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What is the band's motto? "Inspire the
living. Honor the fallen."
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What is the band's tartan? MacFarlane Red
(Modern)
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What chanter does the band use? MacLellan CD-B
"Band" (Delrin)
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Do I have to be Scottish or Irish to play the
bagpipes? Of course not.
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Can ladies play too? Absolutely.
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What about kids? Absolutely. Kids are
welcome to learn and perform with the band. Around age 8 little
fingers are able to play the chanter. We'd LOVE to teach your child to
play the pipes! Drummers should be at least 14 and preferably have
some drumming experience in their school marching band.
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Is Clear Lake Pipes & Drums a
competition band? No. Competition, however beneficial it may be, is not the primary
focus of this group. However, individual members are encouraged to enter at
least one solo competition each year to increase their exposure to the piping
community and to gain valuable neutral third-party feedback on their playing
ability.
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I play with another pipe and drum band. May I also
play in this band? Absolutely yes! Membership in this band will
not affect your ability to enter a competition as a member of another band.
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Is bagpiping expensive? Not really.
Beginners only need to buy a "practice chanter" which costs around $50.
The book we use costs around $30.
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Are bagpipes difficult to learn to play? No.
There are only nine melody notes on the bagpipes (compared with eighty-eight
on a piano). There are also a handful of standard finger movements
used to embellish pipe music. Learning to play the pipes is akin to learning
to touch type.
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Do I have to know how to play the bagpipes before I
can join the band? No. In fact, the band offers FREE bagpipe
lessons to those wishing to learn to play. The only thing we ask is
that you practice regularly and commit to playing with the band once you become a competent piper.
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Are there private instructors available to teach the
bagpipes? We will be happy to put you in contact with a private
instructor, if you would like personalized instruction.
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Do you have to have exceptionally powerful lungs to
play the pipes? No. Properly set up pipes are relatively
easy to play. Even children as young as 8 or 9 years old are able to
play the Great Highland Bagpipes. Bagpiping is more about coordination
than brute force.
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I've never played a musical instrument before.
Will it be harder for me to learn? You'll probably do just fine.
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I already play
trombone/piano/guitar/clarinet/violin/etc. Will it be easier for me to
learn? If you already read music, you'll be a little bit ahead of
the game. But the bagpipes are unlike any other western
instrument. You will still have to practice diligently to learn this
new instrument.
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What will I be expected to purchase?
Generally speaking, the band provides the uniform and the musician provides
their own instrument. Uniforms often cost as much as a set of pipes.
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How much do bagpipes cost? In about six to twelve
months, when it's time to start looking in earnest for a set of Great
Highland Bagpipes, you'll find that they cost about the same as any other
quality band instrument. A set of Great Highland Bagpipes can be
bought new for $800-1,500. Used pipes are available for less. We
will be glad to help you find a good set of pipes when the time is right for
you.
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My great-great uncle Angus MacScotty left me his
bagpipes in his will. Are they any good for playing? Quite
possibly, yes! But maybe not. Let's have a look at them.
The "valuable" things on a set of bagpipes are the sticks (everything that's
wood). Everything else can be replaced (such as the bag, the reeds,
the cords, the ribbons, the bag cover, the string wrappings, the smelly old
case, etc.). It is the wooden parts that must be scrutinized for
cracks, deformities, or other problems. And if older pipes are to be
brought back into playing condition, it needs to be done very, very
gradually and carefully. With some work and a little luck, you just
may have a great set of playable bagpipes. And if not, you still have
a wonderful family heirloom.
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Is there a book/DVD/website where I can learn the
pipes on my own? No. Bagpipes are not one of those instruments
that a person can learn on their own. While they are not that
difficult to learn, there are MANY things about the instrument which are not
obvious. Without an instructor, a person is almost certainly
predetermined to fail.
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Bagpipes are cool! We agree! What's
your question?
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Why did some ancient person ever decide it'd be a good
idea to put a "bag" on an instrument? Think of the bag as a third,
reserve lung. Pipers blow the instrument and sound comes out just like
every other wind instrument. However, when other instrumentalists run
out of air, they have to stop the sound and take a breath. Pipers, on
the other hand, have a reserve sack of air ready. When pipers need to
take a breath, they stop blowing and start squeezing the bag which gives
them a good 7-10 seconds to get another breath of air to begin blowing
again. It's a third lung. Very handy! Pipers have been
known to play over 30-45 minutes (or longer) without there ever being a
break in the music.
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I would like to play drums. We would love to
have you! Whether you're new to drumming or have some experience,
highland drumming is relatively easy to learn.
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What kinds of drums do the band use? There
are three types of drums used by pipe and drum bands. They are the
bass drum, the snare drum, and the single tenor drum. For every snare
drummer, we would like to have a corresponding tenor drummer. Pipe bands
typically have only one bass drummer.
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Does the band prefer rudimental tenor drummers or
flourishing tenor drummers? Rudimental. For those who don't know,
rudimental tenor drummers often reinforces or alternates with the snare
drummers. Flourishing tenor drummers are more for visual show than
complimenting the sound of the drum line. Flourishes are visually
appealing stick twirling motions.
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Is pipe band drumming different than other drumming
I've done in the past (such as marching band, DCI, and Drum & Bugle Corps)?
Yes. Pipe band drumming is completely different than these
other styles of drumming. The good news is, it is very easy to learn
and fun to play.
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Must I wear a kilt? There's no rule that
says a person must wear a kilt in order to play the bagpipes. Many pipers
don't wear a kilt. However, the public has certain expectations of
bagpipers. One of those expectations is that a piper should be in a
kilt. It's a mystique that people link with piping. For that
reason, most (not all) pipe bands still include the kilt as part of their
uniforms. Kilts are very comfortable and fun to wear.
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Won't I feel silly parading around in a skirt?
It's not a skirt! It's a kilt! The kilt is a man's garment.
A skirt is a woman's garment. They are not the same. Kilts are
not the least bit feminine. Quite to the contrary, kilts punctuate
masculine confidence! They are even a little barbaric (kilt wearers
usually carry a black dagger in our right sock). Women can't resist a
man in a kilt. Men will envy you. Think Braveheart, not Tootsie!
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What's worn under a kilt? There are hundreds of
witty replies to this often-asked question. You will certainly want to
memorize a few (you will be asked). Jokes aside, statistics show that
approximately half of kilt wearers wear an undergarment. Highland
athletes and dancers ALL wear undergarments. Highland military
regiments aside, it is a matter of personal preference. If a person
expects that there might be a risk of exposure due to the activity, usually
something else is worn. Kilts are very HEAVY garments (16oz wool) and,
along with a metal kilt pin for added weight, are designed not to fly around
like Marilyn Monroe's skirt.
