I started this thread partly to introduce myself, and partly because I’m so excited to soon start learning the uilleann pipes with my new Jeffries half set that I got from a fellow board member - and thought I would ask what advice you guys would have for someone beginning with this curious instrument.
I don’t mean technical things so much, more matters of how to stay motivated; what things can get in the way of your desire to play etc. Because I think in my case finding time and energy will be my biggest obstacle in the future; things I feel strongly about at one time can kind of fall by the wayside months later. But I’m fully mentally prepared for the initial difficulties in playing, and I’m resolved to stick at this and learn to play properly.
My name is John and I live in Sydney, Australia. I’m 19 and studying digital media at the University of New South Wales (in my 2nd year). I’ve played highland pipes since I was 12 and still play occasionally with the NSW Police Pipe Band… also the concert flute (not for a long time now though), and the low whistle (an Overton low C and Reviol low D).
I say hello to all you fellow uilleann pipers out there and look forward to meeting more than a few of you in the course of my piping adventure!
Greetings to you! Great to hear about another college Uilleann Piper! I’ll be 19 in a week, and I’m a music history major at UW Milwaukee.
I find that finding time to practice here is the biggest problem. Quite luckily for me, my suit mates don’t mind when I practice in my room, so that helps.
Motivation can be hard. There’s no one around here (that I know of) that I can go to for help or an encoruaging word. Anyone out there by you?
Welcome to the world of misery… I mean uilleann piping. I think the best advice is listen to lots of piping music. Both contemporary and the classics. Search through the archives and you’ll find great examples. For a wonderful intro take a look at volumes 1 and 2 of The Drones and the Chanters. You should be able to order it through Amazon. Another piece of advice that everyone will give you is to get to a tionól. This is especially important if you don’t have a local teacher.
This was posted the other day, and if it wasn’t so long, I’d make it my signature. One of the most satisfying things about playing the pipes, for me at any rate, is the sense of elation you get when, after tuning up in a room with good acoustics, you discover that everything is just right: the drones steady and sonorous, the regulators crisp and tuneful and the chanter sweet and responsive. The truth is I really look forward to those five or six days every year. Moreover, one of the best things about it all is that it is nearly always a surprise when it happens as, generally speaking, there is no obvious forewarning that this nirvana is imminent. Of course the downside is that there is no telling when the instrument is going to fall from this exalted state of grace. In my own case, this sudden, total and unfathomable deterioration of the core functions of the instrument can lead to uncharacteristic and persistent bouts of bad temper and anger, involuntary, irrational and often quite vicious outpourings of downright hatred targeted directly at the instrument resulting in disturbingly high levels of paranoia and frustration usually manifested by raising questions as to whatever made me think of taking up such a ridiculously unreliable instrument in the first place. Worst of all, when logic has been completely displaced and discarded, in an effort to stay in control, I resort to prolonged outbursts of ungentlemanly language. You know the sort of thing. I suppose the whole process might be best looked on as character building, depending on how you fare. – Robbie Hannan
Misterpatrick that quote is hilarious! I thought I was used to temperamental instruments with the GHB, but sounds like I’m in for something (much) worse hehe… like returning to the good ol’ days of cane drones and leather bags… and then some
Or a guitar. A friend began to play acoustic guitar a few years ago. For the first few months, he brought it back to the music shop once a week to have it tuned. Every time he went, they charged him 5 quid. I tried on several occasions to tell him how to do it himself, but I was laughing so much that I could never finish my sentences.
Johnnyboi- if you’re coming from Highland pipes you’ll find that uilleann pipes are both less tempermental and more tempermental, in different ways. Since the bellows suck in the ambient air, the uilleann pipes stay much more stable than mouth-blown pipes (where the reeds alternately dry out and get very wet). Once set up and tuned, uilleann pipes will stay in tune forever IF THE AMBIENT AIR REMAINS STABLE. That’s the rub. A mouth-blown bagpipe receives the same amount of moisture regardless of the ambient humidity, and will, when completely “warmed up”, play about the same in the Sahara Desert or the Amazonian jungle. The uilleann pipes are VERY sensitive to changes in the ambient humidity and temperature.
Here in Southern California, playing uilleann pipes is difficult, as our humidity can drop from 70% to 10% within a few minutes when our dreaded “Santa Ana” or “Santana” (identically pronounced in Spanish) winds begin to blow. I’ve had perfectly fine reeds suddenly collapse and die forever.
I thought I was used to temperamental instruments with the GHB, but sounds like I’m in for something (much) worse hehe… like returning to the good ol’ days of cane drones and leather bags… and then some 
