Kind of a weird story, so I’ve been playing guitar and bass for many years, I also sing in a choir and have recorded and toured live in various musical projects. The thing is I am now in a new project which is metal genre at the core, but we are writing a concept album on the story of Boudicca of the Iceni tribe and her retaliation against the Roman raping and killing of her daughters and people, which ultimately ended in her suicide at the point of a Roman “victory”.
Anyway, for this project, I have to learn the tin whistle and the uilleann pipes. I already started learning the tin whistle and actually don’t find it that bad/difficult since there are many good free resources online, as well I bought a good introductory book from Clarke and it really takes you step by step. Uilleann pipes however, is a different story. I can’t find/afford teachers in my area (Montréal Québec Canada) and after a month of playing it still sounds like there is a duck dying in my apartment. I’m starting to wonder what I got myself into, and am questioning whether this instrument is worth me putting the time in to learn. I’m also a full time student so between that and playing in the band and trying to learn the instrument I feels like I’m trying to move the immovable object, I’ve never had such a hard time learning an instrument before!
So, I figured I would post here to get some advice, of course I’m interested in free/cheap learning resources for beginners, but I will also take any warnings that I would be better off to run for the hills haha! I want to put in the time to practice but I don’t want this instrument to take over my life either! The reason I’m learning in the first place is because after months of searching, we haven’t been able to find a pipe player who is also interested into extreme metal (can you imagine?).
The above link is 10 years old and no longer valid. Check Facebook for Uilleann Quebec.
The uilleann pipes are not easy to learn. You will need to put aside distractions for at least the first year and concentrate exclusively on the pipes.
Invest in a good quality practice set. Avoid eBay junk and sets made in Pakistan.
Have realistic goals. It will take you a while before you can play the pipes at a level appropriate for recording or public performance. Also the uilleann pipes are great for playing traditional irish music. I’ve heard them played in light rock ensembles and they sounded good enough. I’ve no idea how they would sound in a metal group.
Didn’t know that, but I have access to the website though. It’s still online. Maybe it would be better to suppress it.
Bound to have a whole lot of problems with the sound system, microphones and all the rest…
To second Rory, I’d go for that, even if it is a bit different. Got a friend who’s got one, and he recently played with a rock band. It did the job pretty well : http://redpipes.eu/Seiten_engl/index_engl.html
Thanks for all the responses guys! I’ve actually tried contacting a few people from the Quebec Uilleann Pipe page but never got any responses. For now I think I’m gonna go with IrishMusicAcademy on youtube, they have lessons I used for tin whistle and honestly they are quite good, hopefully their pipe lessons are good as well. In reference to the Vpipes, the output it still MIDI and we already have a keyboard player with a whole Korg workstation so I think it would be quite redundant. For those who want to hear Uilleann pipes in metal here are two bands to give you a general idea.
I don’t play pipes .. I play whistle and flute, but I read a lot of the piping postings as I would love to be able to afford a set and learn someday.
Which begs the question … where did you get a set and how much?? They are expensive so saying you can’t afford lessons but have pipes raises the question.
I’d say for your current project … forget the pipes … you are f’n nuts!! You need a few lessons to at least get you going, that’s not a whistle.
The infinit link to the Quebec pipers is no longer valid. Some of the people listed on that link are no longer piping, others have moved. I’m on that list but my email address has changed.
The best way to contact pipers in Québec is via the following Facebook link:
Necromancer: One useful resource in Montreal is the Siamsa school (http://www.siamsa.org/). They don’t have a resident piper but they do offer classes in tin whistle.
Hi, normally if someone is going to learn the pipes, outside of their teenage years, it’s because the’ve fallen in love with the instrument and are suited to the quirky dedication that’s needed to keep it up despite the difficulties. If you’re just learning for a few sets in a group then I would say you’re creating a lot of hassle for yourself. You might be better sticking with the whistle on which you could make fast progress if you’re already musical. Learning the pipes is more a special interest/passion especially if you’re not in your teens. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!!
You are not going to learn these things in a short time frame, no matter how talented.
Go for it, but take the pragmatic approach.
what are your fellow musicians expectations. What positions on the scale do you have to reach.
Gather the info on what this instrument can achieve - in its many forms; D/G scale, etc. And appreciate that floating out of the comfort zone of each means, a likely change in hardware.
Then, there are the practical difficulties of mastering bellows/bag air control, octave jumps at their basic, let alone all the other stuff that goes with being a piper, particular to an uilleann piper.
Its a journey that will put you in touch with a musicians/composers problems from the early days of musical presentation to an audience, largely ignorant of the then limitations, vis a viz, the luxuries of the present.
I have absolutely nothing to add, but some thread titles (subjects) are just impossible not to read. This is one of them! I must learn UP for celtic metal band!
It would be easier for you to use a syntheisizer if you just need the sound of the pipes in a metal band for a few numbers in a recording studio or on stage. The uilleann pipes are considered a difficult instrument for most people to learn unless you are a natural like Cian Smyth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K9rPHs2fXo
However if you have been captivated by the sound of the pipes, and really want to become a serious uilleann piper then there are a number of sources available and NPU http://pipers.ie/
will certainly be able to help you out in some way as regards finding a tutor in your area or suitable on-line lessons.
