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Comment by Brian on March 8, 2011 at 4:25pm

just joined the group and wanted to say Hello..

love the sound of the pipes and drums...has been a long time desire to drum but dont know the first thing about music....lol

Comment by Jerry Morton on March 7, 2011 at 8:52am

True strory Jim, I don't have enough "shift" in the straps to help. They are one of the things that will get passed on down to my children when the time is right. My family has aways worn the "Full Dress" so I'm keeping that tradition. We don't always wear it, but there are the times and place and it's nice to have it.

Comment by SMOKEnPipesJim on March 6, 2011 at 5:42pm

Jerry the wool didnt shrink..lol Mine have done the same thing but I believe I have enough in the straps to "shift' them a Tad and be able to deal with it. although with Many items some folks would say why the plaid "too" but 5 years between weavings can make a differant in dye colors . enough to be obvious, something like the Stewart has so many colors there area few dyes that stand to cause problems... lets face it a definate investment of quite a large scale Full dress Cross belts plaid etc are pretty extensive to fund ..

Comment by Jerry Morton on March 2, 2011 at 12:11am

Since we're discussing investments, I just ordered a new set of kilts, plaid (both in Royal Stewart, horsehair sporran and chain, sgain duhb, hose and spats. A wee bit of an investment. Time, gravity and fair amount of ale over the past 45 years has taken it's toll on my old set of kilts, They shrunk!

Comment by SMOKEnPipesJim on February 25, 2011 at 6:37pm

hmmm lets see, 3 sets of GHB 2200.00 and 1500.00 a set of scottish small pipes @ 600.00 2 kilts with full plaids , 4 tunics, 2 horsehair a leather day and a evening sporran, 4 or 5 styles of hose tops , 3 sets of spats 2 glens one diced, one black 1 feather bonnet Various Hackles & Cock feathers and Feather bonnet feathers, aussies shepards and croziur reeds 2 P/M Cases 1 soft, a nd a complete Military library orginal and reprints, BMW gold software I could have bought a car instead

Comment by David "Gigahertz" Fox on February 23, 2011 at 12:55pm

Kevin!

I've been playing now for almost 2 years and I consider myself a beginning piper. There are two things that you will need to consider when you take up the pipes, time and money.

You will need to invest the time to play the bagpipes well. This means practicing every day. The practice chanter isn't bad for volume, but your family might protest a bit on the pipes. I practice after work in the Fire Station. My instructor has been encouraging me to start practicing in a City or County park.

Money is also a consideration. Bagpipes start out cheap and rapidly go up. A plastic practice chanter will run you between $50-80. A set of plastic pipes will run you about $800. I was adding this up yesterday and to outfit a piper will run you $1500-$2000.

If you're still serious about it, find an instructor. A good instructor will make or break you playing the pipes. I would not recommend learning the pipes on your own. It can be done, but it is HARD. I was extremely fortunate to find one of the best instructors around.

Good luck to you and lemme know if you have any more questions!

Comment by Jerry Morton on February 23, 2011 at 9:58am

Good Morning Kevin, I echo Jim's comments on learning to play. I started playing inteh mid 1960's and then set them aside for a long time (My Bad) I'm working on getting the skills back and I mean working :-). I am fortunate that I have an extremely supportive wife. If I don't practice she reminds me and I head to the bedroom and practice. As Jim said it is a commitment that you make if you want to play. I play because it's part of my heritage and because I love to hear the pipes. I would like to wish you success and hope you enjoy playing as much as I do.

Comment by SMOKEnPipesJim on February 23, 2011 at 2:34am

Hello Kevin, 1st off I am not from Nor have i been anywhere near your state so, In that respect forgive any apparent stupidity on my part..:) I glanced at your profile and I gather your a Volunteer, and I dont have issue or anything, I say this because the Career state organization Has a large Honor Guard, with Pipers and drummers around all over the state (Pretty much).. so the "good thing" is a whole lot of potential around to find possible teachers etc.. The committment required to play the pipes anyone who's here who plays will tell you it is a committment every day one has to Practice and once one begins the actual PIPES even more so. you see the Piper uses a "practice Chanter" to learn to play and learn tunes forever, each "new" movement or tune is learned on the PC and eventually played on the "pipes" Chanter , the bagpipes are unique in that clarinets and Sax's you Play a single reed while an Oboe plays a double reed... and the Bagpipes you play 3 single reeds and a Double reed in the chanter which is quite a bit of lumber to make vibrate, IT takes skill to finger learn and it takes time to develop Your diaphram and lips and breathing, its like anything you would hear in woodwinds and Brass section 's worst thing for each all together BUT its not at all "HARD" if your truely determined to join the world of Bagpipers who do It TO HONOR they're brothers... if its truely something you know that you can set aside ultimately an hour a day to then you could most likely do it, I've known guys who work mutiple jobs and side jobs who practice in the Bathroom because of the family , at lunch at they're real world jobs go out in the car (warm weather) and Practice the firehouse for Career guys is great do you have a place you can go an play when NO ONE wants to hear you skin a cat?
..lol The pipes are awesome I never successfully learned to play about 6 ot 7 instruments as a Kid, I took up the pipes 1990 and never looked back.. what about them excites you? because down the road that excitement is something you will have to dig out and brush off quite often if you want to get through it.. ARe You still game? =8^p

Comment by Kevin Schulz on February 22, 2011 at 9:42pm

Hello everyone, I have been involved in honor guards on the past but never as a piper. I am interersted in learning the pipes and drums but I don't know where to start. Can anyone help. Are there grants to develop honor/color guard for fire dept. etc. Thanks!

Comment by Jerry Morton on December 30, 2010 at 1:23am

Jim, I think I got lucky as they don't leak so far. I have no idea what brand my pipes are as I've had them for about 50 years. My dad gave them to me in 1962 or '63 The old original bag was as hard as a rock since I hadn't done anything for nearly four decades. I'm slowly getting in shape and playing longer each time and have even opened a drone. Maybe in another week or two I may attempt another drone. I don't ever plan on playing in competition or anything like that. I just play for self gratification and keeping with my family tradition. I have at least one son that is learning to play. I may break down later and buy a new leather bag and rebuild the rosewood set for my son to start out on. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Thanks for the comment back I appreciate it.

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