If I were to begin learning pipes . . .

herbivore12 · Post by **herbivore12** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 11:47 am

. . . how long would it be until everyone starts looking at me askance, and making that little drawing-circles-around-the-ear-with-an-index-finger gesture?

But really, a couple easy questions:

1. Is it possible to get decent bellows and bag made from a non-leather material?

2. I seem to prefer the sound of flat sets to concert-pitch sets. Sweet, mellow, satisfying. I realize there'd be, um, issues with playing such a set at a session with a bunch of D-pitched flutes and whistles, but . . . Is it feasible to start learning on a flat set -- does anyone even make flat-pitch practice sets? -- or should I start with a concert-pitch get-up?

3. I'm 32. Any chance I can actually learn the things, or play well enough that I don't cause much damage, before I'm using a cane and moaning on about how much better things were back in the old days?

4. What else should I know? (Buy the NPU tutors, seek local tuition, yada yada, but anything else I'm missing, here?)

Danke.

--Aaron

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 11:57 am

Aaron -

It took about 11 seconds for me to recognize that "look" when I first started.

It goes away, with practice. How long it takes for that look to go away is up to you.

I'd strongly recommend that you contact either the San Francisco pipers' club or the Southern California Club, and visit with those folks. And listen to what they say and what they play.

Then you will have the answer.

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 12:08 pm

Aaron, check your private messages...

Happy kiting!

PS: the pipes are slightly harder to learn

herbivore12 · Post by **herbivore12** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 12:30 pm

L,

Checked my PMs, but nothing's there. Maybe you sent via e-mail? If so, I'll get it when I get home tonight.

(Hey, I tried one of those big kite surfing kites a couple weeks ago. Stood on the beach and got dragged around; pretty powerful things! May have to try it on the water. . .)

--A

Jim McGuire · Post by **Jim McGuire** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 12:47 pm

You might consider buying a flat set (chanter, drones, and regs), say in C, and also acquiring a D concert pitch chanter (usually a D chanter is all that is required for joining in, often no need for drones). You'd have the best of both worlds!

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:02 pm

Aaron, expect to find tutorial media only in the key of D.

Calum · Post by **Calum** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:58 pm

I'm surprised Kevin hasn't yet mentioned Brad Angus's narrow bore D sets...

Seriously, if you like the flat pitch sound, a narrow bore chanter in D might be just what you're after. Old fashioned sound, but in tune! What more could one want? Oh yeah, a choice of even temperament or just intonation

Cheers,
Calum

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 4:08 pm

Totally OT, but I just can't take those wee devil emoticons seriously. They look like they're wearing mascara.

Carry on.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 4:15 pm

Nano, that's what happens when you try to dress up tomatoes at this time of year. Not even mascara helps. All we can do now is wait for the Great Pumpkin to arrive ...

djm

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 4:16 pm

well, I had read somewheres that the pipes take 7 years learning, 7 years practicing, and 7 years playing to master.

And it was Séamus Ennis that once said, "If ever you get your pipes completely in tune, that's when your troubles begin."

herbivore12 · Post by **herbivore12** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 12:23 am

Calum wrote:I'm surprised Kevin hasn't yet mentioned Brad Angus's narrow bore D sets...

That sounds pretty interesting, actually, at least as a practice set before moving to flat sets.

I've been grooving on Ronan Browne's stuff, lately, and on some other flat set recordings, but maybe learning on a narrow-bore set in D would be a good compromise. I'l look into it. Thanks!

--Aaron

Kevin L. Rietmann · Post by **Kevin L. Rietmann** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 2:10 am

Calum wrote:I'm surprised Kevin hasn't yet mentioned Brad Angus's narrow bore D sets...

Why on earth would I?

Seriously, if you like the flat pitch sound, a narrow bore chanter in D might be just what you're after. Old fashioned sound, but in tune!

So "old fashioned" means out of tune?
32 isin't too late to start. One of Bill Och's students took up the pipes at 65 or thereabouts. You just have to have your head screwed on straight. Or crooked. Get me?
You can make a pipe bag out of naugahyde vinyl. I believe I heard it said that they don't make very good bellows, though, so you might have to swallow your principles there, and rub your stomach against dead animal skin, yecchhhh... Do a websearch for "naugahyde pipe bag," or search the archives of this forum. There's heaps of bitter arguments about the merits of various pipemakers, too, including this narrow D bizwax. Also the uilleann pipes mailing list archives.
What happened to this FAQ idea? Anyone working on that 'un?

snoogie · Post by **snoogie** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:11 am

Yep, still working on the FAQ. I've got a draft of the first few questions that I want to make one more editing pass at before I post them. Expect it in the next couple of days.

Work has kept me busy in the past couple of weeks, so I haven't made as much progress on the FAQ as I had hoped...oh well.

Regards,
Gary

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 7:05 am

I'm surprised you would suggest naugahyde. The original request was for a bag material that did NOT come from leather/animal origins.

jqpublick · Post by **jqpublick** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 11:15 am

pity all the thousands of teeny tiny naugas that gave their unselfish lives for your bag.... or your couch or your Mid-70s 'faux-leather' jacket.....