Bagpipes article
Common Bagpipes Mistakes to Avoid
The instrument has its own logic. Ignore it and problems multiply quickly. Laura draws on the most common stumbles she has seen new pipers make, and what to do differently.
Bagpipes are demanding enough without making avoidable mistakes along the way. The instrument has its own logic — in how it is set up, how it is maintained, and how it is practised — and ignoring that logic creates problems that are frustrating to unpick. Laura draws on the most common stumbles she has seen new pipers make, and what to do differently.
Mistake 1: Buying Bagpipes Before You Are Ready
The most common bagpipes mistake is buying the full instrument before you are ready for it. Many beginners, excited by the prospect, skip the practice chanter stage and go straight to a full set. The result is usually discouragement — the physical demands of sustaining bag pressure while fingering and listening to drone tone are too much without the foundation of practice chanter work. A good rule: do not buy bagpipes until your teacher says you are ready. If you have no teacher, get one first.
Mistake 2: Buying Cheap Instruments
Cheap bagpipes — sold at well under £300 through online marketplaces — are a false economy. These instruments are usually made to tolerances that make in-tune playing impossible. The bore is inconsistent, the reeds are poor quality, and no amount of adjustment will correct the fundamental problem. Spend on a reputable make (McCallum, Kintail, Dunbar) or buy secondhand from a knowledgeable source. The extra cost at the start saves months of frustration later.
Mistake 3: Neglecting Reed Management
Reeds are the heart of bagpipes, and most early players underestimate how much difference a properly adjusted reed makes. A chanter reed that is too hard produces a sharp, strained pitch and exhausts the piper quickly. A reed that is too soft goes flat and loses brightness. Drone reeds — especially cane — drift with temperature and humidity and need adjusting as conditions change. Synthetic drone reeds (Ezeedrones, Kinnaird) are strongly recommended for beginners for exactly this reason: they hold their tuning more consistently.
Mistake 4: Skipping Drone Tuning
Many beginners play their bagpipes without tuning the drones properly, either because they do not know how or because tuning feels too complex to bother with. The result is a sound that is uncomfortable to listen to and discouraging to produce. Drone tuning is not optional — it is a fundamental part of playing. Start by tuning the two tenor drones to unison, then tune the bass drone an octave below. Use a tuning app initially if your ear is not yet reliable; the goal is to develop the skill by ear over time.
Mistake 5: Practising Too Infrequently
Bagpipes are a physical instrument — the blowing pressure required to sustain the bag is a muscular skill that deteriorates quickly without regular practice. Practising once or twice a week does not build the physical conditioning you need. Fifteen to twenty minutes of daily practice is the standard recommendation for beginners, and even experienced pipers benefit from short, consistent sessions rather than occasional long ones. Progress on bagpipes is slow with irregular practice; consistent short sessions make a remarkable difference.
Mistake 6: Not Maintaining the Bag
A leaking bag is one of the most common and most avoidable problems with bagpipes. Sheepskin bags dry out and lose their seal over time; they need seasoning (treating the inside with a hemp or glycerine-based compound) every few weeks during heavy playing. Synthetic bags do not need seasoning but should be inspected for leaks around the stocks. Many pipers do not realise there is a problem with their bagpipes until the blowing pressure suddenly feels much harder to maintain — by which point the problem has been developing for weeks.
Mistake 7: Playing Without Guidance
Some players attempt to learn bagpipes from scratch entirely through online videos and self-teaching. This is possible, but it is a slow and error-prone route. The embouchure, blowing technique and reed management all benefit enormously from the feedback of an experienced teacher who can hear what you are doing and correct it in real time. If formal lessons are not possible, even occasional sessions with a qualified piper will pay dividends. The Piping and Drumming Association website lists teachers throughout the UK.
For a more structured introduction to the instrument, the beginner's guide walks through every step in order. For instrument recommendations, the best picks guide names the models most recommended by teachers.
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