Dunshire Bagpipe Forum 5/6/05

Why did you wait to get started? (the first thread I started)

What a great forum! I have wanted to play the GHPs since I was in third grade (I’m now 47). I grew up in Calgary, AB and had a good friend who started learning when we were kids – I’ve since lost touch with him. I thought they were cool and wanted to learn, but alas, my folks felt that the piano was the instrument for me, and I hated it. I guess that soured my taste for learning a musical instrument enough that I never considered the pipes for … well … several decades.The sound of the pipes has always stirred something in me and my favorite part of any parade has always been the pipe bands. I also own a fairly good collection of Pipe CDs.I now live in Utah, and several years ago my parents – knowing how much I loved pipe music – invited my wife and I to attend a Pipe Band performance with them in a local park. I loved it! I couldn’t stand just sitting there listening – I wanted to participate! After the performance I went up and spoke to PM about taking lessons and by the end of the conversation was pretty convinced that learning to play, for me at least, was too late. It was too expensive, too time consuming and too difficult for an adult with a family. (I should have asked someone else) Well, kids grow up and leave home and surprise, surprise, there is more money and more time when they aren’t eating you out of house and home. My wife and I heard about the Utah Scottish Festival and decided to go. Wow :wow: So now I’m a pipe student of about 18 months and have just purchased my first set of GHPs. I’m realistic about my capabilities, and while I do have certain goals, I mostly play for myself and to annoy a few of my neighbors (although most of them like my playing). I wish I'd have started earlier, but hey - I'm havin' fun!!