Daughter on pipes

gerrymceltic · Post by **gerrymceltic** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:14 pm

My middle daughter,who is 8,keeps asking me when she can start to learn the pipes(there's always piping CD's on,so it's not from me).She's learning the whistle,I'm just wondering what age do you think she should start on the pipes.It leads to a few other questions,for example, are all practise sets the same size?Or knowing childrens ear for learning would she be teaching me in a few years?Being new to this forum I know this has probably been discussed already,if it has please accept my apologises now.
Cheers.

WannabePiper · Post by **WannabePiper** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:19 pm

Start her now!

BigDavy · Post by **BigDavy** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:56 pm

Hi gerrymceltic

She'll be teaching you in a few years.

If you think she will keep it up, then go for it. You should be able to get a local pipemaker to make a suitable practice set.

David

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 10:25 pm

If she is exhibiting a desire to learn the pipes, by all means support her in that desire. Cool!

jdevereux · Post by **jdevereux** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 10:30 pm

You should have her playing now. As somone who took up the instrument at a young age (and is still pretty young now), I can't tell you enough how greatful she will be to you later for getting her started.

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 10:44 pm

BigDavy wrote: She'll be teaching you in a few years.

And a few years' after that it'll be, "Dad, can I borrow the pipes tonight?"

Douglas · Post by **Douglas** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 12:18 am

That is great

My daughter is 8 and I would like her to take up the pipes. She seems to think it is more of a boy thing, but of course there are some great pipers that are girls which i have pointed out. She is more interested in my piano and guitars.

I just recently got a whistle and I am worse at that than piping. But it would be a great start for her. Hopefully at least my son will take up the pipes. I want both to be pipers so they can join the world of surly people.

gerrymceltic · Post by **gerrymceltic** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 4:16 am

Thanks for you reply's, I will definitely see about getting her a set.I was getting a mixed response for some teachers I know,but now I will go for it.The reason I said about her teaching me is I'm finding them very hard hard going at the moment.I know practise,practise,practise.
Cheers.

billh · Post by **billh** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 5:31 am

Hand span can be a problem. I have a student age 10 ATM with very small hands for her age and she cannot span a standard chanter at all. She's currently using a narrow-bore D with unusually small right-hand tonehole span (78mm).

Whistle is a good start.

Bill

snoogie · Post by **snoogie** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 5:37 am

Get her started now. There is a girl who I think is about 9 now and featured on the cover of the last NPU magazine, An Piobaire.

When I was at Willie Clancy week in 2004, she was then 8 and in my beginner class. (I was older than everyone else in the class, even if you added all their ages together!!) At that time, she could hear the tune and immediately play it back, even though her fingers could barely stretch far enough to cover the holes on the chanter. She must be playing really well now....did any of you hear her play this year?

At that age, they can absorb everything and make it look easy.

Since your daughter has expressed interest, definitely do everything you can to encourage her.

-gary

gerrymceltic · Post by **gerrymceltic** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 6:02 am

I wish I was young again,as you said they can absorb loads.
Gerry.

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:13 am

If her hands are too small to handle a D whistle, she will definitely have trouble with a chanter. Some makers in the past made Eb sets for people with smaller hands. There are a few floating around still. If that is the case, you might want to get just a practise set in Eb now that she can learn on, and put her on a D set when she's grown a bit more.

djm

PJ · Post by PJ » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:53 am

Seth Hamon was recently talking about making a chanter in E. Why don't you email or pm him. On this forum he goes by the name texasbagpiper and his website is http://www.hamonbagpipes.com/

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