I have played whistle for a little over three years now, specifically low whistles. For some strange reason I find myself drawn to the Uilleann Pipe and I love the sound (some call it noise, but not I).
My question to the forum is: Would it be foolish for a guy my age (41) to invest in a set of pipes and I need to know how hard are they to play. I know that they are much more difficult than the whistle, but considering I play the lows about 1 to 2 hours daily…I would have time to practice.
If I were convinced that they would be worth the investment, I would at this point sell all my whistles (except a couple) to gather the funds needed.
Well, Keith, if you think you may have the bug, you really ought to attend one or more tionols, especially some of the bigger, very very pipe-intensive ones like the east coast tionol or the vermont piper’s gathering. The west coast events - Southern California, San Francisco, and Seattle are all terrific as well. Saint Louis is closer to you, but the piper turn out is low in comparison to the others I mentioned; still you might get a chance to hear some nice music and see what’s involved. Just go and take a look and a listen and see if you want to do it. It will be time and money well spent.
Keith, you’ve obviously been bitten by the bug Go on and get them, I started at 44 and had plenty of time to practice too. I also played other instruments including whistles but I admit they have taken a bit of a back seat, I’m just getting back into my whistles after 2 1/2 years although my other instruments have long gone.
It IS worth it and you’ll never be satisfied till you’ve done it.
All the Best
Mark
The trick is to attend a piping event as Pat has suggested, buy a piper lots of beers and, once you suspect he is unprepared, ask to try his pipes in a very sweet and beguiling way (chocolate covered dancing girls would help at this point). You don’t need/want to try a full set, just a beginner’s set or half set would do, so you can get a chance to give them a squeeze and find out what its like.
Making the commitment to learn the pipes is like making a commitment to get a PhD – you have to be persistent and dedicated, willing to work hard, and not be easily frustrated. And you’ve got to really love the sound; that love will carry you through the hard bits.
One of the biggest differences between the pipes and the whistle is that you can pick up the whistle and it’ll play, whereas with the pipes you are frequently spending time just getting the instrument into a state in which it can be played. I think that’s the main reasons why so many beginning pipers give up after a while…the instrument itself is not all that hard to learn to play, compared with something like the fiddle; it’s more the issues with reeds and tuning, etc. that you have to deal with.
Go for it Kieth, I didn’t get started until 40. Sure, they’re difficult at first, but that is half of the joy… the cool little discoveries just around every corner you take with them. Eventually you will get used to the coordination required to play them.
To echo Mr. Cannady, attending a tionol featuring the pipes and giving them a listening to up close and in person is the best way to get started. I have no doubt that someone will let you strap on a set, and when you do, your journey to the ‘Dark Side’ will be complete.
There are good pipers in your neck of the woods (some of whom contribute to this board), and I am certain that they would be willing to help you out with pointers and such. Good luck, and happy hunting.
One thing that carries me through as a relative newb is reading this forum. It’s nice to know that all my troubles with the instrument are shared by others.
I wouldn’t let your age figure in this, I just turned 42 and I am just starting.
I have been playing GHB for about 2 years, but this is something that I always wanted to do, even more so.
I still play the GHB and now the UP. I say go for it!!!
Did you try the instrument from a friend?
There is no special year (age) to start a musical instrument the only thing you need is to “realy want to do it”.
Let’s go!
Peter Browne was on television (on The Raw Bar) saying that if you haven’t started the pipes by 18 you’ll be struggling with them forever, never being able to really make a fist of them, an evelasting unsatisfying thing.
Not that I would completely agree with him, age can be a factor. I know many people who started at later age, I know someone who started at 80. The question is ofcourse what do you want out of playing them, where do you want to take them and all things considered will you be able to?
That’s a lot of whistles you must have on hand. The jump is huge from what you are doing to what you are considering. I’d also consider what it would take you to get some quality instruction. Finding an easy-to-play instrument would be first but someone to get you grounded with the proper instruction would be a close second.
If you buy a decent instrument and it doesn’t work out, it would be fairly straighforward to get your ‘investment’ back.
Age doesn’t really factor into it, especially if you are passionate about the instrument. Passion is a powerful thing, and it is surprising what it will allow one to accomplish. Take up the pipes because you want to learn how to play them and because they make you happy. You already have a background in whistles and that is mighty helpful knowledge to have when going into piping… sure doesn’t hurt.
Age factors into everything. When you’re young, you’re typically bursting with energy, difficult to discourage (even if it’s only because you’re too dumb to know when your playing is shite) and don’t have many time-consuming responsibilites. That all adds up to lots and lots of practice. Practice usually makes your playing better.
That being said, when you’re older you typically have more money hanging around, so you can buy something really good to get started on. Bottom line is, you might as well scratch the itch or you’ll always wonder.
common to start older than you. and if you have an hour or more to practice a day, you can make rapid progress. in piping that means a year or more.
people play all kinds of music on the whistle. but if you have been playing irish traditional, and particularly if you have 20 or more tunes by heart, you are way ahead of the game.
you should spend hours reviewing the more useful threads of this forum. particularly the ones about chanters that people consider valid starting instruments.
the best way to spend your money now is on a practice set.
meaning, you are far better off with a good bellows/bag, and most important, the best chanter (for your taste) that you can buy.
for example, if you are offered a great practice set with an great chanter for 2000,and a full set for 4000, the full set is not necessarily a better deal if the chanter is not highly playable. did that make sense?
don’t sell the whistles that give you the most pleasure. here is why. you are used to making music. and you will not be doing that on the pipes for a while. so, in a typical practice session, you will want to take breaks from the pipes and pick up a whistle you love to make some music, keeps your perspective.
north hero is this coming week. if you can get there, you will see a good number of pipes, makers and pipers. the east coast gathering is 7 weeks away, also a great place to meet makers and pipes.
Welcome to the asylum that is Uilleann piping. You have come to the wrong place for unbiased advice. Everyone here has had the bug bite them and will say go for it (myself included), maybe it is the case of misery loves company .
That said, if you are a low whistle player, then, next to players of other types of cauld wind pipes, they will have the easiest transition to playing UPs. (observing the other learners in the Glasgow piping club - try coming to the UPs from the bodhran now that’s difficult).
Try and get help/tuition from other pipers, if available, I know from C&F that this is not as readily available in the States as it is here, but it is a help.
If you have a local Comhaltas branch try going along (if you are not already a member) and see if they have an instrument you can try- they may even teach the pipes there, if not they should be able to point you to the nearest piper for you to pick his/her brains.
Get the Heather Clarke tutor book it is the acknowledged best.
As has been said previously, try and get to a pipers club or a festival where there may be pipers - you will find them a friendly bunch that will let an interested beginner have a go and give advice (probably conflicting) on whose pipes to go for.
The “age factor” can have some bearing but this is more to do with building “memory” into tendons and muscle groups.
As you already come from a musical background in terms of finger flexibility and memorised tunes et cetera then learning the pipes (or any other instrument for that matter) is really down to your own input and your desire to learn the intrument.
If you love the sound of the pipes then go ahead and enjoy the experience (as well as the frustration of playing a double reed instrument with all its nuances ).
However, to help make your new journey less troublesome then heed the advice of the previous contributors and seek out a tutor/piper.
Joseph (the “anti-ageism” UK one)
Go on and get them, I started at 44 and had plenty of time to practice too. I also played other instruments including whistles but I admit they have taken a bit of a back seat, I’m just getting back into my whistles after 2 1/2 years although my other instruments have long gone.
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