Someone in my neighborhood is learning to play the bagpipes

[HelenePA]

they are NOT gifted They must be close and sitting outside because I can hear them INSIDE with just one window open in my kitchen... its not a good sound.. At. All.

 

[DWGal210]

Oh my!

I think it's time to put on your favorite CD, crank it, and drown out the bagpipes!!

 

[SC Minnie]

That's too funny.

 

[HelenePA]

oooooooh they keep hitting the wrong notes... its bad.. very bad... now I know how my neighbors felt when I was learning the clarinet...

 

[Pakey]

I'm sure I wouldn't think it was funny if it was one of my neighbors; my dogs would be going crazy if they could hear that in the house. Since it isn't my neighbor, it is funny (sorry OP).

Maybe you will get lucky and the person will find the bagpipes too challenging and they will give it up soon.

 

[HelenePA]

They have to be really close but I can't see anyone from in my yard or out front... I'd hide too if I was playing them. I'll have to ask my neighbors.

 

[PUZZLDY5]

The only advice I can give is get some good quality ear plugs. You poor thing.

 

[Juliegirl1]

I grew up two blocks away from a school that taught bagpipes. Every afternoon after school you could hear the kids practicing like it was right outside the window. They never sounded good.

 

[Imzadi]

I have actually rarely heard good bagpipers. I always wonder if that's what Targee moon beasts braying sounds like, which were mentioned in a Star Trek episode.

Then I got to hear the NYPD marching band. They had great bagpipes. They were actually in tune. I didn't know you could TUNE bagpipes. I always thought they ranged from bad to atrocious. I guess all the precision weapons shooting the police have to do, helped make them great precision bagpipers.

 

[HelenePA]

I grew up two blocks away from a school that taught bagpipes. Every afternoon after school you could hear the kids practicing like it was right outside the window. They never sounded good.

You mean they could be two blocks away from me? I've never heard them before this morning... They can't be beginners but they sure aren't "great" either... Now I know why they are outside.. those suckers must blow out ear drums inside. *note to self* NEVER let the kids play the bagpipes..

 

[marcyinPA]

My DS16's high school band has bagpipes...Helene, since you are from the area, you may have heard of Liberty HS.

Well, my neighbor played pipes for them, and when she was learning...well...lets just say all the dogs in the neighborhood were barking. She is now in her third year of college and still plays- very well!! She lands a lot of paid gigs...weddings and funerals...and plays in a few bagpipe bands.

Best of all, my DS12 started playing drums in 4th grade, and we bought him a drum set in fifth grade. You know what they say about paybacks??

 

[BunsenH]

Ey rrrrrrabbit,

Don be playin' the pipes while I'ma golfin'!

 

[Pigeon]

I love the bagpipes. I'd find that totally cool--way better than the idiotic neighbors who just like to blast their radio at all hours.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

At least it is during the day. My son likes to practice his various musical instruments at all hours of the day/night.

 

[Gigi22]

Interesting--my university had a strong Scottish heritage, complete with a marching pipe band. Since bagpipes are not a hugely popular instrument and can be expensive to purchase, beginning students were issued chanters (not the full instrument) until they became familiar with the bagpipes and decided whether to continue. Chanters are not as loud as complete bagpipes--you're sure you heard full-on pipes? Just surprised anyone beginning would have the complete instrument and would chose to practice indoors!

 

[MomofKatie]

Do they sound like this?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQicfUjVVqU

LOVE this Friends clip of Ross "playing" the bagpipe.

 

[ElaineMarch]

Bagpipes are super loud. When I was in college there was a guy that played them and he could not play them anywhere near the dorms. He practiced on the other side of the sports fields and you could still hear them. It could be quite far away from you.

 

[Gina]

I grew up two blocks away from a school that taught bagpipes. Every afternoon after school you could hear the kids practicing like it was right outside the window. They never sounded good.

Was it St. Thomas Episcopal?? That's where I went to school -- and their Pipe & Drum Corp is so amazing to hear. They've won 5 world championships. Maybe it was the B or C bands practicing? But like a pp said, they learn on chanters for a long time... by the time they get to bagpipes, they're usually pretty darn good.

I would *love* it if a neighbor played the pipes... I miss hearing that so much!!

 

[doxdogy]

I love bagpipes. Now I have figured out how to get even with my neighbor that loves to entertain us with his stereo. I will take up the bagpipes.

 

[HelenePA]

Interesting--my university had a strong Scottish heritage, complete with a marching pipe band. Since bagpipes are not a hugely popular instrument and can be expensive to purchase, beginning students were issued chanters (not the full instrument) until they became familiar with the bagpipes and decided whether to continue. Chanters are not as loud as complete bagpipes--you're sure you heard full-on pipes? Just surprised anyone beginning would have the complete instrument and would chose to practice indoors!

Oh I am positive I heard bag pipes can you mistake them for anything else? Like I said they weren't beginners but they weren't wonderful either...they'd get thru part of a song then his some very sour notes.. VERY sour.. They weren't inside, they had to be outside but we have lots of trees, lots of large flowering bushes in all of our yards around here.. they could have been sitting in their yard on a chair and I probably wouldn't have seen them to be honest.