I am looking to get started on the pipes and already have the Madfortrad Tutorial by Sean Potts. I now need to get a practice set - can anyone advise a good maker and what key I should get (advice on a good video tutorial would also be welcome).
Much appreciated.
Choosing a key is up to your personal taste, however, if it is your desire to play in sessions then I recomment a concert pitched set (D). There are a few good makers out there, and the following are but a few of them. I’ll let you go hunting for the rest.
http://www.greenwoodpipes.com/
Happy hunting.
Get yourself the NPU video with Nollaig McCarthaigh and Gay McKeon…Boring enough but there is nothing like been shown as well as hearing what the right approach to starting is. Heather Clarke’s tutor is also ag ood one, comes with book and CD. I remember when i was starting I didn’t find Sean Potts tutor so good…of course this is a matter opinion but for me it ranked well down the list. Get yourself a good chanter and airtight practice set somewhere…you will have enough trouble getting started without the hassle of reed trouble and a poor instrument that leaks. The other tip I would give you is to adhere strictly to the way these tutors show you the different techniques…don’t pick upbad habits at the beginning that will hinder you in future…good luck…there is nothing more enjoyable than seeing progress as you get going on the pipes.
Start in D
Your tutorial materials (Clarke, Mad4Trad, NPU) are in D.
Start with the tin whistle. Piping tunes and techniques work pretty well on the whistle, so tutors and tune books will still be useful.
I think you would find Heather Clarke’s tutorial to be good for a solid foundation while learning in isolation, and it’s not much of a jump to the piping of Liam O’Flynn in style (ie tidy piping).
Be very wary of following anyone’s recommendations on what pipes to buy. I can’t state this strongly enough.
That being said, in the States, I’ve watched a number of beginning pipers become really good pipers playing the pipes of Kirk Lynch or David Quinn. Read into that what you will.
Eric
Start with the FAQ FAQ FAQ at the top of this forum where many of your questions are answered, as these questions come up repeatedly.
djm
John,
While tutors and videos are great, if you are close to a piping club or even just another piper in your area, its worth the drive to contact and meet up. There really is NO replacement for face to face playing and learning when you’re getting started.
You’ll find a list of many of the clubs in and around the States and a number in Europe etc. here:
http://www.saltlakepipers.com/Links.html
Even if there isn’t one really close to you, it never hurts to contact one or two of the closest and see if they know of any pipers in your area.
If John does indeed live in China, as I would infer from his post, that might be a tad difficult…I’m not aware of ANY uilleann pipers living in China at the moment. The nearest uilleann pipers would be in Japan and considering how much it usually costs to travel from China to Japan, I think it would probably be worth it to fork out the extra money and get over to Ireland or the US and get in a lesson or two while on vacation.
Thanks for your responses and suggestions. Much appreciated.
John, do I read correctly that you live in China? I can imagine that finding another piper in your local might prove a bit challenging. Brian Lee is correct, there is nothing better than having a one on one encounter with a more advanced piper…but given your location in this world, I would recommend the videos from NPU, and the Heather Clark tutor (with CD). At least you will be able to hear, read and see what it is you need to do to produce a good noise on your chanter. Good Luck.