Bagpipes

[Pyper]

If everyone is saying one shouldn't begin with an electronic practice chanter, I agree.

However, if you've been taking lessons a few months and think you'd be able to practice even more with an electronic PC, then go for it. I love mine, and I use it pretty much exclusively for learning new tunes. But I also practice pipes nearly every day.

[OC Richard]

I love mine (electronic chanter) and I use it pretty much exclusively for learning new tunes. But I also practice pipes nearly every day.

That's the key!!

Sometimes beginners sort of fall in love with playing the practice chanter and it's hard to get them to play their PIPES regularly.

Other beginners are eager to get a-blowing on the pipes and I let them go for it. But on the pipes I have them take their chanter out at first and learn to blow steady drones while on the PC we're working on fingerings and ornaments and tunes.

[Pyper]

Sometimes beginners sort of fall in love with playing the practice chanter and it's hard to get them to play their PIPES regularly.

My instructor gave me a short lecture the week before I brought my pipes the first time to play. She said something like, "This is a dangerous time. Playing bagpipes is a lot harder than playing practice chanter, and some people will revert to working on the practice chanter, but we are pipers, not practice chanterers, and you're only going to get good at pipes if you practice on them." Everything my instructor tells me is good advice.

For me it's never really been an issue -- I greatly prefer practicing on pipes. True it's more difficult, but they sound so much better.

Speaking of practice, it's 8:30 -- time to practice!