best and worst sounding pipes you've heard!

[erracht]

I've heard several good pipes, but two experiences particularly stick in my head. One is
that of Pipe Major John Wakefield (ex-Toronto Scottish Regiment) playing at the Rembrance
Day service at the U of T in my freshman year, on 11 November 1998. The service was held
in the great hall of Hart House (the pipes couldn't be heard as clearly in later years, being
held outside) and the sound of his Hendersons, which he bought in 1951, filled the room with
rich melody. It was striking. P/M Wakefield's pipes are a really fine set, with ivory (in good
condition for its age) and silver engraved with a rare dolphin design. Over a month later, I
met a piper playing on the street at a demonstration. While he played "The Inverness
Gathering" (possibly my favorite Tune at the time), the pipes showed themselves to be
loud and rich (man, it seems hard to get a good sound on the street) and I believe the drones
performed just as they should, too. I think these pipes may have been Hendersons with a
Dunbar chanter.

My worst experience, I have to admit, is my own. My first set was a 3/4 size Pakistani pipe,
and while I think the instrument itself was not the worst in the world, the fact that it was of
a smaller dimension meant that I had to greatly weaken the reed I fit to it. Since I was only
begining, it was hard to blow, so to make it easier (I had to busk) I weakened the reed
perhaps a bit too much, resulting in a wheezy sounding instrument. I could only use one tenor
drone, as two were too loud, and the bass, whether or not I could use it, sounded awful,
maybe it was just perception, but I suspect the reed was bad. They had to use narrow reeds.

What I have now is certainly an improvement. And I can blow harder than then!

[Gord™ ©1980]

Best sounding pipes....wel I have heard quite a few. In 1997 I attended a Piobaireachd Recital where Ian Whitelaw played....he had the most amazing sound...put me in aww for days. :) Being a new piper at the time this was the performance that inspired me to whatever I could to try and achieve that sound.

At a more recent time, Nov '01, I heard some of the best sounding pipes. It was at a recital in Regina. Bob Worral, Jack Lee, and Dani Brin all played. Wow...what an evening.

As for the worst sounding pipes....hmm probably would of been mine. After the recital there was a knock-out competition for the evening. I drew first to play :thumb: . When I went back to get my pipes, I opened up my pipe box to find that I had left my solo chanter on the dresser back in the hotel....with 12 mins to go I had my solo reed....and a band chanter.... a really flat C...and full of panic...all I can say is that a recital feturing the above mentioned players is a hard act to follow...I was pretty embarrased... :(

[David]

The worst I've heard were my own at 3,500 meters above sea level, on Mauna Loa or Mauna Kea (I forget which)on the island of Hawaii. To boot
I woke up the astronomers, who sleep during the day because they work at night.

The best--there are so many fine pipers today that I'd have judge "best" by uniqueness of the setting. Then I'd say back in the 70s when I arrived in Edinburgh, and there was a terrible traffic jam on Princes Street. I had to get out of the cab and walk. I heard pipes, and I saw a nicely dressed couple in a carriage drawn by white horses. QE2 and consort on a jubilee tour.

Well, the cabby returned most of my tip, saying it was "too much." Since the Queen was clearly not going to let me get to my hotel, I followed the sound of the pipes. I found a Scots Guards corporal in full dress playing in a pub. I must have stared at him oddly because he thrust his pipes into my hands and said "go on, then, have a blaw."

Eight hours later, including going out the front door at closing time, and in the back door to resume "activites" for another few hours, I finally made it to my hotel. By that time I had had an excellent instruction in strathspey playing, heard many fine examples of Scots playing by a solid player on very warmed-up pipes, and I had an invitation to his Highland home to sort out my own tune expression.

Getting most of tip back was something, though as it turned out no one would take my money in that pub. And that was my first (adult) bagpipe hearing in Scotland, and magnificient because of the setting.

[Kenton Adler]

Best I've heard live, Alasdair Gillies at Atlanta a couple of years ago, Bob Worrall in Dallas at a clinic a few years back, Jimmy Bell playing on the back porch of the Lyon College guest house last year, and Willie Muirhead playing an old set of Glens one afternoon in the foyer of Brown chapel.

The worst? Me at any games where it's real cold and/or raining, and any number of others who I didn't know and didn't care to.

[Neil Dickie]

Worst - Easy choice. That tinker who plays at the entrance to Glencoe. The girl in the tea van told me his pipes sound even worse when it gets cold.

Best - PM Angus MacDonald (most times he blew up the pipe)but especially at a recital on the wharf in San Francisco about 12 years ago. Mesmerizing!

Other choice - Andrew Wright playing the Bells of Perth for a congregation of piping students at Mount Allison Summer School in about 1978.

Neil D

[Ian Lawther]

Originally posted by Neil Dickie:
Worst - Easy choice. That tinker who plays at the entrance to Glencoe. The girl in the tea van told me his pipes sound even worse when it gets cold.
A similar contender was an Australian slob who turned up in Canterbury, England about six years ago and insisted on busking near the cathedral, though he could not tune his pipes, and could only just struggle through Amazing Grace.

