March 10 - Mario and his Pipe

 A day near and dear to my heart is International Bagpipe Day.

Celebrating a bunch of different types of bagpipes, we had learned about it a few years back and started to go about town and just play for a wide array of people and places... just because.

We even made a face-hole poster for folks to get their photo taken with it.  Some day we can get back to that.

Also, with it being "MAR 10" it's kinda looking like "MARIO", so it's unofficially known as Mario Day, specifically by Nintendo.

Who usually has a sale.

My Top 10 Bagpipe Rock Tunes

The pipes are a magical instrument meant to stir your blood and move you!  But it's not just used in marches.  Here's my list of the top 10 uses of the greatest instrument in some non-traditional, pop/rock music.

In honour of International Bagpipe Day our pipe band is having a bit of fun bringing some bagpipe spirit to folks - and so I thought I'd add a bit of sources to show where the bagpipes have had impact outside the marching circuit.

Now these are my favourite songs where bagpipes were included, and I've steered clear of any directly celtic bands; otherwise this would become a huge list.

Okay, so let's start out:

College of Piping catalogue now available on your Android [Review] | Android in Canada Blog

College of Piping catalogue now available on your Android [Review] | Android in Canada Blog:

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These here are the long days [34/52]

I could say how insightful I was in choosing that title... as tomorrow is the... equinox... or solstice.  I forget which.  Essentially the longest day of the year.

band commitments [10/15]

Another Thursday night, and another fun filled band practice.


I get a little scared at how well we'll sound for the centennial... or am I just being cynical?


It's not that many practices away and we have some engagements that will remove us from regular Thursday nights... I worry.


Or do I expect too much?


And then today, an opportunity comes up that I immediately want to pounce all over, but then my PC side tells me to hold up... but in waiting it may be an opportunity lost.


But in pursuing it... will it be a motivator or a demotivator?


Also, do I have the time?


oh peanut butter sandwiches

Let's get you caught up [6/11]

So I figured this was going to be a write off week for biking, but I did fit in 2!  Yay.


The work aspect of catching you up...
...hectic work on getting the programme, and certificates all in order; plus, having to still try to wrangle in all the nominees to attend the event.  So it's been a wee bit stressful.


Oh, and it was After Business this week, which meant a little more hectic-ness thrown in for good measure.  This After Biz drama was that the tables weren't delivered on time, and when they got there, there was just one guy struggling to get them off the truck, and then into the building, fumbling to fit one in the elevator at a time (we needed 20).


So, John and I rolled up our sleeves and sweated it out to get it done.


As for piping...
we found a really good deal on some used chanters that I can buy as backup / for students.  So finalized that, and have the cheque ready to send out.


Rory took all the odds and sods from the back room and went to his Father in Law's to try to put some repair work on them.  Got us 4 sets in all (1 good, 2 not so bad and 1 franken-pipe).  We put together the set for Charne, and are just waiting on bag covers now.


I also got to fix up Murray's pipes again as there was a bit of a leak.  Dang, those are nice pipes.  If anybody is still looking for some suggestions on a present for me... I just heard Donald MacPherson's pipes are now up for sale.


Anything else?
Just got the Zeemote in for review from Tom.  Not a bad 'gadget', we'll see ... might do a Hangout with it tonight.  Which reminds me, I need to formalize up my review of the Blu Studio 5.3".  


Well, like I said, I said 'stuff it' to the execs meeting on Thursday and biked to work anyways.  That was a bit cold and slippery after that sleet we had earlier this week.  And then for Friday, even though I had said that I couldn't on Fridays because of Dean's daycare, we just dropped him off earlier and then I drove home to get the bike and make my way into work


That helps keep me above the half-way mark of biking.

Busy piping season thus far...

Unbelievably, this March has been a pretty active season for the piping realm:

• I had the online competition to record and submit (got 6th place for the MSR)
• TCTE Curling Bonspiel opening / closing
• Meeting with the dance groups to discuss piping for the May competition (which I'm deciding NOT to do)
• Al's funeral (hardest piping gig I've ever had to do)
• National Wheelchair Curling bonspiel opening / closing
• Several band executive / general / centennial meetings
• Bronwyn's birthday bash (a dancer who has found out she has cancer, and he fellow classmates were throwing a fundraising party)

[he did NOT like my F's or my fosgailte movement -- I've forgotten the D grace to C; was quite happy as it was the first real 'full length' piobaireachd I've done]

got 6th place for it

April shouldn't be too bad, only a few meetings... just heavy practicing.

May?  I would really like to try to do the Moosejaw/Regina competition... we'll see.

Piping / Drumming Workshop

This has been something I know our pipeband has been trying to pull off for many a year.  Years ago we often went to workshops, ... but as we get older, it's harder and harder to pull ourselves away from family and work for a week...


So, kudos to the Police Pipeband for being able to pull off the workshop.


John Cairns, of http://www.bagpipesolutions.com/ and of course the recent Maxville winning Peel Regional Police band, was our instructor.

I have had the luxury of being instructed by John many years ago.  At that point he really helped change the way that I play and set up my instrument.  So I was eager to have some time with him again.


Now, I knew that going in there would be a high teacher:student ratio, and much of those students would be at a very 'beginner' level, but still... you can't pass up this kind of opportunity.


The first night was really good as we went over some basics of setting up our pipes.  An echo to what I had previous with him, and it re-enforced with me some of what I've done in the past.

(funny prelude... prior to the workshop I had scoured kijiji for some cheap pipes and found a set in Owen Sound -- turns out the seller's son plays with Peel... so I got to say to John "Bill says to say hi")


Second day (after missing part of last night, due to Dean's hospital visit) we work on some piping basics.  Basics I say, but it's true fundamentals, and stuff you just can't afford to forget; like blowing the pipe and proper breathing/squeezing techniques.  It's great to have somebody really explain in a down to earth way what to do.  It's hard trying to teach it to somebody and say "well.. just do it... it'll make sense the more you do it".

One thing I couldn't get over from this day was the amount of "here, fix this" that abounded from the pipers.  I mean, this guy is here to give us instruction and teach us what we need to know for when he's not there.  Merely 'fixing this' does not help us in the end.  He pretty much spelt that out early on... but at every break somebody would yell "John, this isn't working", or "here, look at this, I can't get it to work".  Ugh... glad it wasn't me giving the workshop, or else I woulda told them something different than "well, let's see...".  Patience of Job I tell ya.


The 3rd day (after missing out on the evening 'fun' at the bar) we cover much of what I wanted to hear.  Listening for ensemble, how to pick tunes, being a leader, running a band practice.  It was really good to get this information.  True GOLD.


With guys like John out there, you wonder if you should be running a band, as he's got it all figured out, there's no way you could 'compete' with that... so why bother?  But it's good motivation as well... nothing is static, everything can get better, so long as you keep progressing.

BagpipeLessons.com Blog: New BagpipeLessons.com Online Piping & Drumming Competition for March 2012

Definitely going to do this again.  Plenty of time too!

BagpipeLessons.com Blog: New BagpipeLessons.com Online Piping & Drumming Competition for March 2012:



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Giving my new/old pipes some attention

Just got them back the other day.  Love 'em.  Thanks Ringo.

www.thebagpipeplace.com

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxmCv1ZFDxU]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWa0gV3arU0]