Beginner Lessons
You are about to embark on a long but very exciting journey. It is not always a fast process, but you’ll enjoy it. You’ll probably have some frustration, but in the end it is entirely worth the effort.
As mentioned previously, to begin you will need:
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a music book
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a practice chanter
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time for a weekly lesson
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additional time to practice on your own
The Book:
We teach from a book titled The College of Piping Tutor Book 1, commonly called “The Green Book.” They are easily obtainable from the internet. You should purchase it if possible as it is so much easier to learn from the printed book vs a monitor, but for your first few lessons, the necessary pages can be downloaded here. Download and Print them as needed.
Additionally, You Tube has all of these lessons online. Follow this link to go there.
The Practice Chanter:
The piece of the bagpipes which makes the actual melody is called a chanter. You’ll learn on a smaller and quieter version called the practice chanter. For the first lesson(s) we have loaners available but you’ll definitely want to acquire your own if you choose to continue. Practice chanters range in price from forty to several hundred dollars. In the long run you’ll want to invest in a better chanter, but to begin, buy what you can afford and upgrade later. We can help you zero in one that works best for you.
We've had students who are so eager and ready to jump in with both feet that they purchase a practice chanter with no guidance, And if this is you, GREAT! If you choose to purchase a practice chanter
consider these things:
Polypenco Plastic, or Wood:
Wood can sometimes have a deeper, more resonant and pleasant tonal quality but they are more fragile. Plastic is easier to clean, has no danger of moisture damage, and the joint where the two halves connect is usually sealed with a rubber o-ring vs waxed thread on wood.
Plastic chanters can sound every bit as good as wood.
Length: They range from incredibly small to full length. Smaller could be great for a younger student, but the closer in length to an actual pipe chanter you can get, the better. A similar length will help your fingers become accustomed to their desired placement more quickly.
Sole or not: The bottom end of a chanter can have a wider flanged disk called the sole. For the most part it is ornamental. But, it can also keep the chanter up off of a soft surface such as a pants or skirt while practicing and prevent the chanter from being accidentally closed off.
Maker or brand:
A well made practice chanter is something you will play for the rest of your life, so is worth investing in. Buy the best that you can afford. Some brands to consider area Nail , Gibson, Shepherd, McCallum or Warnock,
If you just want an entry level chanter and plan to invest more later, they are typically from Pakistan or that area, and are easily found online They’ll last you through the initial learning process and still possibly make a good backup chanter.
Reeds: Order an extra one or two if possible. Reeds can make a chanter sound either good or bad, and they can be either easy to play or frustrating. For best results, each maker should supply reeds which will work well with their chanter. Reeds are fragile. Store the extras in a safe place and once in the chanter, try to keep them out of extreme temperatures.
Lastly...
Chanter case: Your choice, Eventually you’ll have a pipe case to store the practice chanter in with your pipes.
You can find a little more info on practice chanters here in this article.
So, with all that being said...
If the pipes are calling you, print out the first lessons or buy the book and chanter, and come to a Monday session at 6 p.m. You can let us know via email that you're dropping by so we'll be sure to have someone there, and also inquire about a loaner chanter.
Practice sessions are held at:
Resurrection Episcopal Church
2200 Justin Ln, Austin, TX 78757
You can view the map on our Band Practice page