I would tune his pipes for him but only in self interest - I also played at that spot and whilst I couldn't physically stop him it was in my interest to minimize the damage he was doing to the reputation of the pipes......

[Iain Sherwood]

worst - a couple of buskers I saw on the Mile last March, playing illegally right next to St. Giles in full dress.

Best - Willie McCallum, many times.

[Chris Hamilton]

On the top of my current list (so many to choose from):

Best Solo Pipe Sound:
Iain Macey at the 2002 MHAF recital. :smokin: Flippin' unbelievable drone sound on "Clan Campbell's Gathering". Playing his own cane reeds. I think it was a set of Lawrie drones. A CD of the recital (with Alasdair Gillies, Lindsay Kirkwood, Iain Macey, and Chris Hamilton) will be out in a few months.

Best Band Pipe Sound:
Obviously the Victoria Police in 1997 at The Worlds. But one that really shouldn't be forgotten is the 48th Highlanders under Reay MacKay at the Toronto Indoor in 1980. Their drones sounded exactly like Iain Macey (see above). Sold me on the Korg tuner concept. Also for sheer grass-flattening power, the New Zealand Police medley at the Worlds in 1998.

Worst Solo Pipe:
A funeral I played at circa 1976, well below freezing (actually near zero fahrenheit) with six inches or so of snow on the ground. A bandmate and I piped, then were "joined" by a local tinker piper who knew the deceased and insisted on playing with us. Between the cold and his own horrendous setup and tuning ... oh the humanity! :eek:

Worst Band Pipe:
Alexandria (Virginia) Scottish Christmas Walk parade, circa 1980/81. Again, a cold cold day. Massed bands (mostly street bands) stood in the town square for 30 - 45 minutes AFTER the parade while the speeches were given. Then we struck up and played something. I've never heard more dissonance ... about 50 pipers worth. I broke down laughing so hard I couldn't play. :D

Chris

[HepcatBob]

The worst:

MINE!! Of course, I'm only a beginner, so I've got a halfway decent excuse. :thumb:

[Ayrhead]

Best Sound: without a doubt, Iain Macey at Oberlin, 2001. Incredible sound, with every single note perfectly blended and tuned. I nearly swooned.

Worst: there are so many, I just can't chose, although at times I'm quite sure it must be me.

Just back in from practicing - yep, it's me. alright. *sigh*

[Jeff]

Best pipes? Chris knows what I'm talking about!

Iain Macey at the 2002 MHAF concert...wait until you hear the CD...its probably the best track on there! A slow air, some variations on Black Donald's March, and the Clan Campbell's Gathering.

I think his arctic fox sporran contributes to the tone somehow (kidding).

Stay tuned for the 2003 MHAF concert: Winter Storm 2: Iain's Sporran Bites Back

Jeff

[brad]

Iain Macey for sure. That was a beautiful set up!

The Piobaireachd was excellent too.

My kids were terrified by that sporran!
And, my wife thought he was going to fall over, as we was moving so slow during the "piob walk".

But what a lovely sound. It sounded like "butta": nice, sweet, mellow, full, and warm.

Originally posted by Chris Hamilton:
On the top of my current list (so many to choose from):

Best Solo Pipe Sound:
Iain Macey at the 2002 MHAF recital. :smokin: Flippin' unbelievable drone sound on "Clan Campbell's Gathering". Playing his own cane reeds

ChrisI thought all the pipes were sounding pretty good that night. The drones and chanter you were blowing were going nicely too. No sissy pipes there, eh?

Brad

[Chris Hamilton]

Originally posted by brad:
I thought all the pipes were sounding pretty good that night. The drones and chanter you were blowing were going nicely too. No sissy pipes there, eh?
Thanks! I was pleased with the pipe sound, but even more so afterwards when audience members began telling me what they thought.

Of course, guess who fatally chipped that reed on the edge of his dry stock less than a week later?

mmm hmmm :mad:

Chris

[Matt]

I don't know if this counts or not. On one of my bagpipe CDs there is a set of pipes being played, I don't know the maker, but they sound like fog horns on a ship. They sound awesome! That's the type of drones I like. Fog horns. Deep bass I guess is what does it. My Henderson's are awefully close but not quite there.

The worst sounding pipe would have been my old pakistani pipes. It's not that the drones sounded that bad,,,I just couldn't tune them!

[Matt]

"Best sounding pipes....wel I have heard quite a few. In 1997 I attended a Piobaireachd Recital where Ian Whitelaw played....he had the most amazing sound...put me in aww for days. Being a new piper at the time this was the performance that inspired me to whatever I could to try and achieve that sound."

Hmm. I bought a set of used Gibsons from him. My first REAL set of bagpipes actually. They sounded great. Maybe that is the bagpipe you speak of!