Hi
I believe that the Uileann Pipes are a difficult beast to master but you are not too old. I took up the wooden flute about 3 years ago and i'm now 44 . It's possible that I might have ended up a better fluter if i'd started at 12 which is when I started playing guitar but I never , ever, put in as many hours of dedicated practice when I was a youngster as I do now . Dedication to the cause and not age is the key.
The answer is yes Will, your doctor will positively agree with me. Your mental health is tumbling down. Not because the age (I started Irish flute at 30) but because the instrument. Uillean pipes? That evil thing that you have to inflate a bag with bellows to squeeze it, fight with tuning at the same time you try to get in tune with drones while you press the regulators keys? If you can have fun with that you're mad.
Serious now Will, I'm considering buying a fiddle and smallpipes to learn and play and don't consider myself more mad than when I started flute. Looking back, I even consider more strange my first step into music than this one, so, Will, if you are sure enough, go ahead.
Remember, we never do anything when we always pay excessive attention to what other people tell us to do.
I think you're mad for choosing the pipes :grin:, but I don't think your mad for starting at any age. I started whistle and Irish flute about 8 months ago (Age 34), and Irish Dance 2 years ago. It's been proven that things like music help keep the mind from starting to lose recall, etc.
If you want another example, I didn't start martial arts until I was 29, and I won our spring nationals in forms in 2001. If I listened to the people that said I was too "old" to start, I'd have never had the experience.
I heard a conversation between some people listening at session the other day, discussing taking up an instrument. The comment "Yeah, but listen to them. Some of them have been playing for 10 years!". I felt like telling them "Yes, but if you start now, in 10 years you'll BE on of those, rather than a person that is just 10 years older."
I started Irish wooden flute when I was almost 31. Well I'm turning 33 soon and have no regrets....I truly believe that dedication, hard work and being passionate about the music can sometimes be more important than age. I practice an hour and a half on my lunch break and then 2-3 hours at night...how many kids do that?
Anyway i have a friend who started pipes in his early forties. He's having fun and gets better each time I see him...so it's never too late....
Neither can I Will, and so what? Sincerely that might be a problem if you want to play classical music. But folk music was played maybe for centuries before someone decided to write it. Reading music is a good tool, but not the only one and it might help (sure it does) but lots of people simply don't ever use it.
Besides, you can also make an effort and learn also to read music. I can assure you that it will be MUCH MUCH easier than taming a wild Uillean.
Jaysus lads, ye's are giving me hope anyway!! I would be very worried about taking them up, as I heard they are an absolute beast of an instrument to play.... I have small short fingers too (I'm full of obstacles today.......anyone'd think I didn't want to play them at all)..........
.. but I am just so wary of something so big, even though I love it, and want to be sure that I uncover all the obstacles......
They are expensive too, aren't they? How much would they be do you think......in Euros?????
Not easy, that's true, but here lies the challenge!
You can get a quality practice set from 700 € (not especially expensive), later on you can ask to your maker for a set of drones and finally regulators if you dare!
Have a look at the links section -musical instruments. I recommend you ARHPA guys. Excellent quality an short waiting list at affordable price.
rafa
Will, not to worry, and stop finding excuses why you can't do this. ;) If you want to play the pipes, then play them. You're in for a bear of a time, but it'll be fun, and what's life without a few challenges? Expect the first two weeks to be excruciating, and try not to play where anyone has to listen to you, because it'll all be duck torturing and cat lovemaking pretty much the entire time. If you have a spouse or significant other or a roommate, expect to be doing some major brownie point exchanges.
I took up the fiddle at 38. Our piper Dirk took up the Octopus two and a half years ago now.
They're expensive, but you can manage for a bit with a practice set. Pick up some D whistles (a low D takes a lof breath but will help with the piper's hold) and learn on them while you're waiting for your set.
And, by the way, you can get yerself lessons from Eoin at Scoiltrad if you can't find yourself a tutor nearby, and the Heather Clarke tutor I hear isn't too bad.
