How do you tell a bad bagpiper to stop playing?

[Jack Daw]

As a struggling new piper and the father of same, if you say something, you can never be sure that person won't quit because of what you said. Seriously. It's an incredibly difficult instrument to learn and master. We already know we stink. We don't need that confirmed by a total stranger.

And remember: you can always tell a bad piper...but you can't tell him much.

I don't equate a learning piper with a bad piper. I teach and love to hear new pipers learn. Bad pipers are those that don't belong on the instrument. My comment about not piping in public when I was new was meant to be self-effacing. I apologize for any offence.