Why did you fall in love with the bagpipes?

[Ben Shaffer]

What I love about the Pipes is the sonorous sound of the drones. Without the drones I think the sound of the chanter is no big deal one way or the other

[AirdriePiper93]

My grandfather passed in 2010 and we had plans to spread his ashes off the coast of Vancouver island. My mother said we should go out on a boat and spread his ashes to Maple Leaf Forever (his favorite tune). Then i though if anyones gonna play for the man who inspired me to do so much in my life, its the least i could do for him. Been working hard at it ever since.

[redmist]

When I was about 9 years old my father used to play and I pestered him to teach me , and when he was at work I used to get his books and practice chanter out and tried to teach myself , anyway he gave in in the end and the lessons started , I remember following him everywhere he went in the hope of an extra quick lesson , anyway a couple of years later we joined a local band and I quickly be ame involved in competitio and doing quite well (my fatber didnt make the grade and just did parades ) , anyway a few years on and mum n dad divorced and my dad quit and I was unable to get to practices so I was forced to stop too , tbh I kind of resented him For that then he became ill and passed away , time went by and I did the marriage thing had kids of my own got divorced but understood a lot more of how my father felt anyway 26 years later I bought my pipes and rejoined the same band me and my father used to play in and never looked back .so for me its not just piping it brings back so many memories and in my own way im pushing myself much more for the love of it and it feels like the better I get the more I put things right for me and my dad

[Ron Teague]

Because most people do not know if you can really play or not or if you are in tune or not AND many people think you are cool just for trying AND you get a lot of free drinks along the way.

Oh one more thing, they are great for rodent control in the house. It saves money on pest exterminators.

One true story, I rented a toney Condo in Sacramento earlier this year and the manager, as a joke, asked me if I had any bad habits such as playing the bagpipes. When I said with a straight face that I did indeed play the bagpipes the look of shock and dismay on her face was priceless. She knew that I had a special weapon to get back at her or any pesky neighbors. Bwahaha

[Rooklidge]

Originally Posted by 51stHD

I fell in love with the bagpipe age 11 when Royal Scots Greys and the Royal Caribiners cut their famous "Amazing Grace" album. For me, pipers will always be associated with the army.

That's it, right there. AG heard on a dashboard radio of a 1961 Ford Galaxie. I later met a neighbor kid who said he went to pipe lessons for a while but the instructor whacked his fingers when they weren't kept straight. Fearful of the whacking, I put that aside until my Granny wanted an escort to the 1975 Portland Highland Games. What a sight...I became a drummer. I dreaded the rising pitch of the pipes and fascination with kitchen tunes so I left it behind for almost two decades. Decided to learn pipes last year to recapture the sound I fell in love with. At this stage of life, my wifey believes an old Sinclair chanter is better than a sports car.

[Leong]

Originally Posted by ElRanchoHotTub

At this stage of life, my wifey believes an old Sinclair chanter is better than a sports car.

And much cheaper too.
Plus, lower maintenance costs (a good reed lasts years).
No possibility of fines (unless you live in a condo with a strict set of by-laws).
You won't end up wrapped 'round a tree.

....hmmm, not sure, though, which one gets you the chicks. Oh wait, you said wife. Scrap that then.

[Max K241]

I don't know that I did fall in love with the bagpipes, although I keep messing around with them anyway. What I enjoy most is being in a band. I like working together to make music (particularly when we're playing well). And I've met so many great people through bands.

[Hebridean Society Piper]

Originally Posted by SF Irish Piper

Bagpipes have got to be the most annoying, non versatile instrument ever.... I just happen to be good at it... I didn't say I liked it.

Well this pretty much describes it for me. That's it. I am taking up the ukelele

[Klondike Waldo]

I was getting wayyy too many chicks and staying up wayyy to late playing tuba in a trad jazz band before I took up the pipes.



Well, at least the part about being out late at night and riving miles and miles to play was true.

[MacDhughaill]

It only had 9 notes....