"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." --John Barrymore
Do you want to be a 30 Something piper? Or just 30 Something wishing you'd tried? Or 40 and finally deciding to start when you could have had ten years of piping under your belt already? Age doesn't matter. Do what brings you joy and keeps you going...even if you think you won't be great at it.
I think that often people get too caught up in whether they can or will do something well enough to make it worthwhile. They decide at some point, "I'll never be good at this; so, I won't do it." It's not always about how well you do something...it's the "doing" and everything you get out of the "doing" that counts.
By the way...you'll look back later and laugh at thinking you were too old at 30 to start something new. 30 is young...you'll probably live to 100. It's all about perspective. Don't end up beyond and looking back wishing for things that never were. Life is in the moment.
Good words from kakitbythegate. I know a guy who took up the pipes, both making and playing them at about age 30. He plays fairly well now. I guess he's 36 or 37 but he wasn't doing too badly three years ago. I took up playing guitar for Irish music and also bouzouki after I retired. I had previously played folk guitar. I'm not great but do OK.
If not now...then when? I guess I should have added that at 30, I decided I was too old to pursue some things. Now I'm 40, and wishing I had started them at 30. And if I'd say I'm too old at 40 to try something new, there's some 50-year-old (or more) out there who'd be laughing at me for being so foolish. Go for it, Will. I've made a vow to take up something weird and wild when I turn 80 or 90 (think...belly-dancing or something)...just for the joy of freaking people out. Freaking people out may be all I'm up to accomplishing then, but I intend to be great at that much. lol...hmmmmmmm...interesting mental images abound.
So much wisdom here!! I'll add my bit. I took up Irish harp at age 32, and I can keep up with most anyone at a session playing melody (as long as I've practiced hard that week!) I took up fiddle at age 37 a year ago. So what if I'm not great. maybe I'll never get there--but maybe I will be pretty good. (stranger things have happened.) I like how I sound usually. And a couple months ago on my lunch break I was playing in a little park and these kindergarden age kids were there on their recess--they were jumping up and down and dancing to my practicing!! One little girl said my music was the most beautiful she has ever heard. Then she gave me a nickel. I tried to give it back, but she said--"no you keep it. Go buy yourself a soft pretzel."
(For those who don't know--a soft pretzel is a big, salty, soft pretzel sold on the street in the Philadelphia.)
Anyway--that's my story--and I'm sure you'll have a few like it, too Edja in no time.
Will, I think anybody who wants to take up the pipes is as mad as a cut snake, and I ought to know - I'm a 'failed' piper myself (well, a piper in remission anyway!), having sold my half set about a month ago. Why did I sell? I play a few other instruments, and am currently in the busiest few years of my life, so the pipes hardly ever left the case - and when you're 19 you can't really afford to have $2500 Australian worth of music gear sitting idle. But, when I move out of home and have some money I'll have another go. So, the best advice I can offer in regard to starting the pipes is:
1) Buy a practice set. That way if you bail out they will be easy to re-sell to somebody else who is pipe-curious. The initial financial outlay is not huge. Keep in mind that some well-known players only play practice sets - Emer Mayock comes to mind, or maybe she only tours with a practice set, I dunno...Get a really good set too, that way you can just upgrade to a half set rather than buy a whole new instrument.
2) Make sure you have lots of time (and patience) up your sleeve. Of course any instrument requires a time investment, but you might as well double it for the pipes. Something like a few hours a day without any distractions - wives, children, your mates from golf and the guys that come to your door selling roof restoration or university students collecting for injured wildlife...
3) Make the pipes your primary instrument, preferably your only instrument. Otherwise they become a side-interest to something else - you don't end up playing them as much as you should, and you will be frustrated by your slow progress.
