Ok this may seem like an odd question, but here I go anyways.
I have received my practice set last month and just recently started playing more as my work schedule has calmed down…so last night I wake up with a spasm on the lower right rib cage where the bellows contacts my body. Has anyone else noticed this when they start playing? Am I just freaking wierd? Is it a normal beginners sign? Am I just pushing too damn hard on the bellows? I do notice that the rubber connector between the bellows and the bag seems to kink and I was thinking of shortening it…maybe that is causing some backwards air pressure which causes me to press harder on the bellows…
You shouldn’t have to pump so hard on the bellows that you end up hurting yourself. Get yourself checked out by a doctor. Then get your technique checked out by an experienced piper. Remember to get the order right: doctor first, then piper.
You have my permission to move the bellows around to any position which is comfortable for you. The bellows does not have to be parallel to your waist. You can tip it up or down; move it forward or back.
If you find the hose connecting your bellows to the bag is limiting, replace it with a longer hose. My connecting hose is 18" long and is flexible. It does not push or pull the bag. I can move with ease. Reaching down to tune the drones does not pull the rest of the set out of position. I like to tip the front end of my bellows up.
The only rule is: there are no rules. Suit yourself.
I was actually thinking of making my connector hose shorter as it seems to bunch up and kink which I think is creating backpressure into the bellows which in turn is causing me to pump harder. However, I think I may wait until I get a lesson before I make any structural changes to my set. I am sure there are somethings related to technique that need to be improved.
Being that I am a doctor I was able to rule out anything bad with my rib pain, then again doctor’s are supposed to be the worst patient’s aren’t they?
When I first started playing I had a pretty decent practice set. But the bellows would hurt after a while. In one case after a long practice session I was bruised. I put a towel between me and the bellows, it made practicing less painful but it was a bit awkward. Eventually when I got my set from Seth G. the problem went away. The bellows were much better.
If I don’t use a padded bellows, I end up bruising the top of my hip bone. To remedy this I use a folded up t-shirt (the '07 St. Louis Tionol shirt to be exact, because I thought the design was lame and I never wear it ).
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