On joining a pipe band

Early in my piping life the discussion was made that being a solo piper (hence piperjohnb.com) was the best and only way to go. I’m not quite sure why I believed that. It may have been that at the time my family of loving wife and three kids was young. I wasn’t ready to make the commitment to a band. Family always came first along with work and church commitments. I still had a great deal of fun playing. If I wanted to compete as an individual, I could. In some ways I felt that the life a soloist was considered the ‘top’. As a solo piper I was free to play gigs and hopefully touch and bless lives through my piping. Years later, I’ve changed my tune (no pun intended). Being in a pipe band, while maybe not for every piper, does offer many good things for you. Maybe it’s a new look of the band uniform, or the discipline of preparing to and then marching in parades and ensemble performances, or the humble camaraderie of being with a bunch of great musicians.

Being in a pipe band you will be surrounded by like-minded people, who (for the most part) will support and encourage you. During band practice there is very little time to chat, banter, and even jest with one another. Before practice (but mostly after) there is time to do such as well as compare notes on music, bagpipe gear (reeds, bags, tying in bag techniques, etc.), musical embellishments & timing, the choice of tunes, tuning, competitions, etc. In essence, all facets of piping that you may have pondered over or searched for on the internet, but can now balance against others’ practical experience. And, there is a guarantee that there will be others with more experience, better technique, cooler tunes, faster fingering, etc. to inspire. The good part of this is that most pipers are only too willing to help you improve.

Next: practice and commitment. Practicing multiple times per week (well… at minimum once a week at band practice) becomes a natural sought after part of your week. Time on practice chanter vs. pipes can be challenging. No one wants to come to band practice un-prepared for practicing the parade set, competition set, or the latest tune. Practice will give your music strength and confidence because your technique will be improving. Practice will enhance your blowing giving steadier tone as you transition from blowing to arm compressions. Practice will enhance your music as technique is refined and practiced. Practice will improve your strike in. Practicing on the march will bring new challenges to master. Can I hear my own playing? Practice. Can I watch the pipe major’s fingering while focusing on my own? Practice! As a soloist, time is on your side; as a band, to strike in together is key to the band’s sound in those first critical notes of a tune. Then there’s tuning and maintaining your instrument. They go hand in hand. Keeping the bagpipe maintained allows for the best tuning, and pipe bands must do their best to be in tune. Getting to practice early enough to warm up, then tune up to the decibels the pipe major is tuning to, then tuning to the pipe major. Another day I’ll speak to tuning. All of these pieces of practice add up to commitment. How committed are you to your art? Joining a pipe band can help to focus you as a musician.

Music! As a soloist, you practice for the next gig or competition,  or practice to enhance your play list, or for fun in trying new music. Yet having to know the band’s music repertoire raises your musicality to a new level. You need to memorize and match the musical timing of each piece. As a soloist you can play music with your own timing and embellishments (e.g. Amazing Grace, etc.). To play with the band, you need to match the other pipers. There’s little hiding during the performance or gig. Plus, you learn a lot of new music. Upon joining the Stewart Tartan Pipes & Drums of S.F. (StewartTartan.com) there was maybe 20 pieces to learn. Even several oldie but goodie tunes had slightly different arrangements with new changes to learn. You start by playing along with a half dozen, focusing on memorizing one, but playing the others to focus on the timing. After several months of practice you start to feel you have the tunes down, only to realize that NOW you need to perfect your musicality. Then to play with the ensemble of both pipes and drums adds to the need to raise the bar on your music.  It’s all good.

Joining a pipe band, while forcing commitment to an organization, does bring a new level of musicianship to the piper with whatever band (Grade 5 to Grade 1) they join. Cheers to the pipers and thanks to the people who listen to our music.  – John B