4) Be sure you're fit. I don't think age is an issue, but fitness and strength is. The bellows aren't the worry, it's actually the bag. It takes a lot out of you to keep bag pressure for long periods, depending on how hard or soft the chanter reed is. I'm pretty skinny, and I had a medium-soft reed, and the bag pressure needed wasn't great, but maintaining it for more than about 15 minutes was a struggle.
5) Have access to one on one tuition, or at least be able to meet with other pipers. I couldn't get that in Sydney, and I wish I could have. Ornamentation is hard to learn from a book, and so is style. Listening to recordings helps with style, but it's something you need to see as well as listen to.
I hope all this has been helpful. I say do it, give it a good go. The pipes are the most peculiarly seductive of all instruments, and are very rewarding when you can get them going and sounding nice.
I've just turned 29 this year and I haven't taken up the pipes yet, or the fiddle, accordion, concertina, bodhran, driving - and I'll never get them all in before I'm 30.
Hey- i jjust turned 55 in june and finnaly got a half set this month, I've waited 20 years to get something that is playable. I tried back in the 70s but there was no support for the instrument at that time where I lived, nor reputable makers like there are now. Back then it was Kennedy, Rowsome, Ginsberg and Howard. Now there are american makers plus a host of others in Ireland.
And I still like to ride by bicycle fast, very fast.
Hi,
I'd say go for it. I've only started 3 weeks ago, (I'm 38) and yes it is difficult especially the first week as someone else said. When you manage to stumble through your first tune you'll feel great, the next day when you fail to run through the scale you'll feel demoralised but so it goes. The benefit of starting as an adult is that we should be a little more realistic and not expect to be experts. If you eventually find that the pipes are'nt for you at least you've tried. If you can't get personnal tuition I'd recommend the Mad for Trad Uillean pipe tutor CD-Rom. I have it although I'm lucky to have a guy teach me.
An alternative is to take up the Northumbrian Small Pipes. Much cheaper, certainly easier to play. Closed chanter 4 drones and a beautiful sound (I'm biased).
Problem is that most chanters are tuned to 20 cents sharp of F and unless you have accommodating musicians in your session you'll be playing solo. I'm sure others will be able to suggest other problems
Cheers
Gerard
never too late to learn anything in my opinion. In fact I have just recently started to fight the octopus myself with a borrowed proactice set.
before you start throwing money around why not call in on your local comhaltas group. You might find that they have sets available on loan for beginners or can direct you to a maker who won't break the bank.
They might also be able to offer tuition which can never do any harm.
e-mail them for details of your nearest branch mailto:enquiries@comhaltas.com
Uileann Pipes at my age???
Uileann Pipes at my age???
Hi lads and lassies,
Just wondering - I turned 30 last month, God love me........ do you think I would be mad to take up Uileann Pipes at my age?
Thanks
Will
# Posted on January 30th 2003 by Edja
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Hi
I believe that the Uileann Pipes are a difficult beast to master but you are not too old. I took up the wooden flute about 3 years ago and i'm now 44 . It's possible that I might have ended up a better fluter if i'd started at 12 which is when I started playing guitar but I never , ever, put in as many hours of dedicated practice when I was a youngster as I do now . Dedication to the cause and not age is the key.
Cheers
Willie
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by domino
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
The answer is yes Will, your doctor will positively agree with me. Your mental health is tumbling down. Not because the age (I started Irish flute at 30) but because the instrument. Uillean pipes? That evil thing that you have to inflate a bag with bellows to squeeze it, fight with tuning at the same time you try to get in tune with drones while you press the regulators keys? If you can have fun with that you're mad.
Serious now Will, I'm considering buying a fiddle and smallpipes to learn and play and don't consider myself more mad than when I started flute. Looking back, I even consider more strange my first step into music than this one, so, Will, if you are sure enough, go ahead.
Remember, we never do anything when we always pay excessive attention to what other people tell us to do.
