YES You Can Learn the Bagpipes! NO Do NOT Shop Amazon!
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Ally explains to Rocky and Erik how it is actually not hard to get started playing the pipes - and how important it is for young people to be introduced to the instrument and its potential. Ally offers some tips and some warnings about shopping for pipes online.
Ally the Piper’s channel: / @piperally
Ally’s Linktree: linktr.ee/pipe...
Tartans in this video:
Rocky: American Dream
www.usakilts.c...
Ally: Kilts & Culture
www.usakilts.c...
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Started in 2003, USA Kilts is a team of kilt makers and artisans located in Spring City PA. In 2017, we made it our mission to build community and bring kilts and Celtic culture to the forefront with our YT show: Kilts & Culture.
www.USAKilts.com
Find Your Tartan!: www.usakilts.c...
UA-cam: / usakiltsofficial
Facebook: / usakilts
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E-mail: sales@usakilts.com
If you learn the bagpipes, you will be very popular! My neighbours even seem to get the urge to jam along by banging on the wall as accompaniment! I think they really appreciate the music, they look at me in a totally new way!
MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YES!!!!!
Bagpipes outrank Accordions as the most hated instrument. 😂
😂
If your going for popularity your learning for the wrong reason
My Grandson started to learn to play the Pipes about 6 months ago. We got his chanter from a company in Canada approx $70. He has completed the 5 beginner lesson programs and recently got his first tune down. Scots Wha Hae. I am so proud of his achievement so far.
Scots Wae Hae.....over and over and over and over...😅 Ben there, done that
Did ur grandson learning online ?
For me it has been about a 1000 repeats of Highroad to Galloch without embellishments lol
All pipers know "Scots Wae Hae" if they started on "The Green Book" We were talking about this at practice last night. We do not play Scots Wae Hae because it's such a beginner tune that was driven into us. Do not get me wrong. This tune is one of the best for mastering G grace notes and D Throws. Get him some lessons with an instructor so he does not develop bad habits.
It truly began to click with me the night I discovered 'Bonnie Dundee' had words. (Not Kipling's... but Lewis Carroll's(!))
I meet people who say "I'd like to learn the pipes, but can't read music" all the time. I remind them that no musician ever started already knowing how to read music. It's something you learn to do, like learning a new language. Don't let not currently knowing how to read music keep you from learning something that you want to learn. Yes it takes time and dedication, the learning to read music and play the pipes is not impossible at any age.
FACE and EGBDF are the key to unlocking sheet music IMHO.
These days, pipers read tunes off a staff first... and eventually, as opportunity presents, get taught _cainnteareachd_ which it appears is no longer the mystery they had been
After all, we are quite made to memorize these tunes -- no place to clip a cheat-sheet on the instrument!
@@TheBelrick😢😊
I play guitar and bass an I still can't read music.
This was a great video to help get started! I play the piano and recorder. Love the sound of the bag pipes, but had no idea how to get started. This was perfect, thank you!
Excellent info for anyone wanting to learn bagpipes.
I would disagree on one specific point regards reading music.
Firstly, Ally is right about ancient pipe tunes, embellishments etc being learned and passed down by vocal pronunciation in the past, but this is primarily learning piobaireachd, or "classical" pipe music. Pipers these days may choose to graduate onto this after they have learned the standard pipe tunes and techniques more widely recognised.
Back to reading music.
Most people are scared about the prospect of reading music (the lines, dots and tails etc.). Don't be. Think instead of painting by numbers, it's the same approach. Anyone can learn to read music, it just takes a little time and patience, but you will get there by starting slowly and practising.
Next. Do you need to read sheet music for pipes? YES. Ally says some pipers only learn by "ear".
Maybe so, but these people are exceptional and rare, and you won't be one of them, trust me. To learn to play the pipes you have to learn correct techniques, timing, phrasing etc, and if you play in a band you have to play specific tunes the Pipe Major dictates. To do this everyone needs to read off from the same sheet music, then learn the tune by heart.
