LESSONS
Learning to play the bagpipes is a fun, challenging, and lifelong journey. I'd be honored to work with you, whether you're brand new to piping, an experienced player, or anything in between.
BOOK A LESSON
For more info about my background, methodology, or advice on buying a practice chanter or pipes, scroll down.
For lessons, whether in person or on Skype, I charge $30 for 30 mins, or $50 for an hour.
Here's what you'll need to get started:
a Skype account and a device with an internet connection
a practice chanter (if you’re not sure what to get, contact me so I can advise you) and pipes, if you’re at that stage in your playing
an idea of your piping goals.
Click the button below to select your preferred lesson length from my booking calendar – choose ‘free meet and greet’ if it’s your first time.
The fine print
If you want to book a series of lessons, please email me to set this up.
Cancellations made less than 48 hours prior to your lesson time will still incur a full lesson fee.
“Andy is such a wonderful instructor. In the three years I’ve worked with him, I went from nervously muddling through simple tunes to confidently playing in public for large crowds. He’s patient when I’m struggling with a new concept, inspires me to keep improving, and celebrates with me when I make tangible progress. When I play for experienced pipers, they frequently say, ‘Wow! Who taught you?!’”
MASTER YOUR INSTRUMENT
There’s an old saying that ‘bagpipes are the easiest instrument to learn, but the hardest to master’.
This is absolutely true.
Bagpipes are arguably one of the most straightforward instruments in the world. They have one key, a scale of only nine notes, and a chanter that has no moving parts, so they’re relatively simple compared to other instruments.
However, they have a reputation for being difficult for a reason. Bagpipes can be a challenging instrument even for experienced musicians to learn, due to the balance of technique, maintenance, physical strength and stamina required to play them well.
Mastering the pipes is a lifelong pursuit, but pipers who take their development seriously see this as a steady, rewarding journey of continuous improvement, rather than a race to a fixed end-point.
That’s part of the fun!
Also, don’t be deterred if you’re a little later on in life. You can learn to play the bagpipes at any age – I’ve had students who started when they were kids, and when they were grandparents, and they have all made admirable progress.
Like any instrument, you’ll get out what you put in. Dedicated, regular practice always pays off, and nothing beats that feeling when you can hear the results of your hard work, and confidently strike in your pipes and play to stir the souls of an audience.
MY METHODOLOGY
Piping music can be a bit… different… to music for other instruments, which can leave students feeling frustrated or like bagpipes are some mysterious riddle that they’ll never solve.
It doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve spent two decades learning the ‘secrets’ of piping, and over that time I’ve developed a very logical, methodical approach to teaching these idiosyncrasies, which empowers my students to feel knowledgeable about their music and in control of their instrument and performance.
If you don’t know how to read music, don’t worry! You don’t need any musical background to get started. Bagpipes use the same musical notation style as many other instruments, and most students pick this up very quickly, even if they’ve never read a note before.
Your initial learning materials will be included in your lesson fee. I mostly use the Dojo University Bagpipe Tutor, with supplemental material from The National Piping Center (The Blue Book), Bagpipe Solutions by John Cairns, and Rhythmic Fingerwork by Jim McGillivray.
FURTHER INFORMATION FOR…
EXPERIENCED
PLAYERS
Eager to improve your tuning or maintenance? Want to build up your fingerwork or stamina so you can play catchy tunes confidently in public? Or are you ready to dominate the solo circuit? Either way, I can help you take your piping to the next level and beyond.
I’m a self-confessed piping nerd, so I’m passionate and knowledgeable about bagpipes and their music, community, and culture.
You’ll be amazed how quickly your confidence will soar with an experienced mentor to guide you.
I have a range of music and exercises available, so you can either bring your own tunes to work on, or I can suggest technique challenges and tunes in idioms you want to develop.
In your first lesson, we’ll discuss your musical background, piping history, playing and competition goals, and work out how I can best add value to help you achieve them.
From there, we'll set out a plan to get you there, and get started!
beginning
PLAYERS
Becoming a bagpiper is a truly rewarding experience. Pipers are often lucky enough to be part of the happiest and saddest days of peoples’ lives, and you’ll join a thriving, friendly, global community of fellow musicians who also love this instrument and its culture.
