New Piper Saying Hello!

[Joseph Diodato]

Hi all,

Glad to have come across the forum! My name is Joe, and I'm a graduate student in the midwestern United States. I've been a classical musician for the better part of my life, but I'm just over a month into my piping journey. What a wonderful journey it has been so far.

I'm currently working through the NPC tutor book with a fantastic teacher and playing on a Dunbar poly practice chanter. I recently traveled to one of the MWPBA qualifiers, and it was so inspiring to see some wonderful pipers.

Quite excited to see where my piping journey takes me, and here's to many more decades on this fine instrument! I look forward to chatting with you good folks.

Best,
Joe

[Pppiper]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

Welcome Joe. Keep it up.

As I often like to say in regards to piping, "this isn't checkers; it's a life-long game of chess."

Enjoy it.

Cheers,
~Nate

[Pip01]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!




Joe!!,

Welcome aboard!! ... and happy to have had you
"stumble in" to the Forum... as had I... these now
years past...

"Get tore in!"... as the old expression goes ... and
ask... or delve into... what ever may strike your fancy!!

Lovely folk here... and much very good... and accurate...
information. (...Though you will find... that five pipers...
will get you... a dozen opinions!!

With both your studies... and your having leapt into the
great pond... of The Piping Game... wishing you...

All the Best!!

Pip01

[Andrew Lenz]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

Welcome aboard, Joe! I'm glad you found us . . . and that you have an honest-to-goodness instructor.

Practice every day. Even if it's literally 2 minutes sometimes. It's repetition. And practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent. Practice perfectly. Oh, wait, you are a classical musician. You know that!


Andrew

[Klondike Waldo]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

Welcome aboard! What's your major instrument as a classical musician ( I was a tubist)

[phinson]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

Hi Joe,
Welcome to the forum. As you are in Bloomington, IN, you might try contacting the Bloomington Pipers' Society if you've not done so already. I know a couple of the members and they've got a FB page you might want to see.
Paul Hinson

[piper Q]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

Welcome, enjoy the comradery and buffoonery this place has to offer.

[Joseph Diodato]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

Thank you all for the warm welcome and bits of knowledge! And candidly speaking, I quite enjoy the buffoonery around here so far.

Welcome aboard! What's your major instrument as a classical musician ( I was a tubist)

Small world! I was a tubist myself in various youth ensembles for about 8 years. I also played violin as well. I picked up tuba when I switched schools and had to join band -- what a wonderful journey it was.

Hi Joe,
Welcome to the forum. As you are in Bloomington, IN, you might try contacting the Bloomington Pipers' Society if you've not done so already. I know a couple of the members and they've got a FB page you might want to see.
Paul Hinson

I'm already quite involved with the local Pipers' Society! I actually initially got involved to learn more about the Scottish style of drumming. I was fascinating by the odd looking pipes and bellows and what-have you. As I often say, "I met my teacher and I spent lots of money."

I'm a grad student living on a modest stipend -- this hobby can certainly eat away at funds if one's not careful. Glad I don't have a partner to nag me about my financial irresponsibility.

Case in point: I just acquired a like-new set of Shepard smallpipes in A for $650, including a nice bag! It would have been financially irresponsible of me not to have bought them.

[William McKenzie]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

Welcome!!

It won't be easy but it's an amazing world to be a part of

[Joseph Diodato]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

It indeed, William! Here's to many more decades of getting my fingers to move exactly how I want them to on the chanter. I used to be a tubist -- things were much simpler with only three brass valves!

[Klondike Waldo]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

It indeed, William! Here's to many more decades of getting my fingers to move exactly how I want them to on the chanter. I used to be a tubist -- things were much simpler with only three brass valves!

The good news? You don't need to perfect your embouchure.

[Joseph Diodato]

Re: New Piper Saying Hello!

The good news? You don't need to perfect your embouchure.

I always had the worst embouchure -- almost a decade of improper embouchure combined with group instruction (ala middle and high school band) led to so many bad habits that I wasn't able to undo. Most youth band directors are happy just to have a player that can pump out the bass line! I discovered that the smaller the mouthpiece, the less forgiving the embouchure is. A month of private trumpet lessons and I was never quite able to properly shape my various muscles the way that my instructor (working on his DMA in trumpet performance!) wanted to see.

On a related note, I've gained a new respect for my colleagues who played woodwinds in marching band.