There are a great deal of websites on the internet that can help you get started playing the bagpipes and as well as a number of DVD's, books and CD's that can also help you learn yourself. However unless you're getting supervision from another piper or receiving private tuition you are in danger of learning to play the instrument with bad habits which could lead to a lot of problems when performing in pipe bands or with other pipers. Unlike some instruments the pipes can be very unforgiving when notes are played incorrectly, particularly the different types of grace notes (embellishments) used in the music. For this reason most pipers advise learners to take up either private tuition or tuition from a local pipe band to ensure that the instrument is learnt correctly without any bad habits or flaws.

• Teaching Methods

Ed teaches the bagpipes on the practice chanter and does not encourage students to pick up a full set of bagpipes until they are sufficient on the practice chanter. This can take from 6 months to a year depending on learning abilities. Learning on the practice chanter is the traditional way of learning to play the bagpipes. This is because it's easier to play than a full set allowing time to get use to playing the scale and to become competent at playing the different fingering techniques used in bagpipe music. Ed expects all students to become sufficient at playing a large number of exercises covering the majority of the fingering techniques used in bagpipe music before introducing them to pipe tunes.

Ed enjoys teaching people to play and receives a great deal of satisfaction from watching his students progress.

• Requirements

All that is required to start is a practice chanter. Always make sure they are made of African Blackwood, they are the best quality, and will last a very long time as well as produce the best sound. The cheaper Rosewood chanters are useless, they rarely produce a true scale and will sound out of tune with good quality chanters which most serious pipers play. Blackwood chanters cost around £35 - £70.

You will also need a practice chanter reed. These generally cost around £3.50.