HELPING YOU DECIDE

Some common questions about pipes and drums and our band.

    Do you, or anyone you know, have the desire to be a part of a "fun/family focused" performance pipeband?  With present fuel and room rental costs we will be keeping our meetings to a minimum but are willing to work with those who need more on a one on one basis.  Our mission is to share what we have learned about Scottish history, pipes, drums, Highland dance and piping protocols with all ages with interest with very little cost to students.

    To be clear on cost... our 501C3 non-profit has a large number of uniforms of various sizes that we provide for use at no cost as long as it is returned in good condition.  For those of us who have invested in our own uniforms we have spent thousands on what you see at a memorial or parade.  A good set of bagpipes run upwards of $1200 (don't buy anything cheaper because by experience I can promise you that before you are done you will spend $1200 just getting your $300 pipes able to hold air and play in tune for you.  That being said, our band has a few sets of used pipes that we will loan to promising players while they are shopping or saving for their own set.  Drums are provided and drummers need to keep in mind that there is a need for a good strong back, especially for the snare drummers.  They are the heaviest drums, next is the bass drum, and lastly the tenor drums are hollow lighter weight material.  However, tenor drummers need to learn to spin the sticks as well as play, known as "flourishing tenors".  Visit the website at https://www.rhythm-monster.com/ (copy this to your search bar including the "/") to see an example of all parts of the drumline.  It will help you decide what you might want to pursue if drumming is your interest.  

    Drummers do learn faster and get to participate more quickly in performances and parades, so we recommend that you learn drumming and piping simultaneously if you have the desire and time to invest in it.  For most players, bagpipes will be at least a 2 year process. That being said, we have had great success with brand new pipers as young as 6, as well as those in their 60's.  It's all in how much you want to succeed and how downright stubborn you are about learning it right.  You will progress best if you hang on with tenacity to a thing until it is well done and avoid the attitude that says "That's good enough."  Bad habits are extremely difficult to "un-learn" once they are there.

    Bagpiping is accomplished in stages of learning beginning with a practice chanter (with a plastic reed so it's quieter and easier to blow) and fingerings, next we add grace notes and embellishments, then a gradual shift to pipes getting the three drones (3 separate instruments) sounding in unison and balance without pressure changes), lastly adding the piping chanter with a cane reed.  

    By the time you have come to that last step you are ready to play many tunes from memory.  The pipes only have 9 notes but there are a number of "grace" notes or embellishments used to accent and separate the notes in the music.  Once the pipe bag is supplying the air driving the chanter it becomes necessary to put a grace note between notes because the air continues throughout the tune without stopping.  So two notes that are the same must be split up or the tune will not be recognized.

    We call ourselves a "fun band" because this is a hobby and we are together to have fun. We are not a competition band though there have been times when some of us competed quite well.  I think it was at the Canadian Spring Fling in 2006 that AFP&D competed and when they announced the winners of 3rd place out of eleven bands and called our band's name we all looked around the table and asked "Did they just say Albeni Falls?"  A man at the next table hollered at us "Yeah!  That's YOU, EH?" We were never expecting to win anything.  It is just awesome to march down main street in a massed band of hundreds, eleven columns wide and two full blocks long! Only thing that beats it is being in the middle of 22 rows of pipers as they play Amazing Grace. It'll make every hair on your body stand on end and you'll never ever forget the sensation.   Can you participate on the following dates, if ready and needed?  March 17th, June 24th, July 15th, and August 12th?

    So I hope that I've helped you make a decision on which direction you would like to begin on your journey with us. If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to write.