If you want to learn this incredible instrument, either as a solo piper or member of a band, you need to work through a course of lessons starting with the very basic scale of the chanter, then working slowly up. Either through a recognised tutor book, or one-to-one with a teacher, preferably both.
You can also learn on-line but you must also find a good teacher from time to time who will correct you if you are in difficulty or developing bad musical habits. Be prepared to travel, if necessary, as students always have through the centuries.
Always remember. As a piper, you are entering a sacred world of music that represents many hundreds of years of unique Scottish history, you must aim to be the best you can. A bad, or lazy piper puts the rest to shame and gives piping a bad reputation.
Finally.
To learn the highland bagpipes properly, requires persistence and dedication only few people have. This sets the piper apart from ordinary folk. You will have to change your life accordingly, but the rewards are immeasurable, and some even make good money too!
After half a year on the practice chanter, I picked up the real bagpipes and first was dismayed to discover that I hardly was able to get a sound out of them. I thought that what is it, do I not have enough strength in my hands? Then it occurred to me that I should look up on UA-cam if girls are also playing bagpipes and found the videos of Ally the Piper, The Snake Charmer, The Phantom Piper and the Dame of Drones. Since they did very well, and especially because the Snake Charmer girl had managed to learn to play the bagpipes while living in India and corresponding with her teacher in Scotland online, I concluded that it must be possible and muscle strength is not the issue. All the more since I see that Ally has chronic illnesses, as do I, and she still manages very well. Now I have played the pipes for over a year and am finally beginning to succeed well with the tuning and playing and am ready to play a few simpler tunes in the public and do better and better, by the grace of God. So thank you very much for the encouragement!
Female pipers for the win! Also still learning how to blow into the bag and maintain steady pressure.
I have a Frazer Warnok chanter which I got for cheap. It’s not the prettiest sounding thing, but I’ve managed to use it to learn a few songs. I also found a used GHB here in Japan for about 400 USD (the seller had started learning, but stopped over 20 years ago and finally decided to part with them).
All they need is a chanter reed and for me to become a competent piper.
I'm a French Horn player that isn't great at reading sheet music. I was first chair all through college because I could play by ear, it works.
The music for pipes is ass-backwards from what most musicians would consider 'normal' music. On the pipes, grace notes and embellishments are played on the downbeat before the main melody notes. The good news is, there are only 9 notes on the pipes and there are no sharps or flats.
Thanks for the info. You are very helpful with pointing in the right direction to start ❤
being able to read sheet music definitely is not a prerequisite, but it's helpful. The good news is that the kind of sheet music used to learn bagpipe tunes is quite simple. We're restricted to nine notes total, and can't play rests (usually), or chords (without extra pipers), so the music is a lot simpler to read than many other instruments. The only tricky bit is embellishments really, but you will find that learning the shapes of them is actually not that difficult long term
I've been playing a John Walsh poly practice chanter with a built-in water trap and it's worked great for years.
Thanks for this video, I've been doing a lot of research on buying a practice chanter to start piping. McCallum Long Poly Practice Chanter seems to be what I'll be going with based on price and reviews. $119 with 2 reeds and the Green book.
I got that package and I'm very happy with it.
Did u buy it ? Is good ?
@@rafaelfernandes2275 working great for me so far
@@rafaelfernandes2275yes, it's great and the book it comes with is perfect for learning
@@rafaelfernandes2275 yes, my instructor with the Shriners Highlanders here in Pittsburgh said it was a good one to learn with.
I have a Wallace practice chanter - it's synthetic but looks and sounds great. I really can't recommend it enough 😊😊.
I bought a chanter ($12) and it is very hard to create a sound. I have to blow very hard. Did I just get a cheap chanter which is why it is so hard to play? Yes, I soaked the reed.
