be devilishly hard to break those bad habits later, and when you do get on the pipes, there are a lot of tricks to set-up, maintenance, reeds, etc. that simply aren't in any books.

**alabama kiltie** · 28th January 07, 11:38 AM

Yes, I did get the one with the CD. I have also looked on the web for about a month now. I've probably got 50 piping sites marked in my favorites. The next course of action I'll think i'll take is to go to all the local music shops. IF that turns of nothing I'm gonna call up our funeral homes and churches. Needless to say there are few if any bagpipers in Dothan, Alabama. One thign i may consider is lookign for a teacher in Mobile, I'll more than likley be going to boarding school down there. They might have a little better selection.

**chasem** · 28th January 07, 11:40 AM

Do that. I spent all day one day calling around locally. I called the local police stations, music stores, and so on. I probably made close to 30 or 40 phone calls. I actually came up with nothing that day, but a couple days later someone returned the call to tell me that they were in fact in a pipe band who does teach.

I think phone calls are the most efficient way to do something like this.

**alabama kiltie** · 28th January 07, 11:55 AM

Yeh. I'm going to actually go in to all the music shops tommorow when i'm off work. Talk with the owners. See if they carry stuff. And then hope they can help me find someone. Because if they know that I might end up buying all my expensive bagpiping stuff from them it only increases the incentive to help me