Wannabe UPer in New Mexico

Uilleann Pipes
1

Okay, so I’ve finally mustered up the guts to try and stop my lurking here on C&F and finally post. I’ve asked some of the folks my questions already, and they’ve given very useful information, but I want more opinions. :slight_smile: So, I humbly ask for your wise council on my questions.

I appreciate any answers you can give me!! Thanks! I hope that I’m not repeating old questions. :blush: I’ve searched the FAQs and forums and haven’t really found a direct answer to these questions, but maybe I just missed it.

I’ve been playing the whistle for about a year or more, but I think I still need a lot of work. (Been going at it with sheetmusic, and I’m now trying to force myself to learn by ear, which is slowly working out.) Ever since I got into Irish music, I’ve loved the sound of the UPs, and strived with my whistle in the hopes that one day I’ll be good 'nuff to buy a set. I’ve got a few problems standing in the way, though. And please excuse me if some of these questions don’t make sense - I’m a total newbie!! :blush:

First off, I live in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and can’t seem to find any teachers and only know of one elusive player who lives in Albuquerque. Anyone have any ideas on where or how I can find a teacher in my area? I’ve tried asking merchants at the Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival, to no avail. :sniffle:

If all venues of finding a teacher are exhausted, is it possible at all to play the UPs well without having a teacher, much like the whistle? Or is it just way too complicated?

Second problem with the location is, I understand, that the lack of humidity here in NM might cause a problem. But I hear there’s pipers in AZ. How big a problem is the humidity?

Are there any makers in my area that you all can recommend?

Also, how hard is it for the total newbie to learn to make reeds? How often does one have to replace reeds?

I know this is a lot, already! I can’t seem to recall the remainder of my questions. :laughing: I have so many.

Thanks in advance for your responses!

2

Hi,

I’m in Colorado, and used to live in Santa Fe. I caught the uilleann pipe bug about four years ago. It’s a similar situation here, except that I think we have more pipers in Colorado, and we have had the good fortune of getting occasional visitor pipers from Ireland.

I’ll just say that you can learn the pipes if you really are dedicated. It’s not something you can just pick up and play. It helps a lot to be “obsessed,” practice an hour every day, and never give up. Getting started out in the west is tough. When I got started I just called the local pipers I could find (all three of them at the time,) and they were all very supportive. I also got the guts up to call Kirk Lynch, a very good pipe-maker in Missouri, and he was the most helpful of anyone. For a Western US uilleann piper, a pipe maker in Missouri is a short driving distance.

There really is likely nobody at all within a short distance of you who can teach, or even play uilleann pipes. Having said that, start calling anybody who is as close as possible to you, and get to know your locals. I think if I lived in Las Cruces, I’d be willing to drive to Albuquerque, Taos, or somewhere in Arizona, even. Colorado Springs or Denver may be a bit far, but you are always welcome here. The more you are willing to expand your area, or travel, the more help you can get. As beginners, we need all the help we can get on this instrument. I did. This web link should help you find contacts: http://www.uilleann.com/contacts.html

In the wild west, reeds from the humid climes don’t fare well, but the reeds that are made in the west do just fine. The one factor that affects the natural reeds the most is humidity. Lots of us westerners learn to make our own reeds. They are not easy to make, but a good reed made here in the west will stay good. As there are more people learning to make them, there will be more people to help you with yours, too.

I also recommend working through the Heather Clarke Tutor - the whole book. It has helped a lot of lonesome, stranded, newbie pipers.

-Dirk

3

Mina, did you get in touch with the guys from Phoenix yet? Sorry I couldn’t track down the email addy I was hoping to find for you. I’d make the drive at least once to attend a gathering out there if you can.

4

Mina, You can at least get a start with the first Tutor video from NPU. It isn’t as good as personal instruction, but it gives most of the basics and you can see what’s going on as opposed to just reading about it.

5

Dirk,
Thanks for your reply! I wouldn’t mind so much traveling to Albuequerque to find a teacher, but I’d prefer something in the Las Cruces, NM/El Paso, TX area. I doubt I’ll be that fortunate, though. :laughing: The problem is though, not only would the initial purchase of the pipes make an awful sore spot financially, but travelling to these places would also be something of a drain. I could probably only make the trip only once or twice every few months. :frowning: But I suppose it certainly would be better than nothing, if I could find someone! Anyway, I’m gonna look into that book, and see if I can’t wander through it. Maybe I’ll find it at the Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival this year.

Brian,
I did send an e-mail to him - it was an Earthlink address - when I found it by doing a Google search, but I got back an error. It’s a conspiracy! :angry:

WannabePiper, thanks for the recommendation, I’ll look into it!