Pipe Dream/Bucket List

  1. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    I'll be retiring later this year and have the notion that I'd like to visit Scotland and really learn to play the music.
    It would be a "budget" trip for sure, but I'd like to spend about a month, just immerse myself in the music and culture. I'd like to take lessons from a few different instructors, so as not to get set in a particular style...
    This is step 1 of the journey, any input/advise would be greatly appreciated.
  2. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Dave, you would really enjoy a trip over here, I am sure, and could be assured of a warm welcome. There are many Scottish posters here in the Cafe and we are generally a very friendly lot who love playing and just having sessions with whoever we can find.
    Keep in touch and let us know when you are thinking of being over here - plenty to keep you busy.
  3. Richard Eskite
    Richard Eskite
    I have been to Scotland several times since the 1970s. Most recently, I found it difficult as a tourist to find traditional music being played well. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right places, obviously, but we went to pub after pub. Finally, on nearly out last night in the country, we happened upon a little "folk club" in Sterling, meeting in a hotel event room that actually had an Irish trad group playing. Including us, there were probably about 30 people in the sudience. It was wonderful and somehow we managed to win both door prizes...a 6 of hard cider and a compilation CD they had put together from the last year's shows. It was really great, actually, and the club members couldn't get over the couple all the way from California who came to their show.

    My point is, make sure you have some contacts who know the scene before you go over. It's not necessarily easy to find traditional music being played when you just cruise into town. A lot of the sessions may well be in people's houses and not really publicized.
  4. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    Richard, that was my intent with this post. I wanted to get a feel for the "scene". My thoughts are to fly to Edinburgh and have prearranged some lessons with local instructors. Intense lessons, Lord knows, I'm not session ready now...
    Thanks, Dave
  5. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    On my first time on Skye, I attended sessions in Uig (northern end of the Trotternish peninsula). Be prepared to have all kinds of pipes in sessions (i.e. you won't be heard with a mandolin).
  6. Shelagh Moore
    Shelagh Moore
    On my first time on Skye, I attended sessions in Uig (northern end of the Trotternish peninsula). Be prepared to have all kinds of pipes in sessions (i.e. you won't be heard with a mandolin).

    I think you must have been unlucky (or lucky, depending on your preferences) Bertram! I've lived in Scotland seven years now and have only once had pipes (smallpipes in this case) in a session!
  7. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    smallpipes Ha!

    In the Uig Harbour Bar, a friendly round guy with border pipes held sway, giving everybody a tinnitus for the night and muting 2 fiddlers into mere pantomime. A guitar player and I strummed chords with all our strength and were just barely audible.
    I admit to never having had highland pipes in a session, but I guess that's because you're not allowed to carry weapons of mass destruction in a pub...
  8. Niall Anderson
    Niall Anderson
    Dave, I'd echo John's comments above. I'm sure those of us based in Scotland can help out with your planning, and there are 2-3 cafe members to think about meeting up with for lessons (Kevin Macleod, Dagger Gordon, Nigel Gatherer - at least, probably others too!). Depending on the time of year you come over, there may well be weekend or week long workshops happening: for example, in early February and early May there are Feis weekends in Fort Augustus and Ullapool respectively that have mandolin classes as well as lots of other instrument classes + sessions, concerts etc. There are different folk festivals at various times of year that would give a real music-immersion period, and then some of us could direct you to sessions for you to listen/ take part in. So, lots of options - just let us know what we can do to help!
  9. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    Niall, thank you. I'm thinking I'll try to make the trip February or March 2015. Nigel Gatherer and Kevin Macleod were on the list to contact, I believe they're both in the Edinburgh area (?) and would really enjoy hooking up with Dagger Gordon...
  10. Niall Anderson
    Niall Anderson
    Dave,

    Nigel lives north of Edinburgh, but teaches in Edinburgh for some of the week, so a rendezvous should be fairly straightforward. Kevin lives here, so no problem. Dagger is 180 (?) miles north of Edinburgh, though, so that's a different story, but it would be chance to see some of the Highlands if you could head up his way... Anyway, it's all eminently possible, I think. Feis Gleann Albainn at Fort Augustus would be worth thinking about if you were coming over in February - it's usually the second weekend in February and is great fun. Dagger quite often teaches at it (although he isn't doing this year). The town is on the Caledonian Canal at the foot of Loch Ness, so is highly scenic.

    Just about got your itinerary sorted...

    Niall
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