Rafaf
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Rmcordoba
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Will-
I think you're mad for choosing the pipes :grin:, but I don't think your mad for starting at any age. I started whistle and Irish flute about 8 months ago (Age 34), and Irish Dance 2 years ago. It's been proven that things like music help keep the mind from starting to lose recall, etc.
If you want another example, I didn't start martial arts until I was 29, and I won our spring nationals in forms in 2001. If I listened to the people that said I was too "old" to start, I'd have never had the experience.
I heard a conversation between some people listening at session the other day, discussing taking up an instrument. The comment "Yeah, but listen to them. Some of them have been playing for 10 years!". I felt like telling them "Yes, but if you start now, in 10 years you'll BE on of those, rather than a person that is just 10 years older."
Go for it!
Aodhan
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Aodhan
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
But but but... I can't read music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Edja
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
I started Irish wooden flute when I was almost 31. Well I'm turning 33 soon and have no regrets....I truly believe that dedication, hard work and being passionate about the music can sometimes be more important than age. I practice an hour and a half on my lunch break and then 2-3 hours at night...how many kids do that?
Anyway i have a friend who started pipes in his early forties. He's having fun and gets better each time I see him...so it's never too late....
Joyce
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by JMH
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Neither can I Will, and so what? Sincerely that might be a problem if you want to play classical music. But folk music was played maybe for centuries before someone decided to write it. Reading music is a good tool, but not the only one and it might help (sure it does) but lots of people simply don't ever use it.
Besides, you can also make an effort and learn also to read music. I can assure you that it will be MUCH MUCH easier than taming a wild Uillean.
Rafa
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Rmcordoba
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Gosh Joyce! Do you really practice so much? Let me count...You've already played much longer than myself in my 5 years playing. I feel down, sob!
Rafa
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Rmcordoba
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Jaysus lads, ye's are giving me hope anyway!! I would be very worried about taking them up, as I heard they are an absolute beast of an instrument to play.... I have small short fingers too (I'm full of obstacles today.......anyone'd think I didn't want to play them at all)..........
.. but I am just so wary of something so big, even though I love it, and want to be sure that I uncover all the obstacles......
They are expensive too, aren't they? How much would they be do you think......in Euros?????
THanks again all for taking the time to respond!
Will
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Edja
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Not easy, that's true, but here lies the challenge!
You can get a quality practice set from 700 € (not especially expensive), later on you can ask to your maker for a set of drones and finally regulators if you dare!
Have a look at the links section -musical instruments. I recommend you ARHPA guys. Excellent quality an short waiting list at affordable price.
rafa
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Rmcordoba
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Will, you mean you think you're too young?
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by carolsviolin
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
No not at all carol........ too old!! I've hears so often that the good and great pipers all took up the pipes when they were but wee childer!!
Will
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Edja
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Will, not to worry, and stop finding excuses why you can't do this. ;) If you want to play the pipes, then play them. You're in for a bear of a time, but it'll be fun, and what's life without a few challenges? Expect the first two weeks to be excruciating, and try not to play where anyone has to listen to you, because it'll all be duck torturing and cat lovemaking pretty much the entire time. If you have a spouse or significant other or a roommate, expect to be doing some major brownie point exchanges.
I took up the fiddle at 38. Our piper Dirk took up the Octopus two and a half years ago now.
They're expensive, but you can manage for a bit with a practice set. Pick up some D whistles (a low D takes a lof breath but will help with the piper's hold) and learn on them while you're waiting for your set.
Take a look at http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/1320 (our last discussion about starting up the pipes. Some good stuff there.
And, by the way, you can get yerself lessons from Eoin at Scoiltrad if you can't find yourself a tutor nearby, and the Heather Clarke tutor I hear isn't too bad.
Zina
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
A favorite quotation comes to mind...
"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." --John Barrymore
Do you want to be a 30 Something piper? Or just 30 Something wishing you'd tried? Or 40 and finally deciding to start when you could have had ten years of piping under your belt already? Age doesn't matter. Do what brings you joy and keeps you going...even if you think you won't be great at it.
