another obsession

[Erisianmonkey]

I'd always wanted a set of pipes. I wanted just to play around with them for a little while and then hang them on the wall, and save the playing for others. When Mark offered me a set of pipes for free, I thought I was getting just what I wanted. The truth of that old phrase that I knew but forgot came back to bite me: "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."

I did not know that when I started playing around with them that I would get hooked. I find myself cruising piping sites to learn more about them. I find myself longing for a practice chanter so I can actually start learning to play. I'm looking at the adjustable blow pipes because I have short little stubby arms that make it difficult to hold the chanter right without grasping my blow tube firmly with my teeth.

Man, I thought kilts were addictive. Once I got a few notes of the scale out of the chanter of my pipe, I was gone. Someone ought to put a warning up on any site that sells pipes of any kind that once you try it, you want more. I'm scrambling to find some way to afford that pc and lessons that I now so desperately need.

*sigh*

Is there a "Bagpipes Anonymous" somewhere?

[beloitpiper]

Good luck! I know I love it, and I hope you'll love it too.

[oldsoldier]

HA! Little story for ya, prolly gonna be a long-winded post...
When I first went into the Army in 88, we were working with the british infantry. We were "defending" a mock village in Ft. Lewis. We were actually playing insurgents at the time. So, one morning, as the sun wa slowly coming up, it was all foggy (it's washington state, after all), and, through the fog, we could hear them playing the pipes. The music gave me chills, struck something deep inside. Hearing them in the fog, well, I could easily see how it can strike fear into someone. I knew, that day, should I ever learn an instrument, it would be that one. It was truly a surreal experience.
After the battle, I chatted them up a little, traded gear with a few folks, and, from that day on, wanted to learn the pipes, as they made that much of an influence.
Well, life happened, I moved on, but never really forgot that day. Fast forward to January 2007. A buddy of mine was getting married before heading off to Iraq, and, another friend, had a friend who played the pipes, and has been for 10 years. The opportunity to learn them literally fell into my lap. I enquired about it, and he told me his dad instructs. Well, my lessons started in May this year, and I am completely, utterly hooked. I went from not even knowing how to read music, to where I am currently, I JUST learned my first song; scots wha hae. It is a HUGE addiction, so, welcome to the club!
Couple words of advice given to me, that I'll pass on; first, find a good instructor. You can learn alot from books, online stuff, and all that, but an instructor makes alot of the hard stuff a little easier. And, its good to have encouragement
The other thing I've been told by NUMEROUS pipers is that you gotta have it in you, to want to play. Its a long road, longer than most other instruments, and there's alot of bumps along the way. But, persistence pays off.
As I am new to it, thats about all I have. But, welcome to the fold!