another thing, and I’ll shut up . . .
I watched a video once of some Ugandan musicians, and there was a particular instrument that was basically a big log carved into a sort of xylophone or marimba. The thing was huge, like the size of 5 picnic tables lined up end to end. A goodly amount of men and boys sat at the instrument facing each other and with mallets started collectively making this wonderful music. What i noticed was one person on one side of the instrument would play a melody in say, eighth notes, and the person across him would follow his melody in syncopated sixteenths after him, and the melody seemed to be a sort of random creation, and following was like a game. But the person following wouldn’t miss a single note the lead would play. Some would play bass, baritone, tenor, etc. It was rather amazing.
My point is, in this session, hearing was key in creating this music. 50 guys at one instrument, they would have to be able to hear each other, and coordinate with each other. Hearing was key.
Hey all:
Besides the UPs, I also play the djembe, a west african hand drum. Mamady Keita, one of the two or three premiere players, said in a workshop that I was in that when he first came to the west to teach, people kept asking him “Where’s the one?” (ie first beat of the bar) He had no idea at all what they were talking about. He’d never learned to count as we do. He had to go and teach himself how to count like that. He kept telling us that learning off a peice of paper was a complete waste of time. Besides, often that music does not fit into 4/4 or 6/8 but in the tensions set up between playing a 4/4 and a 6/8 at the same time.
I’ve been playing for 7 years now (the djembe, I mean) I and I’ve finally begun to understand that the notes on paper are only an approximation of the music they represent. I think with Irish music, it’s somewhat the same. The rhytyms can be represented, not replicated. The feel of the music is somethying you just have to learn to hear and feel. Takes time and a sprinkling of joy. Garnish well and serve hot. 
Mark
My favorite group is Lunasa by far. When I saw Cillian play a solo called the “wounded Hessian”, I knew I had to make a the move from Low whistle to the pipes.
I can play that tune with no problem on low whistle and it was learned by ear so I hoping that I can do the same with pipes… 
I think you still do not distinguish between learning tunes and learning the pipes. Is this thread about learning tunes or learning to play the pipes?
Yeah I guess it would have to be defined…as Peter says..
Playing a tune by ear or by book..or playing the pipes by ear or by book.
Which is it? 
Point taken:
Firstly: Learning a tune I am not concerned with. Its always come natural and easy for me. But I would like to know if those who have the art of piping down, do they learn better by ear or do they read music.
Secondly: Being a beginner is it easier to learn the pipes by hearing them being played or by a instructional manual?
Please remember that I am in KENTUCKY and there arn’t any U-pipe instructors here or near. The closest Festivals are in St. Louis, Memphis and maybe Nashville.
So with that being said I strongly believe that I will become my own instructor, I don’t see any alternative.
You can always arrange for lessons by phone or by cassette.
You can also travel once or twice a year to a nearby tionól. An hour in front of an experienced piper can save you months of frigging around and forming bad habits. No teach-yourself tutor can do that.
For learning by ear, get the three NPU videos. They are not much help for starting out, but once a piper has got you going they can be of some help. For learning both aurally and visually Heather Clarke’s tutor is by far the best, though still woefully inadequate as a sole source of instruction.
As with anything else, some prior musical training/experince may help or hinder, depending more on the individual than anythin else. Once you are well and away through the Clarke tutor you may then want to try the MadForTrad CD ROM.
djm
On the other hand there’s also a DVD of Sean Potts “Mad for Trad” that I own which is a great start on the pipes, you can order those on-line as well. Very informative.
I think you need certain piping techniques explained to you while being able to hear how they sound so you’ll be able to recognise them when you listen to a piper playing. That can take the form of teaching sessions, a tutor with both written and recorded music or the videos. I do also think, having learned to play the pipes in total isolation with only annual tuition I think I can say that much, you will need some feedback on your progress to keep you on the straight and narrow. In my experience few can step back far enough to listen to their own playing and judge critically whether or not they are on the right track. In other words ideally you need some sort of assesment every now and again with a few pointers what you should work on and how to go about that.
With MP3s flying around the world this should be a manageable strategy.
I think the first few posts answered that. Listen, listen, listen.
Listen. The NPU videos are the best thing out there. You get visual and aural info. THe first one, apparently, is out on DVD now.
You actually have a great piper living in Bowling Green. Skip Cleavinger is his name (sorry Skip;) ). Ask any GHB playing association for his number.
I was just there playing at a Highland Games out in fecking Glasgow, KY… I have to admit I was a little afraid 
I kinda wished I had brought a banjo instread of the pipes 
Patrick.
Michael Kilbane teaches the pipes up in Cleveland, specifically Bay Village. He’s talking about offering a weekend boot camp for pipers, heavy on instruction and follow-up feedback.
Peter’s talking about learning to produce piping with your pipes, not just going through the motions of playing tunes. You know what piping sounds like after listening to good examples for a few years and then hearing bad piping, which is wrong in various ways: stiff, drab, boring, lacking in personality. Of course if you heap on the idiosyncracies too much they might kick you out of the session/group. It depends on what you want to do with the things.
Another use for sheet music is to broaden your repetoire. I’ve learned a good few tunes purely from sheet music, O’Neill’s and other old books, and can hear these tunes in my head even though I’ve never heard anyone else play them. Interpreting the “bare bones” music in these old books is something I want to write an article about - pipers still mostly favor those piping tunes - Sean Reid’s Favorite, Kesh Jig, etc. etc. - it’s nice to hear something new for a change. There’s also the repetoire of other instruments, which has plenty of music that works well on the pipes, but pipers never put out records with Richard Brennan’s Favorite or The New Policeman etc.