I think that often people get too caught up in whether they can or will do something well enough to make it worthwhile. They decide at some point, "I'll never be good at this; so, I won't do it." It's not always about how well you do something...it's the "doing" and everything you get out of the "doing" that counts.
By the way...you'll look back later and laugh at thinking you were too old at 30 to start something new. 30 is young...you'll probably live to 100. It's all about perspective. Don't end up beyond and looking back wishing for things that never were. Life is in the moment.
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by katiebythegate
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Good words from kakitbythegate. I know a guy who took up the pipes, both making and playing them at about age 30. He plays fairly well now. I guess he's 36 or 37 but he wasn't doing too badly three years ago. I took up playing guitar for Irish music and also bouzouki after I retired. I had previously played folk guitar. I'm not great but do OK.
Steve
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by SteveKendall
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
If not now...then when? I guess I should have added that at 30, I decided I was too old to pursue some things. Now I'm 40, and wishing I had started them at 30. And if I'd say I'm too old at 40 to try something new, there's some 50-year-old (or more) out there who'd be laughing at me for being so foolish. Go for it, Will. I've made a vow to take up something weird and wild when I turn 80 or 90 (think...belly-dancing or something)...just for the joy of freaking people out. Freaking people out may be all I'm up to accomplishing then, but I intend to be great at that much. lol...hmmmmmmm...interesting mental images abound.
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by katiebythegate
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
As a flute teacher (classical), I have students who start when they are 55 year old or so, they have fun, are enthousiastic.
I fully agree with katiebythegate: it's all about DOING things. Think I play the Irish flute fairly well yet I shall never reach the Molloy level.
So what, so what, I enjoy playing and if anyone likes my playing it's OK and if not: so what, so what.
Get yourselve a practise set
Bart
(very old man who hopes to live to celebrate his 46th birthday soon).
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Bart
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
So much wisdom here!! I'll add my bit. I took up Irish harp at age 32, and I can keep up with most anyone at a session playing melody (as long as I've practiced hard that week!) I took up fiddle at age 37 a year ago. So what if I'm not great. maybe I'll never get there--but maybe I will be pretty good. (stranger things have happened.) I like how I sound usually. And a couple months ago on my lunch break I was playing in a little park and these kindergarden age kids were there on their recess--they were jumping up and down and dancing to my practicing!! One little girl said my music was the most beautiful she has ever heard. Then she gave me a nickel. I tried to give it back, but she said--"no you keep it. Go buy yourself a soft pretzel."
(For those who don't know--a soft pretzel is a big, salty, soft pretzel sold on the street in the Philadelphia.)
Anyway--that's my story--and I'm sure you'll have a few like it, too Edja in no time.
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Andee
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Will, I think anybody who wants to take up the pipes is as mad as a cut snake, and I ought to know - I'm a 'failed' piper myself (well, a piper in remission anyway!), having sold my half set about a month ago. Why did I sell? I play a few other instruments, and am currently in the busiest few years of my life, so the pipes hardly ever left the case - and when you're 19 you can't really afford to have $2500 Australian worth of music gear sitting idle. But, when I move out of home and have some money I'll have another go. So, the best advice I can offer in regard to starting the pipes is:
1) Buy a practice set. That way if you bail out they will be easy to re-sell to somebody else who is pipe-curious. The initial financial outlay is not huge. Keep in mind that some well-known players only play practice sets - Emer Mayock comes to mind, or maybe she only tours with a practice set, I dunno...Get a really good set too, that way you can just upgrade to a half set rather than buy a whole new instrument.
2) Make sure you have lots of time (and patience) up your sleeve. Of course any instrument requires a time investment, but you might as well double it for the pipes. Something like a few hours a day without any distractions - wives, children, your mates from golf and the guys that come to your door selling roof restoration or university students collecting for injured wildlife...
