Archive for April, 2011
Gibson Practice Chanter Kit
This complete package includes the highest quality tuition tools for prospective pipers. It includes the following:
Gibson Long Practice Chanter
College of Piping Vol. 1 Book
College of Piping Vol. 1 CD
Padded Chanter Sleeve
1 Gibson Reed
Price:
Spirit Of The Glen
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is Scotland’s senior regiment and her only regular cavalry. The band members, as well as being trained musicians, are all Army soldiers who crew tanks and have served two tours of duty in Iraq.
The album, both Scots and classical tunes, is a tribute to the dedication and talent of this group of military pipers. While they are first and foremost soldiers, the music on Spirit of the Glen is a heart-warming and beautiful demonstration of the incredibly powerful and emotive sound of bagpipe music.
Some album highlights: the McCartney popularized #1 single, Mull of Kintyre, Amazing Grace 2007, a reworking of Rod Stewarts `Sailing,’ and film themes Dances with Wolves & The Last of the Mohicans.
Price: $18.98
Bagpipe, Black Rosewood,Tartan Cover
Bagpipe. Origin Country: Pakistan. 8 lbs. Made by Mid-East.
Black rosewood. Royal Stewart Tartan cover, with turned nickeled ferrules & sole. Includes 2 sets of reeds, 1 set of rubber stoppers, seasoning, and hemp.
Price: $209.90
Those Who Can, Teach
Bagpipe Music
The world’s population is roughly 6,697,254,041. Of those people, I figure, based on what I know, what I’ve read and what I sense to be true (so we’re talking science here) there’s about 100,000 of us Great Highland Bagpipers (GHBs).
And what’s that percentage? GHBs represent about 0.0014931492726393354 of the world’s population. More or less.
Should pipers feel vulnerable? I think I really refer to the pipe and not the piper so, I put it this way: is the playing of the GHB an at-risk art form?
I’m not sure. In a way, I guess, the GHB is extremely vulnerable: the music is very loud and in-your-face. It usually takes patience and thought to take in, understand and appreciate — all rare commodities in our modern, urban, short attention-spanned world. Oh yeah, and not many people play the GHB.
Bagpipe music is not pop music. It never will be. It’s a genre of folk music that survives in the twenty-first century world thanks to passionate pipers [and competitions - note to self: blog this subject]. Sure there are a few parts of the world where the GHB will always find a welcome home and a place to be heard, like, say, the north of Scotland, but a continued and thriving global GHB depends on passionate pipers, particularly those who teach.
I used to teach a lot. Teaching bagpipes kept a little money in my pocket through my late teens and well into my twenties. I had the time, interest (and need for cash) that provided the push that saw me teach scores of pipers. It takes time and real energy to devote quality teaching time to an aspiring piper. Today I wish I had more of it. But we all do what we can and most of us contribute to the art form the best way we’re able.
Passing on what we know to other pipers is vital for a continued and vibrant art form, one that the GHB represents.
Hats off to those of us who devote time and energy to teaching, to creating a new generation of GHBers. If you can, teach.
For me, yep, I’ve always kept the group teaching, the workshops, going but can say today I have only one pupil.
Well, it’s a start.
And for a look at what triggered today’s homily, here’s one of my prize pupils, Jenny Hazzard of Woodbridge, Ontario and Edinburgh – one of the best pipers anywhere. I stumbled on this photo today.
Here’s Jenny playing one of her first tunes on the pipes, performed in the basement of my parent’s house on Coppermill Drive, Toronto:
She’s hardly changed a bit! Go Jenny!
M.
by Michael Grey
What You Need to Know Before Buying Bagpipes
Bagpipes
Before purchasing a set of pipes, there are many things to consider.
New or Used- With new pipes, you know where they came from, how they’ve been treated, and there is usually a guarantee. With used pipes, there may have been repairs done or it may need some restoration, and you don’t know how they’ve been treated. If you go with used, ask lots of questions and get a second opinion from an experienced piper.
Budget- Know what you are willing to spend. Prices will vary due to maker, material, and ornamentation.
Brand- Ask around to other pipers and retailers to compare various pipes. There are manufacturers in Scotland, the US, Canada, and other parts of the world.
Material- Traditionally, pipes are made from African Blackwood, but there are pipes made of Cocobolo or Rosewood. Polypenco pipes are also available from some makers.
Ornamentation- Most makers have a range of models available, from a basic set to full engraved silver mounts, ferrules, etc. As you increase the ornamentation, you add to the price.
Choose the right chanter- Chanters are made of either wood or Polypenco plastic. If you plan on joining a band, check which they would recommend, as the wood is more traditional and Polypenco chanters have more precision.
Find what you like in your budget. After you have all of that figured out, then you can add your bag, drone reeds, chanter reeds, etc. Make sure that when purchasing bagpipes you shop with a reputable dealer, in order to ensure a good quality set of bagpipes.
See our current selection of Bagpipes
Rauncie Kinnaird owns Kinnaird Bagpipes & Reeds retailing Scottish jewelery, food, Guinness clothing, gift items, pipe band supplies and of course Highland dress including kilts and tartans. Sign-up for free articles on Scottish history, events at http://www.kinnairdbagpipes.com
Skirl O the Bagpipes [VHS]
On 9 -10 February 196, seven of the finest pipers in the world gathered at the US Grant Hotel in San Diego, California to participate in the first GS McLennan memorial Invitational Piping Competition. The competition is designed to allow competitors to perform at their very best by imposing only one rule on the MSR event: at least one tune must have been composed by GS McLennan, and to remember GS’s beloved regiment, The Gordon Highlanders.
This recording provides listeners with the very best from each of the seven competitors. Contains music by Willie MacCallum (Scotland), Jack Lee (Canada), Gordon Walker (Royal Highland Fusiliers) and Michael Cusack (USA). Volume Two features: Alan Bevin (Canada), John Wilson (Scotland), Alisdair Gillies (The Highlanders), Roderick MacLeod (Scotland). John Wilson and Donald MacPherson judge the first panel of competitors ever assembled.
Price:
Learn to Play Bagpipes
Practice Chanter tutorial by Pipe Major R.T. Shepherd. Includes photographs of finger positions, exercises, melodies & more.
Price: $19.95
Seasoning, 8 Ounce
Bagpipe Accessory. Origin Country: USA. 0.7 lbs. Made by Mid-East.
Specially developed to season and treat leather bags, multiple treatments.
Price: $11.90