I bought a chanter kit a week ago that didn't have reeds. I can't get a low tone out of it. Now I know better. At least the place where I bought it is a SPCA thrift store. So, I supported animals looking for a home.
I'm a piper since the later 1970s and I used to try to post warning reviews of bad, cheap bagpipes made and sold from the Indian subcontinent on Amazon. But I couldn't keep up . They proliferated so fast, and changed seller names and accounts so frequently, it was impossible. And I'd get threats from some sellers. Ebay is the same. And these sellers prey on people who don't know better and think they're getting a really good deal on a set of bagpipes. I can't list all the stories I've been told of folks who had a genuine interest, got burned by these faux pipes they wasted money on, and never tried again. In some cases, they blamed themselves for not being able to play those terrible sets. They had no one to help guide them. Perhaps now it's easier to find good information but the false trails are still massive.
very very informative ! thank you.
I enjoyed the message and absolutely love your hair.
I must say, Ally is a very talented young lady & a bonnie piper, I would think she has much insight to offer someone wishing to learn to play the pipes...
Hi can you please help me to learn the tune of the American Sniper? As I don't seem to find the music anywhere meny thanks 🙏
Yes ! I've decided my new years resolution is learning bagpipes! Where should I look for a decent🎉instrument but affordable.... I'm in California....all my family are musicians and I can learn by ear
I' from Latvia. Sometimes I listen folk music and somehow I wery much like bag pipe music.
We in Latvia have some folk music groups what's uses Bag pipes as well in some songs. For example - check Latvian group Auļi. For example song with bag pipes: Auļi - Auļos.
I use a Gibson long plastic practice chanter and a full combed and mounted Shepherd pipes made of African Blackwood.
Is your Maverick chanter a long one? It is so beautiful. I like learning songs by playing with people on line so not sure what key is best.
I had a bagpipe maker make a practise chanter for me. Cost me the equivilent of $7.50, and it doesn't sound bad at all.
I seem to recall that I went to 'Bagpipes of Caledonia' (when they had an actual website) for a chanter & tutors/tuitions. The only time I went to Amazon was in search of documentation - the only thing I can recall buying there was a vintage copy of 'Logan's Complete Tutor!' I should dust things off and try again (now that I have a wee bit more time!).
A few thoughts on a very good "primer".
I would not quite call them musically illiterate,
music "literacy" was not really available
to them at the time, slight difference. 😄
And also the fact that the Canntaireachd
was sung was a great influence on the interpretation
e.g. you would not play a note for longer than it could be sung
imagine with a bag you could hold a note virtually forever.
(it's an exaggeration, but you get the idea).
Very nice and enjoyable,
Thanks
Good advice all around. Thank you
David naill practice chanters and pipes are very nice.
When I was much younger I took piano for 4 years and can read music. also took trombone for a year in high school.
Good practice chanters are frequently wooden. I am unsure what she means by saying they aren't. They may even be cracked!
Thanks for the good information.
What's a good, reasonably priced chanter for a beginner.? Thank you.
Budget? Buy a poly chanter _from a reputable bagpipe maker._ Those guys want your early efforts to sound good. Polypenco seems to be the favored polymer these days; there have been others. Quite good in tone, if slightly less sweet than wood. Bagpipes are made of the same stuff oboes are, and just as black. There are matched poly chanters for pipe band use -- they all tune the same, and are nearly immortal and bulletproof, which applies to the practice chanter as well. The critical thing seems to be that wood or plastic, it must be hard, for resonance and tone.
Practice chanters are perhaps a little less demanding -- but for tone, you rather get what you pay for, especially in care taken making the things.
The budget one is a poly practice chanter. USD 70-100.
Blackwood p.c.'s, anywhere from USD 110 to about 200. They will sound nice; either poly or wood will last you a lifetime; long chanters cost a little more and sound richer.
Royt.. ever seena book shelf with every 30th book is Booze? Count it as you look in the back ground..
