Learning the Great Highland Bagpipes

The Great Highland Bagpipe is one of the finest instruments in the world. It is an artform that can be enjoyed at all levels of playing and furthers the tradition and continuation of this ancient instrument. Learning to play the pipes is an amazing opportunity and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. "How do I get started?", "What do I need to learn?" might be a couple of initial questions that you have. Hopefully by reading this blog, you come away with some answers. 

The bagpipe is certainly a unique instrument and completely alien to some. The uniqueness of the instrument also promotes the scarcity of resources for learning as you can't walk into your local music store and gather quality information. Here are the realities of learning and a few things to be mindful of as you are looking to begin your bagpiping journey:

No One Begins on the Actual Bagpipes:

To my knowledge, the bagpipe is the only instrument in the world that has a secondary instrument required for beginning. No one starts off with buying a set of highland pipes. You'll want to invest, first, in a practice chanter. This is a small practice tool that lets you practice the fingering and basic gracenotes without the loud volumes of the highland pipes. Usually made of plastic and involving no bag or drones, this small instrument doesn't sound like a bagpipe nor is it as hard as one. Every decent piper has begun their career on a practice chanter and, while this is a beginner's tool, you never stop using it. Bands, teachers, and experienced competitors continue to use the practice chanter for the rest of their lives on a daily basis. Why? For the same reason mentioned above, that you can practice the fingering and melody without the volume factor and there is virtually no stamina required to play it. After you have learned the basic embellishments and your first handful of tunes, you should be ready to move to the highland pipes, at which point you'll feel like you're starting all over again. Reaching this point can take anywhere from a half a year to upwards of 2 years.

Physically Taxing:

The Great Highland Bagpipe is easily one of the most difficult instruments in the world. Apart from the complicated finger technique required to play, there are strict physical demands from the pipes in order to be able to play the instrument. While a normal set of bagpipes weighs about 5 to 6 pounds they can feel incredibly heavy after a 30 or 60 minute practice session. The very beginning stages of learning will be the hardest. You will begin to experience light-headedness after a few minutes of blowing, but with practice, this will go away. Unfortunately, headaches will be frequent but staying hydrated will aid your short term endurance. You will experience soreness in the arm that is used to squeeze the bag since you will be using muscles in your arm that have never been used in this way before. Your lips will also begin to give out after a short while of playing but this should go away if practice is steady and consistent. Playing the bagpipes is like a full time gym membership, but instead of counting reps, you'll be counting minutes.

Volume: 

No one really understands how loud the bagpipes can be until they are practicing at home. The bagpipes were made to be played outdoors but doing this in your backyard today might result in some upset neighbors. One solo bagpipe will range at about 110 decibels (about as loud as a lawnmower) while a full pipe band will range at about 130 decibels (about as loud as a jet engine taking off). All players should begin with wearing ear protection as repeated exposure to these loud volumes will result in deafness over time. The frequency range of the bagpipe chanter is also very high. Most normal orchestral instruments tune their concert "A" to 440 hz while bagpipes tune their "A" anywhere from 470 to 486 resulting in a much more shrill and high pitch. The pipes carry over a great distance due to this piercing pitch and volume. One may want to think about where their practice will take place as many public places have noise ordinances which may disturb others around you. If you live in an apartment or with family members, you'll need to have the support of those around you or consider practicing elsewhere. 

Tuning:

The sound of the pipes is likely the most important aspect of performing. Tuning is a constant and ongoing process with the pipes. Even the most immaculate pipes and the best quality reeds are extremely temperamental and will need consistent attention throughout your playing sessions. The wood and the reeds are affected by the tiniest changes in temperature, moisture, and their contact with sunlight, let alone the small imperfections that the learner will bring to the table. The pipes will need to be tuned and warmed up every time you get them out of the box. Being a woodwind/mouthblown instrument, the pipes will need attention before and after playing as to not let moisture build up inside the bag and reeds. This is not like a piano or a guitar where they can be "close" or "recently tuned" and still have it sound presentable. A sincere effort to get the best intonation from your pipes will be a focus right from the start. In the highest level of competition playing, it is not abnormal to see a piper warm up/tune for 30 minutes and preform for 10 minutes. You can find a bad piper playing in-tune much more presentable than a good piper playing out of tune. 

