What is the band's motto? "Inspire the living. Honor the fallen."
Is bagpiping expensive? Not really. Beginners only need to buy a "practice chanter" which costs around $100.
Are bagpipes difficult to learn to play? No. There are only nine melody notes on the bagpipes (compared with eighty-eight on a piano). There are also a handful of standard finger movements used to embellish pipe music. Learning to play the pipes is akin to learning to type.
Do I have to know how to play the bagpipes before I can join the band? No. In fact, the band offers FREE bagpipe lessons to those wishing to learn to play. The only thing we ask is that you commit to playing with the band once you become a competent piper.
Are there private instructors available to teach the bagpipes? We will be happy to put you in contact with a private instructor, if you would like personalized instruction.
Do you have to have exceptionally powerful lungs to play the pipes? No. Properly set up pipes are relatively easy to play. Even children as young as 8 or 9 years old are able to play the Great Highland Bagpipes. Bagpiping is more about coordination than brute force.
I've never played a musical instrument before. Will it be harder for me to learn? You'll probably do just fine.
What kinds of drums do the band use? There are three types of drums used by pipe and drum bands. They are the bass drum, the snare drum, and the single tenor drum. For every snare drummer, we would like to have a corresponding tenor drummer. Pipe bands typically have only one bass drummer.
Is pipe band drumming different than other drumming I've done in the past (such as marching band, DCI, and Drum & Bugle Corps)? Yes. Pipe band drumming is completely different than these other styles of drumming. The good news is, it is very easy to learn and fun to play.
Must I wear a kilt? YES! The public has certain expectations of a bagpipe/drum corps. One of those expectations is that a piper/drummer should be in a kilt. It's a mystique that people link with piping. For that reason, most pipe bands still include the kilt as part of their uniforms. Kilts are very comfortable and fun to wear.
Won't I feel silly parading around in a skirt? It's not a skirt! It's a kilt! The kilt is a man's garment. A skirt is a woman's garment. They are not the same. Kilts are not the least bit feminine. Quite to the contrary, kilts punctuate masculine confidence! They are even a little barbaric (kilt wearers usually carry a black dagger in our right sock). Women can't resist a man in a kilt. Men will envy you. Think Braveheart, not Tootsie!
What's worn under a kilt? There are hundreds of witty replies to this often-asked question. You will certainly want to memorize a few (you will be asked). Jokes aside, statistics show that approximately half of kilt wearers wear an undergarment. Highland athletes and dancers ALL wear undergarments. Highland military regiments aside, it is a matter of personal preference. If a person expects that there might be a risk of exposure due to the activity, usually something else is worn. Kilts are very HEAVY garments (13-16oz wool) and, along with a metal kilt pin for added protection they are not designed to fly around like Marilyn Monroe's skirt.