I’m waiting for a set of pipes, and I’m anxious to start on them, or at least find a way to get a head start. In the absence of a practice set, is there anything that I could do to help me get kind of a running start on the pipes? I’ve been listening to a ton of piping, but “more listening” is a perfectly valid comment methinks 
Do you play whistle?
Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. You can start ripping your hair out by the roots. You’re going to end up doing it anyway when you try learning tight BCA triplets.
Apart from that, get a tin whistle and learn to play a few basic tunes and ornaments (rolls, triplets, crans, etc).
What MTGuru and PJ said, though I’m still taking a pass on the hair-ripping. In a workshop I took from Michael Cooney, he said he plays a Bb whistle a lot; i.e., in front of the TV when he wants to practice without dragging out his pipes. He also said a low D is not your best option; a Bb or A whistle is closer in terms of size (I like my A). He said to go ahead and play it with piping fingerings as much as you can, although since the chanter has a thumbhole and a right-hand pinky hole things will be a bit different – not too bad, though; just don’t surprised if some of the notes sound a bit odd (some whistles are more forgiving than others to keeping your right hand more closed). And of course the C# and back D won’t work at all so you’ll have to adjust there, but hey, yeah! Ring up Jerry Freeman and get you a tweaked Genny Bb today!
I guess the whistle wins! I play a bit, but I guess it’s time to get a bit more solid with my ornaments and such. With the piping fingerings too! Brilliant idea. I don’t have a Bb or an A, but I guess my c would be my best bet. Thanks, al!
Your profile says you are in South California.
Have you contacted the Socal Uilleann Pipers Society?
If you ask nicely, they may have some spare practice sets at meetings.
Even if they don’t, they have workshops from Martin Nolan and Paddy Keenan, and a Tionol with Kevin Rowsome this year.
You would be crazy to miss opportunities like these.
Mukade
You can also get your bellows technique happening by using what’s known as the pipers’ handshake. Each time you shake hands with someone, move your elbow in and out at the same time. That should start getting you used to the idea of doing three things at once - greeting and saying hello, shaking hands as usual, and pumping the elbow.
Learn the whistle. It’s not a substitute for pipes and you can’t learn piping technique on the whistle, but you can start getting a feel for the music and tunes into your head, which are about 80% of the battle anyway.
Then you will also be able to play the whistle, which is useful since there may well be places you want to play but don’t want to be a*sed with a set of pipes.
Uh-oh! You’ve just described the Great Northern Irish Pipers’ Club “secret” handshake! I mean..you haven’t. I mean.. handshake? What handshake?
Ausdog: you know too much. Stay where you are. We are dispatching a team to “talk things over with you”.
T
Not to worry Tommy, I was actually describing the handshake of The Mediocre Southern Irish Pipers’ Club. That’s ‘Southern’ followed by Irish not meaning from Southern Irish but Irish pipers from here in the antipodes, although not too southern where the penguins live. They have a handshake of their own yet again. Nevertheless, I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of your ‘team’. Perhaps, together with the penguins, we can discuss the founding of a global fraternity.
Like you, I am now waiting for my pipes to be made and delivered. Late October is the estimation for my starter set.
Is the “abscence of a practice set” due to financial constraints?
If not, snag one and get playing. You can re-sell when your other set arrives.
Doc
I guess you could say that. That and my set might come before I see the practice set, so I think the whistle is my best option, but I’ll go see the SCUPC because I’m very close and see if they’d kindly lend me a set.
Wilde One: you got some ‘splainin’ to do!
What, are we talking a Generation Bb with two extra holes in it?
T
Start aggressively listening to piping music, including different pipers and styles.
Neil
I’ve tried to resist all week…but I can hold out no longer. If you are in the waiting process for a set of Uilleann pipes you should have time to:
- Get degrees in medicine and psychopharmacology
- Learn every language spoken on the African contintent
- Solve the mysteries of D.B. Cooper, Ogo Pogo and the Beast of Bodmin Moor.
Add “Figure out the mystery of Women” to the list.
Hi caedmon
Even the waiting time for a set of pipes is not that long
David