So You Want To Play The Bagpipes

[Macman]

Not sure I'd heard about using a golf tee --

It's called a "Titleist" brand reed!

[SteveB]

The gent that is my tutor has a few of these around. They are a great way for this beginner to learn to keep even tone from the drones. Rather than tee off my blackwood chanter, the tee is in a poly practice chanter, in a goose adapter. Teaches good instrument posture while developing the ear for the drones. Working quite well on this much older than average piping student.

Slainte

[BagpiperDon]

You can also use a #5 (size?) plumbers rubber plug. I carry one in my case all the time and use it toward warming my drone reeds at the beginning of my practice -- which is more of an old cane habit considering I've been playing synthetic for the past ?11? years. Take out your chanter, seat it snugly in your chanter stock, and strike-in. Depending on the bag seasoning you use, if you pick up one of these, pick up a total of 5 -- when seasoning, plug off all stocks but one, pour your bag-sauce in, cork off the last stock and go to work treating your bag. The next size up plugs will also work but are a bit big -- the #5s go in/out more easily.

...and when your piping friend isn't looking, stick one of these in the bottom of their chanter -- muted chanter surprise can be high-Larious.

[Dall_Piobaire]

Keep in mind that the jump from pc to GHB is a huge one! All the advice given is great! My insturctor always tells me to make haste slowly, and he has always been proven right! It comes, but it comes with time, and you are forming new neural synapses and that just takes time. So go slow and before you know it you will have a sweet Crunluath.

One can procure and adapter that allows one to play the pc on the bag with drones corked, basically making it what is called a practise goose. It gets you started on getting used to steady blowing without getting in the deep end.

It was said that it takes seven years and seven generations to make a piper, once you get started on the pipes you'll know why!

It's frustrating at times, bewildering at others, but it is oh so worth it!

[BagpiperDon]

Keep in mind that the jump from pc to GHB is a huge one!

Heed the above words -- TRUE!

My insturctor always tells me to make haste slowly, and he has always been proven right! ... So go slow and before you know it you will have a sweet Crunluath.

One of my instructors said "The slow way is the fast way." -- rather Jedi. When I said this in talking with a piper senior in playing to myself, he came back asking if I was Buddhist -- go figure. Yes, go slow ... and in the mean time you can learn how to spell all these different embellishments that will have other people think you're speaking in tongues.

One can procure and adapter that allows one to play the pc on the bag with drones corked, basically making it what is called a practise goose.

I've run into these infrequently -- whats your experience w/ these in respects to cost? I'd think for the bother/cost one may as well get a set of fireside smallpipes and have a real instrument.

It's frustrating at times, bewildering at others, but it is oh so worth it!

Indeed -- and lets not forget addicting.

Hello, my name is Don, and I'm a Highland bagpiper...

[BagpiperDon]

It's called a "Titleist" brand reed!

That's a golf joke, right?
I'm uninitiated -- outside of put-put, I'm pretty much lost... tho a driving range looks like it could be fun. If full contact golf was broadcast on TV, I'd probably watch it ... could end up looking along the lines of shinty LOL

If I'm understanding you right, just think of it -- Titleist brand chanter reeds, guaranteed to produce zero tone or steadiness issues!
(you're more likely to loose it over wearing it out)

[Kiltedfirepiper]

Heed the above words -- TRUE!



One of my instructors said "The slow way is the fast way." -- rather Jedi. When I said this in talking with a piper senior in playing to myself, he came back asking if I was Buddhist -- go figure. Yes, go slow ... and in the mean time you can learn how to spell all these different embellishments that will have other people think you're speaking in tongues.



.

to quote the movie "Shooter"

Slow is smooth......smooth is fast.......

[piperdown]

I have recently purchased the goose adapter for my pipes. The reason I like it so much is because I always have to pause to breath( I can't circular breath) when I use my PC and it disrupts my flow whether it's just practising doublings or speed exercises to playing tunes.
Using the goose, I can play continuously. It also is a useful tool to help if you overblow your pipes.

Rob

[ThinBlueLine]

Hey all,

For a practice chanter, assuming a quality company like Dunbar, how much of a difference is there between a poly chanter and a wooden one?

[ohiopiper]

The difference between poly and ABW practice chanters is about 100 bucks. While I admit that the ABW (african blackwood) chanters sometimes have a sweeter tone, it really doesn't matter. It's just a practice instrument. Buy a poly. I have an ABW, but only because it was a gift. I carry around my poly all the time because it's not fragile and works just fine.