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LEARN TO PLAY

So, you wanna play bagpipes?

The first thing you'll need is not only the desire to learn, but the dedication to keep practicing. Learning how to play the bagpipes is not an overnight endeavor, by any means. Most students progress from learning on the much quieter practice chanter to finally playing the Great Highland Bagpipes (GHB) in about six months to a year, with a year being the average but this will depend on how consistent you are in your daily practice.

For equipment, all you'll need to start learning how to play is a good, quality practice chanter (PC) and a suitable tutor. The tutor will guide your learning while the practice chanter is a tool you'll use throughout the rest of your bagpipe career.

Once up on the full bagpipes the practice chanter is still a tool you'll use to learn new tunes and gives the ability to practice your fingering in places where the loudness of the bagpipe may not be appropriate, such as in an apartment dwelling, or while practicing at odd hours.

Be sure to avoid the many imitation instruments and knock-offs you will surely come across, especially on such sites as eBay and Amazon. Though deals can be found you'll need to have a good eye and a knowledgeable piper to help you navigate through the perilous tangles and even then, it may not be worth it.

The best thing to do is to purchase your first practice chanter through one of the many reputable sellers we list on our RESOURCES page and you won't go wrong.

We recommend starting with a delrin or polypenco, instrument-grade plastic, practice chanter. They're nearly indestructible, being able to handle the daily abuse that will likely happen. Later on in your piping career you may decide to look at the more expensive and elaborately decorated options in African Blackwood, or other instrument-grade woods, as these will require more care and maintenance.

The cost of a quality delrin/poly plastic practice chanter will generally start around $60 and go up from there depending upon ornamentation and materials, with wood being the more expensive option. Feel free to come visit one of our practice sessions if you'd like to get a feel for which one you might prefer if you are unsure of which one to order.

The next question that needs to be answered is what size to get?

There are three options: Child, Standard, or Long. If you're looking to develop an interest in a younger child, say around 4 to 9 years old, the 'child's length' may be the option to select.

However, as they get older, from around 9 years old and up, you'll be better served by obtaining a 'Standard' sized practice chanter. Many learners stay with this size throughout their piping careers.

The 'Long' size is an adult sized chanter, and is closer in length to the chanter on the Great Highland Bagpipe, though the hole spacing between the 'Standard' and the 'Long' practice chanters are generally close or identical.

Some prefer the 'Standard' and some have a preference for the 'Long' size.

There are a variety of tutors available on the market today, with the 'Green Tutor', originally published by the College of Piping, now owned by the National Piping Centre, being the most popular one that everyone in the piping world is familiar with.

This tutor has been updated and renamed, 'The Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book One', but many still refer to it as 'the green book' and contains much of the original content, though greatly expanded upon. Many of our members started their piping careers with some version of this same tutor.

Your piping instructor will help you gauge when you're ready to graduate to playing on a full set of bagpipes. As mentioned above, it may be six months to a year, or longer in some cases, before you're ready to make that transition. It is generally not recommended to purchase a set of pipes until after you've had some considerable time on the practice chanter and have around a dozen tunes memorized.

Band members have several different sets that you can check out in the meantime when you attend one of our practice sessions. Once ready, expect to pay at least $1,000 for a good set of pipes. Avoid the knock offs you'll find for around the $200 price point; these are utterly unplayable and will only result in frustration and angst.

Browse the offerings of any seller listed on our RESOURCES page and you can't go wrong. Your instructor will help you navigate all of the options when it comes time to purchase your first set.

Send us an email indicating that you're a new, aspiring student who would like to learn how to play the bagpipes and we'll help you get started on this long, rewarding journey you've decided to set yourself upon.

So, you wanna play drums?

The Dunlap Highland Band provides the instruction and drumming equipment after you've gained some proficiency with your practice instrument. To learn, you need only purchase two pieces of equipment: suitable drumming sticks, and a good practice drum pad.

There are several drum sticks and practice pad options to choose from and can be found by perusing any of the reputable sellers listed on our RESOURCES page. The average cost of a practice drum pad starts at around $50, and sticks for around $24.

Average time to gain proficiency playing the Scottish drums is from six months to a year. Much of that will depend on how much time you dedicate to practicing. Besides the free instruction provided by the band on a weekly basis (see our CONTACT page for locations), there are many resources that can be found online and which are listed on our RESOURCES page.

Before you start drumming you'll need to decide which type of drum you'd like to learn. There are three options in a pipe & drum band: Snare, Tenor, or Bass.

The Snare drum provides the main "voice" of the pipe band, is the most technically involved, and is played the most.

Tenor drums provide accents to the music, an additional harmonic support, and a visual interest with their intricate stick flourishes.

The Bass drum sets the rhythmic foundation, in concert with the Pipe Major's direction, and is important in keeping the band playing together as a musically cohesive group.

We are always looking for new members and are in need of new drummers, experienced or not, to join our ranks.

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