I play Highland pipes (in a grade 4 band, for those familiar). I wonder how hard it would be to learn Uilleann pipes. I’m especially interested in hearing from others who play both. I’m not aware of any teachers near me, although there probably are some a few hours in either direction (Atlanta or Charlotte).
I’m guessing that the potential for confusion in fingering between Highland and Uilleann would be similar to the potential between Highland and whistle (which I play). Sound right?
As I look at maker’s websites I see that they all sell “practice sets”. I can see what they include, but what is the purpose? Would it be a mistake for a beginner to buy a half set?
Finally, how frequently do Uilleann pipers use keys? That’s something I have no experience with.
I’m guessing that the potential for confusion in fingering between Highland and Uilleann would be similar to the potential between Highland and whistle (which I play). Sound right?
Experience shows Highland pipers being thrown into great confusion by the different ornamentation and the tight fingerings. A bit more (note the deliberate understatement) than between highland pipes and the whistle.
Why a practice set? To potentially save cost. There’s no harm in having a half set as a beginner, in fact I think it makes you face up to pressure and control issues early on and helps avoid some bad habits in those areas that some develop when just playing the bag and chanter. Not everybody would agree with that.
Pipers playing both. Willie Clancy played the big noisy things early on, Séamus Ennis played both as did Billy Andrews and many others, to this day. But there’s a definite and urgent need to compartimentalise and keep the two separate as they are very different.
I played GHB before taking up the uilleann pipes. I now play a few other pipes as well. As you play whistle, you probably have no trouble with mixing up GHB and whistle fingerings. Fingering will be the least of the differences. I have no problems mixing up fingerings of the various pipes I play. The uilleann pipes require a lot of variation in the bag pressure while GHB do not. That can be a tough one. Other than having a bag, drones and a chanter in common with GHB, the uilleann pipes are a really different animal. Ornamentation is also different. You will have to eliminate the tendency to use the high G cut so common in GHB. You will be able to transfer a few ornaments, but not all of them. That is much harder to learn than the different fingering. Also, there is no standardization in ornaments and when and where to use them. The grip on the chanter is different. The top hand fingers should be pointed down about 45 degrees instead if being at a right angle to the chanter. Different bag seasoning is used with bellows pipes, if you need any at all. These are the differences that come to mind but I am sure there are more. I can often tell if a piper comes from GHB as they have not entirely approached the uilleann pipes without bringing some unnecessary baggage from GHB playing into their uilleann piping.
I play the GHB, SSP and border pipes and only recently started learning the UP. I heard so many negatives about transitioning over that I figured at my age whats the use in trying. Only after Fred Morrison introduced me to a practice set he and McCallum are making, did I decide to give it a go. Its now been just over a year for me and enjoy playing the UP more then the others. I currently play with a pipe band which forces me to put as much time on the big pipes as the UP…Otherwise I don’t think they would be out of the case very often.
To address some of your questions, fingering really wasn’t an issue for me. I play the whistle as well but the fingering is only similar. What I think helped me the most, was that I already played bellow pipes. I think for most people trying to learn bellows while trying to play the UP chanter would be quite a challenge. I didn’t have an issue with ornamentation in fact learning the new ornamentation for the UP was much easier then the highland pipes. As Ted mentioned…the bag pressure variation is something I’m still trying to deal with. Learning to control the pressure to get a clean note in the 2nd octave has been most difficult for me but lately there has been a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
I’m playing a practice set I bought from Fred Morrison. The chanter is keyless and is modeled after his own Williams chanter. The reed is made by a guy that Fred uses in Glasgow. I can’t remember his name but I can find if someone wants it. I’d say its a light to medium reed with little effort if any to reach the 2nd octave. IMO I would suggest starting with a practice set just to make sure its what you want to do. After my 3rd month of lessons I knew this is what I wanted to play so I ordered a half set which will be costing me about 3 times the amount I paid for highland pipes. I’m expecting I won’t see it for another 1 1/2 to 2 years but I have a lot to learn yet so I can wait. I have a very good tutor about 45 mins away…I just had a lesson this afternoon. You can always get lessons via Skye but just starting out it behooves you to have someone help fit and set up your pipe.
There are many great makers out their that offer practice sets that you can later add drones and regs at a later date. Don’t go cheap on the bellows.
The things you bring with you as a GHB player are a disciplined practice ethic and semi-realistic expectations. That’s about it.
As far as instruments go, just focus on getting something that is top of the line. An excellent chanter & reed are more important than whether or not it has drones, though if you can get them, do. Keys are pretty much irrelevant to a beginner, to be honest. It can be helpful to speak to local reedmakers, in particular, who usually have better than average advice regarding instruments (you will discover that people on forums tend to recommend whatever they last bought).
But the main thing to realise is that just because both traditions play jigs and reels, there is very little in common, even when the melodies are the same. You’re starting from scratch and need to have a mindset as such.
Who makes Fred Morrison’s reeds in Glasgow? Things are all right at the minute reed-wise and I have a friend in town who keeps me sorted, but knowing others out there in the event I need back-up would be handy.
