Clan Donald Bagpipe Band

One of the missions of Clan Donald Pipes and Drums is to educate and teach the art of playing the bagpipes. This is a difficult instrument, and one needs to be ready to commit a number of years to really mastering the pipes. A beginning piper starts with the practice chanter. This is a mouth blown version of the pipe chanter. One learns the 9 notes on the chanter scale, then all of the “embellishments” that make bagpipe playing so unique.

After one has mastered the basics of the chanter, then one can apply those playing skills to the actual bagpipes.

Beginning students meet with a chanter instructor usually once a week. The student will need to purchase their own chanter (see Links), but the music book is provided. The student should not purchase their bagpipes until the instructor has provided them with some guidance. There are a lot of cheap, poorly made bagpipes on the market that sound terrible. Once the instructor feels they have the skills on the chanter, then the transition to the bagpipes will begin. The band plays a variety of Scottish and Irish tunes for bagpipe.

Most of the instructors do not charge for bagpipe lessons. The informal agreement is: that if a student learns to play the pipes that he/she will play with the band for a period of time. The band would provide a portion of the cost of the kilt and the basic uniform components.

Students as young as 10 have begun playing the chanter and moved onto the pipes. Some of the best pipers in the band are our high school age players.

If you would like further information, contact the Pipe Major, Bruce Danielson. See the contact us page.

If you play the drums or would like to learn to play the drums, please contact us as well.