What You Need to Know about Hiring a Bagpiper
In hiring a piper for a funeral or memorial, or for the special joyous event of your wedding, you want a good piper. Highland bagpipes are a challenging instrument, and being able to “play a tune” on them is a very long way from mastery of the instrument. When your hired piper begins to play, you want your guests to enjoy and be moved by the experience – not run for the exits! Here’s a guide to choosing a piper.
Are they supposed to sound like that??
Bottom line up front: Look for a piper that is or has been involved in competitive piping; ask what grade they have attained. The better the grade, the better off you’ll be. Grade 5 is the entry, beginner level and Grade 1 is at the top amateur level, with Open or “professional” piper at the pinnacle.
The grade indicates the piper’s capability to play various types of music from slow airs to marches to foot-tapping dance tunes, as well as proficiency in tuning and mastery of the pipes. A proficient piper will be able to call forth the beautiful sound. Number of years playing does not guarantee mastery.
Bands are also graded (without an Open grade). But individual grade and band grade is not a one-to-one comparison. In fact there are very few grade 2 bands and only two grade 1 bands in the United States currently. A piper in a grade 3 band is generally a good hire, and there are higher-grade pipers leading and playing in grade 4 bands. The pipe majors (leaders) of grade 5 bands are typically higher-level pipers, though not always.
That’s one way to evaluate pipers. The other, of course, is to hear them play.
A more detailed explanation follows, for those interested:
Choosing a Piper
“I’ve been playing for ‘X’ years …”
You might think length of time would be a good indicator of skill. I’m often asked how long it takes to learn the pipes. 19th century Scottish writer Neil Munro wrote, “To the make of a piper goes seven years of his own learning and seven generations before …”
Note that in addition to “seven years’ learning,” he adds “and seven generations before”! Munro continues, “At the end of his seven years one born to it will stand at the start of knowledge …”
After seven years, the piper has reached the start of knowledge! Piping is like other endeavors with both creative and technical aspects. It is an ongoing pursuit of mastery and the impossible goal of perfection.
If a piper has been at it only a year or two, he or she can play Amazing Grace at a family picnic. But even many years of playing does not a piper make. Particularly for those who may be “self-instructed.” Evidence abounds on youtube.com of both wonderful and horrible piping!
Other Measures
Training. Who were/are the piper’s instructors? The pipes are an ancient instrument but complex to learn, gain proficiency and finally master. Instruction is needed. It is not an instrument that can be “self-taught.” Ask the piper about his or her teacher(s).
Competition. A guide to a piper’s level of ability is the piper’s competitive rank, either as a solo competitor or in a competition pipe band. There are in the U.S. and around the world a group of associations that sanction and adjudicate competition and retain rankings of competitors, both individuals and bands. These provide a bit of a measure.
Competition makes us better. We are driven by our teachers, pipe majors and pipe sergeants, not to mention our own desire (and egos), to improve. At the end of the day, we are in competition with ourselves, striving to become the best piper we can. Along the way we enjoy good-spirited fellowship with other pipers against whom we compete – and iron sharpens iron.
Choosing a Bagpiper: Piper Grading
In selecting a piper for your event, here are some things to understand. There are five amateur grades leading to an open piper. Grade 5 is the entry point, and grade 1 the highest amateur grade. The piper excelling and exceeding grade 1 becomes an “open” or “professional” piper, eligible to compete for money in championships worldwide (not the same meaning of “professional” as a piper-for-hire, who might be a grade 4 piper).
Here is a link to a graphic on the distribution of pipers by grade on the web site of notable open piper, teacher and EUSPBA judge Jerry Finnegan (formerly of Atlanta, now in Raleigh, NC): http://raleighbagpiper.azurewebsites.net/SoloGrades.aspx
Pipe bands are similarly graded 5 (or V) through 1 (I). Again, from Jerry Finnegan’s web site: http://raleighbagpiper.azurewebsites.net/BandGrades.aspx
Of course the skill level of pipers is higher in the better bands, though top amateur grade and open pipers lead and play in lower grade bands. In fact there are very few top grade bands in the United States. In the U.S., there are two grade 1 bands. Across the country, there are 15 or so grade 2 bands. These grade 1 and 2 bands comprise the elite pipers and drummers in the U.S.
