Some thoughts after attending my first Celtic celebration

[Richrail]

First I must admit I purchased my first kilt as a novelty. After finding this forum and reading and learning the history behind the kilt it is much more. That said I know it is just a piece of clothing but I respect the history more. I take pride in the way I dress. It was nice to hear one of the people volunteering say they appreciated that I was wear the kilt properly.

I have always loved the Black Watch tartan. But after attending the celebration and seeing so many people wearing it, I don't know if I want a Black Watch kilt any more. I like to be different but here I am with a bunch of kilt wearers.

I think my wife wasn't really down with the idea of me wearing a kilt. She had a grand time at the celebration wearing her kilted skirt I got for hear. Now she wants another kilted skirt in kilt length. She fell in love with the Holyrood tartan that the pipe band was wearing. So we will probably be getting matching Holyrood kilts. She also wants to get me a utilikilt for kicking around the house and what not.

After the celebration we went home and changed to attend the Ceilidh. I changed into a dress shirt and tie, Black Argyll jacket and vest. She LOVED it and is now more open to me wearing a kilt.

After all of this she and I also joined our local Society of Scottish Clans and SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ERIN organizations. She was a musician in college and is also interested in learning the bagpipes.

Wow so much for one little weekend celebration, now planing next years vacation to attend more.

[Laird_M]

Sounds like you had a grand time.
My wife wasn't overly bothered herself until we went to a ceilidh last November, now she has 2 kilt-skirts and can't wait for this year's event.

So, wearing the plaid is not only addictive for us guys, but our spouses sometimes get hooked too.

[GMan]

Don't you just love it when you encounter those types of life (or mind) changing events?

[tulloch]

Very good to hear. Congratulations. It is a nice part of life.

[OC Richard]

She fell in love with the Holyrood tartan

She was a musician in college and is also interested in learning the bagpipes.

Yes the Holyrood tartan is lovely! There is a couple here who always wear their matching Holyrood kilts to Scottish events and they always stand out from the other tartans.

I hope your wife does get on the road to becoming a piper. As someone who has started many a beginner on their way, I can say that beginners with previous formal music training (such as your wife) have a huge advantage over most beginners, and usually progress very quickly. They start with so many of the necessary skill-sets already in place: they read music, they have a well-developed sense of timing, they have a good ear for tuning, they have finger dexterity, they know the value of disciplined practice, of getting good instruction, of obtaining a high-quality instrument etc etc.

When you set aside all the mysticism and lore surrounding the pipes (most of which is nonsense) the pipes are just another musical instrument. Like a wise old guy told me many years ago

"Musical instruments are merely mechanical devices. The MUSIC is in the person."

Anyhow the key to making good progress on the pipes is good instruction. If you take lessons from some hack/charlatan you'll never get very far. Neil Clark and Jori Chisholm offer top-class instruction on Skype, well worth investigating.

[Tobus]

I have always loved the Black Watch tartan. But after attending the celebration and seeing so many people wearing it, I don't know if I want a Black Watch kilt any more. I like to be different but here I am with a bunch of kilt wearers.

I pretty much feel the same way. Black Watch is a nice tartan with a lot of history, but it has become the most generic and over-used tartan of all. Not that there's anything wrong with that - it's good for people to have a generic tartan to wear if they don't have another tartan that's meaningful to them, like a clan tartan or district tartan. However, it does make things a bit boring when so many people are wearing the same tartan, but have no connecting bond (such as a clan connection) between them. Especially since Black Watch doesn't exactly have much to offer in the way of colour or variety. As tartans go, it's a pretty dull pattern. It's nice and traditional, with a classic look to it, but it just doesn't stand out in a crowd or lend itself to interesting ways to bring out minor colours from the sett... because there aren't any minor colours.

This is why there's been such an explosion of other generic tartans in the last few years, I think. People want variety; they want to wear a tartan that's colourful and a bit unique. I know a lot of folks here are partial to the Isle of Skye tartan, which has some interesting colours in it and can offer a lot of different looks, depending on which minor colours you choose to highlight with the accessories, or with different pleating choices. Another that I've had my eye on for a few years is Auld Scotland. Or, if you prefer something more traditional (and perhaps with a well established provenance), there are historic tartans being revived. There is a whole world of interesting tartans out there to choose from, if you're not choosing for clan affiliation or other associative reasons. Why choose from the same handful of generic tartans that everybody else is wearing, when there's so much variety available?

[Richrail]

Yes the Holyrood tartan is lovely! There is a couple here who always wear their matching Holyrood kilts to Scottish events and they always stand out from the other tartans.

I hope your wife does get on the road to becoming a piper. As someone who has started many a beginner on their way, I can say that beginners with previous formal music training (such as your wife) have a huge advantage over most beginners, and usually progress very quickly. They start with so many of the necessary skill-sets already in place: they read music, they have a well-developed sense of timing, they have a good ear for tuning, they have finger dexterity, they know the value of disciplined practice, of getting good instruction, of obtaining a high-quality instrument etc etc.

When you set aside all the mysticism and lore surrounding the pipes (most of which is nonsense) the pipes are just another musical instrument. Like a wise old guy told me many years ago

"Musical instruments are merely mechanical devices. The MUSIC is in the person."

Anyhow the key to making good progress on the pipes is good instruction. If you take lessons from some hack/charlatan you'll never get very far. Neil Clark and Jori Chisholm offer top-class instruction on Skype, well worth investigating.

That's very encouraging thank you. She played Oboe in college and actually got to tour Europe on a band scholarship one summer. So christmas gift ideas for a practice cantor.

[Richrail]

I pretty much feel the same way. Black Watch is a nice tartan with a lot of history, but it has become the most generic and over-used tartan of all. Not that there's anything wrong with that - it's good for people to have a generic tartan to wear if they don't have another tartan that's meaningful to them, like a clan tartan or district tartan. However, it does make things a bit boring when so many people are wearing the same tartan, but have no connecting bond (such as a clan connection) between them. Especially since Black Watch doesn't exactly have much to offer in the way of colour or variety. As tartans go, it's a pretty dull pattern. It's nice and traditional, with a classic look to it, but it just doesn't stand out in a crowd or lend itself to interesting ways to bring out minor colours from the sett... because there aren't any minor colours.

This is why there's been such an explosion of other generic tartans in the last few years, I think. People want variety; they want to wear a tartan that's colourful and a bit unique. I know a lot of folks here are partial to the Isle of Skye tartan, which has some interesting colours in it and can offer a lot of different looks, depending on which minor colours you choose to highlight with the accessories, or with different pleating choices. Another that I've had my eye on for a few years is Auld Scotland. Or, if you prefer something more traditional (and perhaps with a well established provenance), there are historic tartans being revived. There is a whole world of interesting tartans out there to choose from, if you're not choosing for clan affiliation or other associative reasons. Why choose from the same handful of generic tartans that everybody else is wearing, when there's so much variety available?

I've been looking at the County Fermanagh tartan because I can trace my ancestry to there. So it does mean something to me and I like it. Also getting my wife and I the U.S. Army tartan as well to honor our three sons who have served and are serving now. My youngest son is still on active duty station at Ft Knox. Also my father and father-in-law and grandfather and uncle all served in WWII.

[OC Richard]

Being a "real musician" like she is, she deserves a nice Practice Chanter that plays well and plays in tune... which many don't. Try a Gibson "long" which has a nicer tone than most.

[Richrail]

Being a "real musician" like she is, she deserves a nice Practice Chanter that plays well and plays in tune... which many don't. Try a Gibson "long" which has a nicer tone than most.

Thank you, I'll definitely look into that.