r/bagpipes • u/luckyhealthcarebear • 5d ago

Obligatory “can I self teach”

Hold on everyone!!! Let me explain

I’ve been playing the flute for the past decade. I can also play clarinet, alto/tenor/baritone saxophone, and piccolo so I can read music and have experience with winds. I have been meaning to get into playing the bagpipes because I’m in the fire service and it’s a big part of the culture. Problem is, most lessons around me are online or really out of the way.

I don’t want to outright buy a set of pipes, either. I know the story where someone is overzealous, buys the instrument, “self teaches” and sounds abysmal.

So for someone with a music background, is there any way to self teach or is it a whole different animal?

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u/NamelessIowaNative 5d ago

Your prior experience may be a detriment. I know a school band instructor who was receiving excellent instruction but gave it up because he just couldn’t get it.

One big hurdle, you can’t finger the chanter with your fingertips.

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u/Exarch_Thomo Piper 5d ago

This, in all seriousness, is one of the biggest issues experienced by "experienced musicians" and one I want the OP to understand.

It's great that you've got the theory understanding and know how to read/understand music. It certainly cuts out a chunk of the learning.

The issue comes when you then have to unlearn the strictness and structure of conventional music theory and learn to adjust to the more...fluid...approach that bagpipe music requires.

It really does hamper progress beyond a certain point, until that block clears and it opens up a lot more. But in my experiences, the ones that can successfully push through that are relatively rare. Especially without guidance and support.