Practice is Time Consuming:

As any musician will tell you, practice makes perfect and the bagpipes are no exception to this rule. Either on your pipes or your practice chanter, the time it takes to run through a good practice should take some effort. Only through intense and honest practice will an individual be able to progress normally onto their set of pipes which can take up to another several months or several years to become fully competent. A normal practice session with the practice chanter should last at least an hour. Beginners on the pipes will struggle to keep the instruments going for more than 5 (or so) minutes while many advanced players attend weekly band practices lasting an hour or more. Again, through regular practice, your endurance will improve. This must be upkept as well since the pipes and your stamina will fall into disrepair if regular practicing is missed for lengths of time. An alarming number of students wind up quitting tuition due to the practice requirements that the instrument demands. If you have issues with time commitment and/or don't have patience to sit and practice, you will struggle to improve at the rate your day allows.

Each of these aspects is a constant focus in learning the bagpipes. From finger-work to stamina and intonation to volume, you'll find that all of these will be regular points worth focusing on initially. After seeing what is required from you in order to sound presentable, here is what you need to keep in mind when starting to learn from scratch:

Beware Online Scams and Gimmicks:

In all honesty, who can blame someone for wanting a good deal on their first set of bagpipes? You may see prices online for a full set of highland pipes for as little as $200. Before eagerly heading to the checkout page you should be aware of some things. Firstly, a good set of pipes made of African Blackwood can be purchased for as cheap as $1,000 while a more inexpensive set made of Polypenco or Acetyl Plastic could be as low as $700. Both are good instruments but there are differences in tonal quality and stability. A typical beginner will most likely want a new set of pipes, but sometimes you can get a hold of a used set which could be cheaper. You'll always want an experienced piper to check these items for authenticity. Beware of instruments from Pakistan! These instruments, while cheap, are not made to be a functioning musical instrument, rather a decorative piece above the fireplace. Don't purchase this instrument thinking you will get a quality set. I myself fell into this very scenario when looking to buy my first set. Without much thinking, I bought a set from Pakistan thinking I could learn on it, but even today they hang on my wall above my fireplace. When in doubt, always check with another piper to make sure this is a real instrument. With today's internet, there are plenty of online forums available to someone who is looking to identify a set. 

Finding the Right Instructor:

Once again, with the uniqueness of this wonderful instrument, most people find it difficult to acquire a teacher. Doing an internet search for pipers or pipe bands in your area will do you the most good. Some bands will teach you if you are willing to join the organization once you are competent enough to play. In my experience, these lessons might be the best place to start. Bands often will only focus on the skills/repertoire that is needed in order to play in the band, sometimes to the detriment of the player later on in learning. An individual needs private tuition in a 1 on 1 environment that focuses on their goals and current skill level. I have found that an individual improves the quickest with tuition in a group setting as well as privately. This does then ask the question:

"What if I don't want to join a pipe band?"

Pipe bands are not for everyone, but even reaching out to the band might present someone who is available for private tuition. Once again, doing an internet search for pipers in your area will be a great place to start. A private teacher should be well aware of your goals and give you the music and skills that are needed to achieve this goal. Private teachers usually give lessons that last an hour, and a reasonable rate is anywhere from $25 to $70 for an hour. Remember, you are paying for someone's time as well as years of experience they've had playing this instrument. Even if you find an instructor who lives a few hours away, it would be worthwhile to do regular online lessons with a monthly visit for in-person playing as the two experiences are drastically different. Upon your first meeting with your new teacher, it is usually obvious if you are right for each other. There is a constant level of patience and repetition in learning so having a teacher who is understanding/patient and a student who is driven/committed is the only recipe for progress. As a piping teacher and student, I know the value of having someone who is both knowledgeable and practical in their teaching style. This asks yet another question:

"What if there aren't other pipers close to me or any that are willing to teach?"