3) Make the pipes your primary instrument, preferably your only instrument. Otherwise they become a side-interest to something else - you don't end up playing them as much as you should, and you will be frustrated by your slow progress.
4) Be sure you're fit. I don't think age is an issue, but fitness and strength is. The bellows aren't the worry, it's actually the bag. It takes a lot out of you to keep bag pressure for long periods, depending on how hard or soft the chanter reed is. I'm pretty skinny, and I had a medium-soft reed, and the bag pressure needed wasn't great, but maintaining it for more than about 15 minutes was a struggle.
5) Have access to one on one tuition, or at least be able to meet with other pipers. I couldn't get that in Sydney, and I wish I could have. Ornamentation is hard to learn from a book, and so is style. Listening to recordings helps with style, but it's something you need to see as well as listen to.
I hope all this has been helpful. I say do it, give it a good go. The pipes are the most peculiarly seductive of all instruments, and are very rewarding when you can get them going and sounding nice.
peace, dargs
# Posted on February 1st 2003 by dargs
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
" I took up the wooden flute about 3 years ago and i'm now 44 ."
Willie - How old were you when you started?
# Posted on February 1st 2003 by ragaman
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
I've just turned 29 this year and I haven't taken up the pipes yet, or the fiddle, accordion, concertina, bodhran, driving - and I'll never get them all in before I'm 30.
# Posted on February 1st 2003 by ragaman
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Hey- i jjust turned 55 in june and finnaly got a half set this month, I've waited 20 years to get something that is playable. I tried back in the 70s but there was no support for the instrument at that time where I lived, nor reputable makers like there are now. Back then it was Kennedy, Rowsome, Ginsberg and Howard. Now there are american makers plus a host of others in Ireland.
And I still like to ride by bicycle fast, very fast.
# Posted on February 2nd 2003 by I_Fel
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Hi,
I'd say go for it. I've only started 3 weeks ago, (I'm 38) and yes it is difficult especially the first week as someone else said. When you manage to stumble through your first tune you'll feel great, the next day when you fail to run through the scale you'll feel demoralised but so it goes. The benefit of starting as an adult is that we should be a little more realistic and not expect to be experts. If you eventually find that the pipes are'nt for you at least you've tried. If you can't get personnal tuition I'd recommend the Mad for Trad Uillean pipe tutor CD-Rom. I have it although I'm lucky to have a guy teach me.
Good Luck, Mac
# Posted on February 2nd 2003 by MacEachain
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
Hello, Will, you have the advantage that you'll be retiring soon, so you will have plenty of time to practice, and nobody will have to fire you.
Good luck, i'm sure you'll manage.
# Posted on February 2nd 2003 by glauber
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
An alternative is to take up the Northumbrian Small Pipes. Much cheaper, certainly easier to play. Closed chanter 4 drones and a beautiful sound (I'm biased).
Problem is that most chanters are tuned to 20 cents sharp of F and unless you have accommodating musicians in your session you'll be playing solo. I'm sure others will be able to suggest other problems
Cheers
Gerard
# Posted on February 4th 2003 by gedpipes
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
I'll second that. A lot of NSP sets get made for concert pitch G these days...
# Posted on February 4th 2003 by Dow
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
never too late to learn anything in my opinion. In fact I have just recently started to fight the octopus myself with a borrowed proactice set.
before you start throwing money around why not call in on your local comhaltas group. You might find that they have sets available on loan for beginners or can direct you to a maker who won't break the bank.
They might also be able to offer tuition which can never do any harm.
e-mail them for details of your nearest branch mailto:enquiries@comhaltas.com
# Posted on February 4th 2003 by breandan
Re: Uileann Pipes at my age???
"...do you think I would be mad to take up Uileann Pipes at my age?"
Learn like you'll live forever
Live like you'll die tomorrow
(is not mine)
Go ahead, and about reading music you can learn here http://www.teoria.com/index.html
english and spanish page, very good, a lot of contents
# Posted on September 8th 2006 by adrianix