You’ll start learning on a practice chanter, which is an instrument in its own right, similar to a recorder with a reed, that helps students learn proper fingering techniques, scale navigation, and rhythmic accuracy.
It usually takes between 6 and 12 months of learning technique, rhythm and tunes on a practice chanter before you’ll transition to a set of pipes.
In your first lesson, we’ll discuss your musical background (none required, don’t worry – this is just to establish your level of knowledge), your musical and performance goals, and how I can best help you on your way to becoming a piper.
From there, we can set out a plan to get you there, and get started!
Teaching players from St Andrew’s Pipe Band at a band workshop in Vermont, USA, 2019.
BUYING A PRACTICE CHANTER / BAGPIPES
** VERY IMPORTANT**
DO NOT buy a practice chanter or set of bagpipes unless you have been advised by a piper who knows what they are doing.
The market is flooded with very cheaply made, inferior instruments that will look great as a decoration on your wall, but will never tune properly or be playable.
To avoid a disappointing purchase, before you spend any money, please contact me – I can help you find a suitable instrument to get started, or advise you on one you’re considering buying.
Prices vary depending on the age, materials and quality of an instrument, but you can expect a standard plastic practice chanter to start at around $80, and a set of good bagpipes (basic ones) will usually cost $1000 plus, though you won’t need to buy a set for the better part of a year if you’re a complete beginner.
HEAR FROM MY STUDENTS
“I had been playing the pipes for approximately one-and-a-half years when I took my first class with Andy, and we hit it off right away. He made me and all his students feel welcome and made learning fun. When I began this journey, as most adult learners, I was impatient and wanted to play like the top players right away. I quickly learned, under his tutelage, that this is a marathon, not a sprint. He is very patient and understanding, knowledgeable and experienced, as well as stern when the situation calls for it.
I have also been a private student of Andy’s for approximately a year and a half. Within six months of working with him, I won my first competition. He was able to lay out a plan which I believe was responsible for my success. I have also had success in other competitions with his help.
He has gone so far as to have private in-person lessons with me while he was home visiting his folks. He routinely goes out of his way for his students and I look forward to my future in piping.”
Mike and Andy meeting for the first time in upstate New York in 2018, after Mike drove for three hours to see Andy while he was visiting family in the area.
“I met Andy through Dojo four months ago and started taking private lessons with him – it was the best move I ever could have made! I began my piping journey late in life (like, well into the golden years), and it had previously been a miserable struggle.
Andy has never allowed me to use this as an excuse not to develop the skills that would allow me to enjoy playing with much more ease. His expectations are high, but always geared to the ability and level of each individual student. His motto, I learned very quickly, is ‘be patient and remain focused’, which are not my strong points...
However, his innovative teaching methods, enthusiasm, encouragement, and patience, have made this learning process fun and rewarding. Crossing noises were and are one of my big issues, but through his careful, simple explanation of the actual mechanics behind this common problem, I have made so much progress.
He is his own boss but always considerate of others’ opinions. I am thrilled to call him a friend and mentor. Piping is now a joy for me, and I owe credit to this amazing teacher! Thanks Andy!”
“Andy is one of the best instructors I’ve ever had. He is very knowledgeable and dedicated to his craft. Taking private lessons with him has greatly helped and improved my playing both as a soloist and a pipe band member with Oklahoma Fire Pipes and Drums and North Texas Caledonian Society Pipe Band. I highly recommend him to any student.”
“I’ve been working with Andy as a tutor now for three years – he’s fun and friendly to work with, very knowledgable, happy to help track down music or try new things, has a great sense of humour but cracks the whip when I need it, and explains things in a really straightforward, logical way that makes them simple to understand.
I was worried that learning with a tutor overseas would make it tricky to learn things like tuning, but online videocalling like Zoom makes it easy. Learning online also means I can schedule lessons around a very busy personal schedule at times that suit me and without having to commute anywhere, which is very convenient!
I can honestly say I’d almost given up on piping entirely in frustration, before I met Andy. But within a few weeks of working with him, I finally felt in control of my pipes after nearly a decade.
I went from being a shy, ‘functional’ player to now being Pipe Sergeant in my band, playing regular public solo gigs, and confidently competing in solo competitions for the last two years.
Thanks to Andy’s guidance, I can feel my playing improving steadily every day – and it feels bloody awesome. ”