So, dear reader, as an intended part retirement project plan, I have just taken receipt of a splendid practice kit from Mr Ray Sloan, never having played before, and now need all the advice I can get to get started. Any tips on written tomes particularly welcome. Best. Phil Smith
Advice: be patient, keep at it, manage your expectations. Oh, and enjoy!
You can’t learn everything you need to know from a book, although certainly reading everything you can get your hands on helps.
Find a teacher as there are a million things that will help you make faster progress that are not written down anywhere.
Read the feckin FAQ for a start 
#5) What tutor book/CD should I get?
Four tutors that are the most popular, none of which are complete, but taken together will help you cover a lot of ground:
- HJ Clarke’s Tutor “The New Approach to Uilleann Piping” - book & companion CD
- Denis Brook’s “The Union Pipes: A Workbook” - book from Irish Piper’s Club-Seattle
- Mad4Trad - Uiilleann Pipes Tutorial - CD-ROM with video clips
- NPU - 3 videos
The books will give you the dots and the cross-fingerings. The CDs and videos will let you see/hear what its supposed to look/sound like.
What none of these sources helps with is the physical reality of wrestling with the octopus. That’s where an articulate instructor can be of the most assistance.
Once you have the basics down you can branch out into some of the NPU books of transcripts of the masters like Patsy Tuohey, and Willy Clancy. Also, Ennis’ own tutor book ‘The Masters Touch’ available from NPU. Quirky terminology, but useful and entertaining.
For a complete list of all known tutors…
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=10480
For a “required” reading/listing list…
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=12354
Discussion of Mad4Trad, NPU and Clarke tutor…
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=12012
Sources for tutors, etc…
Slán Go Foill.. A Dear reader
I’m aff
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=2661
Well, I appear to have been too impulsive in posting a query without first delving into all areas of this site. Sorry, but was excited about getting my pipe[s], and having heard about this site, wanted to get involved post haste. For everyone’s information, am not coming up with any hits on the Clarke book on Amazon.
Hi Phil
If you are in the UK
http://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Clarke-HJ-New-Approach-To-Uilleann-Piping-Book-CD/924071
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1900428512/ref=sr_1_olp_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247254089&sr=1-1
If you are in the US
David
Yep, but don’t take it to heart .David and I work as a team he is Mr Nice Guy and I am me. 
Welcome to the board …now feck aff and do some practice 
Welcome to the obsession Phil.
You’ll find some pipers to be a bit on the “surley” side. After you’ve spent a few years trying to get the blasted things to sound like you want them to you’ll fit right in. 
If someone hasn’t mentioned it already (No I’m not going to go back and read the thread!) do check out Pat D’Arcy’s site. He’s a fine fellow and his site is a great resource.
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/
Doc
Surely ye mean Surly don’t ye 
Yep I know whit ye mean ..some of them oot there are really quite unwelcoming to their fellow loonies.
Take this thread for an example , the only two people to welcome Phil to this board are Ye and Me… 
are we the only caring members of this forum?
Well on the evidence I would say tis true.
I think the FAQ’s section is obsolete or maybe unreadable.Almost every newby question that comes up is to be found there. People took time oot to compile it and it does say read.
So why is there a distinct lack of interest in this thread?
Instant gratification or answers to the workings of the pipes aint possible it takes a loooong time and applying 21st Century ce consumerism principles to an 18thCentury ce instrument is not the way to approach whit will be a time intensive labour of ,hopefully,love.
Well, already this site is proving to be a great source of information AND entertainment! By the way, I live in West Yorkshire, England, in a village 6 miles outside Halifax. Sadly, no apparent teachers around, although I am able to call upon Becky Taylor for occasional advice. Thanks so much for the Amazon tip-now have the Clarke book ordered-and have ordered the beginners’ DVD from IPU. I prefer the term “grumpy” to “surly”. At a certain age [56], it seems entirely reasonable without conveying bitterness-or do I have to learn this sophistication? Ta, and best to all! Phil
I hope thats not the " Irish perverts union" or the “Institute for pathatic Uilleanner’s”
RORY
Freudian slips from me already, and I can’t even play! Suspect I meant NPU, as I’m sure you know, Rory, but do the organisations of which you speak exist, and have their agents infiltrated this site?
which part of the uk are you in?
there might be an association near to you
i’m familiar with the south west association of uilleann pipers and the london club, but i understand there are activities in manchester and sheffield too, and there might be others i haven’t heard of
The answer is yes to both your questions and by the way I’m a fully paid up member of both organisations.
RORY
As ye say ye live in West Yorkshire the Manchester Pipers Club is the nearest or maybe Sheffield and Brian Howard anyways, here is the Manchester one
http://www.myspace.com/northwestuilleannpipers
Northwest
29/07/2009 20:00atSt Catherine’s Catholic Club
School Lane, Didsbury, Manchester, Northwest
Cost: £3
Monthly meetings are on a Wednesday evening starting at 8.00pm. We charge £3 to attend and an extra £1 if you have a lesson. Everyone associated with NWUP gives their time for free and all money is put into our fund which is used to promote piping within the Northwest.
A valuable tip! Thank you.
I too recommend the Manchester club- they’re a really first-rate and helpful bunch. They have a tionol (piping workshop) in the fall and frequent meetings – check their website. There’s also a piper or two in York; try the Friday night folk session at the Tap and Spile or the Tuesday session at the Maltings to track them down.
Cheers,
KAD
Shirley.
I believe Pat D’Arcy gives UP lessons via webcam. I’ve been meaning to do this but keep selling my pipes (occupational hazard) I always have sets here to play so don’t have the withdrawal pains necessary to get serious about acquiring another personal set. I’m still mourning a few sets I sold due to financial need ( a Gallagher B 1/2 set) and an elbow ailment that kept me from piping for quite awhile (a much-loved Lynch 1/2 set).
Someday the the planets will line up properly and I’ll have the angst, the dough and the right set available simultaneously.
But I digress (as usual)…
I think there would be some real advantages to a webcam lesson not the least of which would be that your teacher couldn’t whack you upside the head if you continue making the same mistake.
Doc
Ve have arr vays!
Pat.
Phil Smith: By the way, Na Piobairí Uilleann (pipers.ie) has some tutor videos (I found them of great value) - as a student, I paid 19 euros (or pounds, not sure), “usual” membership costs 45. Anyway, there are tutors, some nice reading on the site, and you get a discount in NPU store (nevertheless, I must admit that even with 2-3 euros of discount, Claddagh records is often 5 euros cheaper).