On piping for a wedding

Of all the requests as a piper which I’ve been given, the honor and privilege of piping for a couple to be married is at the top. To be part of such a joyful ceremony that brings two people who are in love to become one in the eyes of God is very humbling, very enjoyable and a challenge all at the same time. I count myself blessed to be part of such occasions. Whether in a church, other enclosed site or outside venue, the challenge to ‘be your best’ is here.

The occasion, as part of the whole wedding plan, begins months earlier with the bride or couple deciding to use the bagpipes in their ceremony and /or reception. Once contacted, my job begins with offering time in conversation or on the pipes with the engaged couple. On one such occasion, I offered to join the couple for a music ‘tasting’. Much like cake tasting, a sample of music that may be played is presented to the couple. I arrive tuned and warmed up, and present myself at the home, or venue chosen, and play several pieces. Most likely, I will have had a conversation as to what music the couple is looking for. Once, the couple asked me to play several hymns in order to choose the music for the bride to walk down the aisle. I played the tune with the couple listening. We then talked about playing two, the first as a prelude to the bride’s entrance, then the second for her to enter and walk to the alter. As the bride herself is a musician, she knew the tempo in her mind, which we agreed upon. The ‘tasting’ went very well. Then after playing a few more tunes, I paused to discuss with the couple only to hear from two or three doors down a pair of dogs crooning in harmony in response to my playing. It made us all laugh.

Before the wedding I like to preview the venue in person and play the music through (at least in my head) as I march down the (imaginary) aisle. I’ll do this, if possible, a week to ten days before the ceremony. I also confirm with the bride in that time period and the wedding coordinator that everything is set, and confirm the detailed times for rehearsal and wedding. Once the rehearsal day arrives there should be no surprises. Yet a piper does have to remain flexible and open to any last minute additions or changes. After all, it’s not my big day, but the bride’s and groom’s big day.  If any changes are requested, I make those changes happen, confirming with the bride as the final arbiter of changes.

The rehearsal will be a time of waiting for the piper to do my part for the bridal party. I make it a point to show up early, tuned up and ready to play. I may even play a few tunes for fun while we wait for someone to arrive, or some aspect to be handled.  It keeps people entertained and my pipes warmed up. I expect to be there are a couple hours and will probably be asked to do the run through twice. I’m not there to joke around or goof off, but I’m there to act professionally and be at the beck and call (musically) for the bride, groom and/or wedding coordinator.

On the day of the wedding, I plan on arriving early, dressed and tuned, prior to guests arriving. While the caterers are setting up, I’ll check in with the wedding coordinator, say hi to the groom and his men and officiating pastor, and do a final run through in my head. This is where the time in preparation will pay off. The tunes are ready. I’ll do a final tuning sequence in a practice room, if possible, and then wait for the ceremony to begin. Here’s where the experience in bagpiping can pay off. The waiting and then the final OK to play can make one nervous, and may even cause over blowing and take oneself off one’s game. Don’t fall into this trap. The key is being prepared mentally and having confidence in your instrument and playing. Enjoy yourself as the piping commences and play with a surety that will elevate the event from a performance to the experience of a lifetime for the bridal party and all in attendance. Your confidence will shine through. I make myself available for photos with the bridal party and whoever the bride wishes me to be photographed with.

Once the ceremony or reception duties are completed, I make sure to congratulate and thank the bride and groom, wedding coordinator, etc. for the privilege of being part of the day before saying my goodbyes. I will also follow-up a performance with a thank you note to the bride and groom.

On memorizing pipe tunes

Highland bagpipes are certainly one of the loudest instruments you may find; yes, this instrument cannot vary in volume; there is no playing pianissimo or crescendo, just fortissimo, and yet the musicality is still there when played well. As a performance instrument, bagpipes are also always performed with music memorized. So how does one go about memorizing multiple tunes? Is it as simple as playing the tunes over and over again? No. Whether performing solo or with a band (especially with a band!) one needs to play the notes and embellishments as written. One reality that I’ve found is that not everyone memorizes as easily as another. I have to work hard to memorize a piece. Here’s what I found helps and works:

Practice the music – You’ve heard the music played somewhere and you like it! Before it can be memorized and performed a piper must be able to play the music correctly and with proper embellishments. So just start by playing the piece on the chanter. Play it slowly, and correctly with embellishments, until you have the notes played with the grace note embellishments. Soon after, I recommend playing the music on the pipes in practice. This also helps later in transitioning from memorized tune of the chanter to memorized on the pipes.

Phrase recognition – Almost every pipe tune has sections, phrases or bars of music that repeat. It may be a starting or ending theme in a part of music. Recognizing these phrases is key to memorization and helps a piper to better understand the music. Phrases may be from two to four measures of music. Some instructors encourage using highlighters of different colors to show any repetition. This may help inputting the tune together in your head.

Start with the end in mind – Pipers often notice that the ending phrase is one of the most repeated in a tune. Start memorizing these phrases. It will build your confidence in working on other phrases. Tying other phrases into the ending phrase will come easier as you practice tying them together.

Bagpipe music is often composed of two or four parts. As I start memorizing, I break each part of the tune into lines of music and then phrases within each line. As you memorize, you’ll recognize in yourself how your mind works and how long each phrase to be memorized can be. Phrases may be shorter if the complexity of the tune is greater, or conversely longer is the tune’s complexity is easier or that the tune is more singable.

Sing the tune in your head as you learn the tune on the chanter or bagpipes. This allows you to reinforce the memorization. Then when you play the tune, sing the song in your head as you build muscle memory.

Build phrases into parts – Play what you can from memory. Then go back and review the music for what you played correctly and what you didn’t. Memorizing tunes is both humbling and honest work. It’s one exercise where we can’t cheat. For me, it’s just plain hard work. Even while continuing to play a piece of music, building each phrase into a line, then into a part, then into a tune. I use my smart phone to record these memorized phrases, then play them back while I read the music. Great for self correcting.

Keep playing the parts you know adding to them, building each phrase. Envision each line or phrase or part, or repeated part with pick-up notes until you are playing it well. I like to alternate playing a phrase or part by memory then play it the next time with the sheet music. This reinforces playing both the notes and the musicality correctly. Combine that with recording and playback review with music.

Another tried and true technique for memorizing is to do it from the last phrase of a part backward. Take the last phrase, add the next to the last to it and so on. Keep doing this until you have the part memorized. Continue this until the whole tune is memorized.

As I work to memorize, I tap my foot to establish the tune’s tempo and use a metronome to aid in forcing me to memorize to a proper beat. I encourage using the metronome while recording playing as you will soon hear where you are off the beat or are rushing a phrase on run down the scale.

After all that hard work, knowing you’ve mastered a tune, play with all your heart and mind to bless others with your music. Be that at a memorial service, a wedding or a party your practice will pay off in the confidence you have in mastering a beautiful and unique instrument.