Before admitting defeat in your search for a tutor, there are other options to investigate. Firstly, I cannot stress how important it is that you must have a teacher of some kind. I have never met anyone who has successfully taught themselves how to play the pipes and I would never recommend trying to tackle it on their own. Apart from walking yourself through the scale and basic note positions, I would go no further than that on your own. Trying to "teach yourself" will bring about problems in your technique and, over time, amounts to the instrument not sounding like it's supposed to. This can give the instrument a bad name. Everyone knows what a bad piano or guitar player sounds like, but with the pipes being as unique as they are, not everyone knows how a bagpipe is supposed to sound. It is important that they hear the instrument being played properly during their limited exposure. 

Online Lessons:

With the fantastic online resources today, you may be able to find someone who would be willing to teach you through Skype or other video lessons. You'll want to do your research on the types of teachers you want to take tuition from. There are even online piping schools which employ multiple instructors who have years of playing experience. It is truly amazing what an online search will do for you. In addition to online lessons, there are plenty of destination schools and workshops that are held all across the country and the world. These might last a weekend or a whole week and you'll get to learn from some of the world's best. It is hard to make consistent improvements with this as your only source of playing with others, but it is definitely a supplement to regular in-person or online tuition. 

We are proud to offer our own virtual "Pipe Web Chat Service" where you can talk to our experienced piping staff about anything bagpipe related. Sign up for a 15 minute session for $15 (or even several in a row), and we'll call you through Zoom or Skype at a time that is convenient to you! Great for pipe bands, beginners, and even the aspiring solo piper. Learn more here: https://www.jhiggins.net/video-web-chat-fee-based-advice-help/

Students Beware:

Another aspect to be wary of is the "price point" teacher. Most self-respecting pipers who aren't qualified to teach will refer you to a good musician for lessons. However, there are those who are willing to take your money and keep you sounding terrible so you keep coming back for lessons. You definitely want someone reputable who will honor your commitment to learning. Being on the internet, you do need to be careful about the advertising used by a "teacher". A good teacher lets their accolades speak for them and a self-promoter will remind you of them constantly. Most beginners aren't aware of the skill of their teacher, but the simple way to avoid this is to listen to them play. Your progress will also be a sign of the level of experience your teacher has. If it has been 6 months from your introduction to learning and you're still working on the scale, you may want to revaluate your instruction method. By and large, you get what you pay for. Do your research and be smart about who you choose for tuition. 

Things to Remember:

Anyone can learn how to play. I have successfully taught people of all different ages and no one is incapable of learning. It all depends on your own personal work ethic and the guidance of your teacher. Your own goals will play a part in the kind of practice you need to perform. Your teacher should be aware of the goals you have set for yourself and should be able to help achieve those goals with the right type of instruction. For example, you shouldn't be focused on heavy competition music if your goal is to play in your local St. Patrick's Day Parade. And on the other hand, you shouldn't only know how to play "Star Wars" or "Mary had a little Lamb". Your goals will be able to tell you what you need to focus on. Generally, these steps will be apparent upon begining but it's important to have a teacher to tell you where your faults are. You should be seeing improvement over time, but your progress won't show overnight. It takes weeks and months to see progress on small things. I recommend recording yourself regularly and rewatching old clips to visually and audibly check your progress. Yes, there will be times where you feel like you aren't moving forward, but stick with it. Having a healthy amount of faith in yourself and your teacher will keep you going on your journey to learning the bagpipes. 

Feel free to get in touch with us about any questions or comments!

• Call us on 800-426-7268
• Email us at: admin@jhiggins.net