Ally is the best!
Can we do a "good kilt vs bad kilt" at some point? just show the difference between the 2 of them?
Amazon pipes are great if they are displayed over your fireplace... Or in it
I would be quite afraid to throw such a thing in my fireplace, I really don't want to start a health hazard with the fumes... I'm almost not kidding, where I live things are pretty much certified, imported products are less checked.
@@Ndropazin I would never do such a thing because I wouldn't have a set of amazon pipes to begin with, but I understand where you are coming from.
I could see in her eyes how horrified she was when the guy said "Amazon "😂
To be sure of buying good bagpipes is to get your instrument in Scotland from well known trademarks
In Ally’s link tree she has a coupon for the maverick practice chanter. The coupon says it’s expired when I try to use it. Will the company update the coupon or does she have an updated coupon?
Best to contact her or the company directly.
I am the company 👋. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I wasn't aware the code had expired. It's now back up and running.
where in the USA can I find a good practice chanter web site ? Thank you
Piper's Cove in NJ. Colin will take care of you.
Matt Willis, out of Texas, is helpful with his Command Your Bagpipe web page.
Wow, I learned a new language 🏴
And if you're referring to cantaireachd,
you have no idea how much of a language it is.
Very sophisticated.
@@LesliePiper I am, thanks
good lesson
Looking to purchase my first bagpipe. Can anyone point me in the right direction
Don't laugh....I'm a 71 year old woman that had triple bypass surgery in February. I have always loved the bagpipes and decided to celebrate the extra years added to my life by doing things I've always wanted to do but didn't. I decided I want to lean how to play the bagpipes. My husband gave me the Frazor Warnock practice Chanter with tutor book one. The neighbors may hate me but I'm going to give it a go. My goal is to learn how to play Scotland The Brave!
You've got this! It's never to late to learn something new and do something you're passionate about! You're an inspiration!
Do you write your own music
It gets pretty easy to write your own pipe music after maybe a year playing.
And eventually pipers noodle around and discover they can play... the Flintstones theme. Dixie. Marines' Hymn. The Lumberjack Song. And quite a bit of hymn music...
I just bought one off Amazon
The definition of a True Gentleman is somebody who knows how to play Bagpipes but chooses not to
J ai fais l erreur d en acheter une sur Amazon. J en ai vite racheté une dans un magasin de musique breton. Vive la cornemuse !
hi can someone teach me online for a fee please? I just got my Neyanban. please help.
Yer, the best lady..love you!
I am the piped piper I play Gibson bag pipes
So, what you're saying is, stay away from the >$13.00 practice chanter I found on Amazon.
The disbelief in Ally's eyes at "Can you actually get pipes off of Amazon?"
+USAKiltsOfficial *Thanks for the musician perspective.* I can read music sheets and translate to instrumental performance. The chanter is essential for training in bagpiping , and the reeds are critical to the tone.
By ear??? Not with fingers…🥸
Dam
Dunbar
If I had seen this video first, I wouldn't have taken on my "bagpipe project". An "Elitist Approach" to music like this would have shut me down. I thought it was supposed to be fun.
Why do bagpipers speak so rapidly like their going to run out of oxygen? Its odd!!
Because playing bagpipes takes a toll on people’s lungs, even my bagpipes tutor said after giving another person their bagpipes back “here’s something to ruin your lungs with”
🍍
Practice chanters sound like a duck. Please do not order pipes off the internet for $100. They are not real pipes.
Yeaaaaaaaaaa oops
Plan on 10 years to get even decent at playing
You obviously have a different standard for 'decent' than I
You start by squeezing!
I have a practice chanter
this video is too long
Of course you memorise the tunes, but I do not understand the concept of encouraging anyone to NOT learn to read music.There are 8 notes and a dozen or so embellishments. It's really not hard and, considering the actually difficulty of learning to play well, hobbling yourself by not learning to read music makes no sense.