I’ve been looking to take up the Uilleann pipes for a few years now and have finally decided to invest in a start set in the next 6 months or so. Before I do, I have a question for anyone who cares to give so input;
I’ve played tin whistle for a number of years now, Low D, and regular whistle, so I’m familiar with a ‘pipers grip’ on the chanter or whistle. That said, would it be better to invest in a half set to learn on, rather than upgrade a practise set later? I know on the Highland pipes, the drones can be shut off, so to speak…is this true on Uilleann Pipes as well?
Any input would be appreciated, as well as an idea for a good pipe maker to start with…
I reviewed the FAQ’s before I first posted…I was just curious if anyone had advice specific to my experience with Low Whistles, and whether I should by my first set w/ drones or without. The FAQ was helpful, but I’m after advice for a specific question…thanks though.
BTW, I was also wondering what is a decent amount to invest in a starter set…I realize some of these so-called budget sets costing around $400 or so, are ‘rubbish’…lol.
Mattie,
I am new to this community as well (relatively speaking). Here is some info that I found useful. Pros and cons for the practice set (what you called the starter set) and a half set (from recommendations and comments given to me by seasoned pipers when I began this journey):
Practice set
Lower cost than half set; no drones to encumber playing or distract; allows one to focus on bellows and bag action (a critical step in early learning); less invested if you decide to quit (which happens a lot with this instrument); lighter to transport; oh yeah, and only one reed to worry about
Half set
More up front investment, but less to upgrade later; the drones can be easily switched off, allowing one to focus on bag/bellows/chanter technique; having drones can act as incentive to learn and stick with the instrument (they complete the sound of the pipes in my opinion)
As for your whistle experience: Since the low whistle/UP connection is only such with loose regard to chanter fingering, your question as it pertains to drones or set configuration does not make much sense. Having low whistle experience will not aid or hinder you with regard to drones or initial set configuration…in my opion the matters are mutually exclusive.
As for a reasonable amount to invest, or a maker…it depends. Price, build, and even pitch/tonal characteristics vary by maker, so your question is more complicated than it might seem to you. For that, I pass on the advice given to me by some members on this board…Find a few pipers and listen to their sets. Take your time, and familiarize yourself with a number of pipers and tunes. Nab some recordings of great pipers and develop an ear for the instrument. Oh, and stay away from Pakistani instruments. Those are fairly acceptable universal truths in the UP world. Everything else…it just depends.
–Blake
(By the way, I elected to start with a half set. If I had it to do all over again, I would go with a half set…no question about it. But that is just me…)
Drawing from my own experience, I’m glad I didn’t get a half set until I had been playing for several years. I went trough a number practise sets from different makers before I found a chanter that felt right for me. They were all good pipemakers and fine practise sets, but with added experience I could tell what instrument just felt right in my hands and gave a preferred response.
General advice, especially for a newbie would be a full time maker as near to you as possible as the reeds will have been made in the climate they are going to be played in
Drones - yes like the GHB they can be stopped individually during the tuning process by putting a finger over the exit hole to clap the reed. Unlike the GHB the main stock has switch to enable them to be switched completely off turning the set in a practice set.
Many thanks to all who’ve responded. I currently live in Ontario Canada, where it’s hot and extremely humid during the late spring to late summer, so I’d best search for someone within the province then to start of with.
I’ll most likely start off with the practise set then, to see how I manage with this endeavour.
I’m going to search for someone in ON, but if anyone knows of reputable pipemakers in Canada, feel free to let me know.
I like the idea of getting a pipe-maker as close to you as possible, and the closest likely is David Quinn - unfortunately you’d have to wait a dozen years to get one of his sets. The next closest is Seth Gallagher - fabulous pipes and there have been some 2nd hand sets for sale recently, and of course you could contact Seth directly from his website uilleann.com.
We recently lost our homebred protegé Joe Kennedy to Ireland who has since acquired a list of waiting like so many other deserving makers, and that leaves the Canadian scene rather vapid.
If budget is a priority and you want a decent playable practise set, you may consider the boys at uilleannpipeworks.com - great guys and they aim to please.
I can say without exaggerating, that this forum has been the most helpful so far, of any forum for any topic, that I’ve ever been on.
With all this info, it won’t be long till I’m able to make an informed decision about my first set…thanks all. I’ll be sure to keep my progress posted.
I just purchased my 1st Uilleann pipes practice set from C.J. Dixon, who is right there in Ontario. His prices are pretty good, and his pipes play very nicely from what I’ve heard. (Mine are only just ordered, haven’t received them yet.) You should check his site out, too. I believe it’s www.cjdixon.com. Hope this possibly helps.
I believe the answer to your question about practice vs. half vs full set very much depends on you.
I never even considered the practice set. I knew that I could turn off the drones…or put a big plug in the mainstock. I only regret not having bought the full set in the beginning.
More important than which size set to buy is making sure that whatever you buy is set up for you when you get it. I had no U-pipers around me, so I really didn’t know what the response was supposed to be.
Once you are assured that the set is responding correctly, you will know that problems lie with you and not your set. It removes one of the variables of the learning equation.
I’d advise learners looking to purchase to buy the very best chanter they can afford. This may put half sets out of monetary reach at first, but a first quality practice set can be upgraded to a first quality half set or full set. To put it bluntly, if it’s a choice between a $1600 practice set and a $1600 half set, go for the practice set. Unless the seller is being foolish, or misrepresenting something, there is a reason for the price difference between things. Also, unlike more mass-produced musical instruments where reasonably good “student model” instruments are commonplace, the differences at the expensive end of the spectrum are usually evident even to the beginner. Because the instrument isn’t really standardized, and because of the history and economics of pipemaking, there is a wide range in quality and playing characteristics that one expects to encounter.
The probably limiting factor besides price is availability. The best sets have very long waiting lists in general. A used set may be a good option but if you go that route you’ll need to have the set checked out by someone pretty knowledgeable, and you should consider resale value. In other words, it’s probably safer to buy an expensive used set from an “A-list” maker than a bargain used set.
While I agree that drones can be useful in the first couple of years if you happen to have them, I would not advise learners to use them for the first year except for bellows practice, with the chanter stopped. (For that latter purpose they can be very useful indeed).
You might want to read the article on choosing a practice set in the latest edition of NPU’s An Piobaire.
- unfortunately you’d have to wait a dozen years to get one of his sets. The next closest is Seth Gallagher - fabulous pipes and there have been some 2nd hand sets for sale recently, and of course you could contact Seth directly from his website