Attendees of Highland Games and Scottish Festivals around the Southeast will know that grade 3 bands are a treat to hear, grade 4 bands are quite pleasant to listen to, and grade 5 bands on the rise can be enjoyable or not. There are also “street” bands — groups that enjoy playing together, doing local parades etc., but that do not compete. These typically comprises less accomplished pipers.
Choosing a Piper: Judging a Solo Piper by His Grade
Good piping involves several elements. Fingering, or the execution of the tune with its embellishments and grace-noting, is one. Expression is another, and perhaps more important of the two – a good musician will have good expression (even if the fingering is not perfectly clean). But there are two other critical skills – tone and tuning. These take time to develop, but are crucial to a good sound.
As a judge once told me, it does not matter how well you play, if the pipes are not in tune no one wants to listen! On the highland bagpipes the drones must be tuned to match the chanter and one another, so all four pipes are together. Tuning is a skill that takes time to develop and improves as the piper moves up in grade.
Closely related to tuning is tone. Good tone means a steady, full and pleasing sound. Tone depends on the piper’s ability to create and sustain full, steady pressure on the pipes. This involves steady blowing and application of pressure to the bag. Mastery of “blowing tone” takes years to develop, but it makes a huge difference in the enjoyment of the pipes. Without good tone, the sound will be thin and shrill, and tuning will waver. With good tone and good tuning, the harmonics of the instrument emerge. Then the sound of a well-expressed tune will transport the listener, piercing the heart, lifting the soul. In choosing a piper, that’s what you want!
Tuning, tone, execution and expression all improve with advancement in grade. In competition, a judge evaluates and scores the bagpiper on each of these.
Choosing a Piper: Grade Level and Type of Music
The other aspect of the grading system is that it indicates the kinds of music a piper can play successfully. Every piper you meet can play Amazing Grace. But not everyone can move you with it. Played on a well-tuned pipe with good tone and expression, Amazing Grace is a moving experience.
A player at the top of grade 4 may do a decent job of playing a tune for you. In grade 4, pipers compete in slow air and in a 2/4 march, as well as a partial piobaireachd. They’re not yet proficient with dance tunes. Competitive grade 4 pipers (if musicians, which the grade does not tell), can do a nice job within limits of slow airs and simple marches.
Grade 3 pipers are expected to play a full piobaireachd, as well as strathspey and reel, two distinctive types of dance music. They will perform airs, hymns and marches well. A strathspey takes time to understand and express correctly. Their repertoire is expanding (especially for those that play in a band). They are at their best with slow aires and marches, but may play some of the dance idioms.
Grade 2 pipers play strathspeys and reels, and add hornpipes and jigs. In this grade, the piper must submit two tunes of each type to the judge, and the judge decides which the piper must play. Grade 2 pipers should have reached a good mastery of tuning and tone. By now, the piper has developed a more extensive repertoire and greater skill at pulling it off. If you want a piper to play for a period of time – say a cocktail hour – rather than just a few tunes, go safely with a grade 2 piper.
Grade 1 pipers must submit multiple tunes in all categories, from which the judges will select what the piper is to play. Grade 1 represents a very good mastery of piping. G1 pipers are an excellent choice to hire, though the pool is smaller! Top competitors in G1 are preparing to move on into the “open” category.
Hire an Open piper if you can find one. Simply put, they have the best mastery of the instrument and its music, and an extensive repertoire. They’re worth extra money.
There are exceptions to the above characterizations. Some lower grade pipers will do very well for you, depending on what you need musically. And some pipers eschew competition but are fine musicians and may please quite well. But the above gives you a bit of a handle to use and may be a helpful guide.