Since I KNOW people are picky, I;ll say it first…. He’s playing with the bag on the wrong side. And the chanter and blowpipe should be separate items; the blowpipe adds air, and the chanter hangs out of a separate attachment on the front of the bag. The chanter is where the fingers make the notes for the tune. He also forgot the sign: $2 for 10 minutes of air, $10 for 5 minutes of air, and $20 for 2 minutes. And yes, I DO like the pipes. I’ve played in a celtic band, but I can understand the terror some people have of the pipes.
I like them, but I like droning and resonant strings etc. Give me quarter tones and I’m happy..There used to be a guy here in Plymouth (UK) who practised his pipes in his lunch break down by the Barbican. That was in the early 80s. If you’re out there, give us a bit of pibroch!
Pipes are nice to have when your roommate keeps you up all night with a drunken party when you have an important test the next morning. Nothing like a hangover to the tune of Amazing Grace.
A number of years ago, shortly after anthropologists found bone flutes in prehistoric graves, Discover magazine ran an April Fool’s article about discovering the remains of bagpipes with Neandertal bones. “Experts” conjectured that the reason Neandertals died out was that they became so enamored of the instrument that they scared away all the game and starved to death.
Aside from the fact that I really like both Irish and Scottish bagpipe music, some of my scariest childhood memories are of the " Kiltie " bands marching in parades withe their pipes and Lambeg drums.Historically, the British Army used the Pipe Bands to scare the bejasus out of the enemy. Native Americans were particularly terrified by these strange creatures making such god-awful sounds.
How to make a bagpipe: Get a sack. Stuff two old cats in it. While holding on to it tightly, jab it with sticks. Pretend to blow in to one of the sticks. Voila! Bagpipes!
YES!! More jobs for the arts! Keep people’s appreciation and knowledge of arts and music alive, and it’ll be a much better world. It would help the economy, since every dollar paid to an artist gets spent three times over, and the jobs would be in the USA, instead of being outsourced. Thank you, Skip; I’m glad somebody “gets it.”
“The bagpipe is the only musical instrument deemed a weapon of war because it inspired its troops to battle and instilled terror into the enemy. The skirl of the pipes stirs men’s and women’s souls and its power and influence in battle as in life, is measurable.”
This seems to be quoted from a legal decision.
+++++
At least the piper doesn’t have to be extinguished before pumping petrol!
There is an island off the west coast of Scotland where it is traditional to play the pipes on the right shoulder, rather than the left. That would place the left hand on the bottom of the chanter, and the right hand on the top. As the right hand is dominant in most people, it may be an advantage to some players. Some of the highest caliber players and left-handed, and play on the usual left shoulder. If memory serves me correctly, that would include Jim McGillivray and the late Alastair Gillies.
What is the difference between a bagpipe and a trampoline? You take your shoes off to jump up and down on the trampoline. -———————————————————————————————————————
I have been a player of the pipes since the early 70’s. I love playing the pipes and have worked hard to be counted as a musical player. The problem with the public’s perception of piping is lack of experience with good piping, and too much experience of bad piping. There are too many people who take up the pipes and then go out playing in public without sufficient preparation or skill. The average person doesn’t know the difference, or didn’t in the past. They would hear a bad piano player or guitarist, and say, “Oh, that person doesn’t know how to play well.” Alternatively, they’d say, “That person needs to get to a teacher, or practice more before playing in public.” When they hear bad piping, they say, “Oh, that’s what bagpipes sound like. Yup, now I know what all the jokes are about. Bagpipes sound awful.”
What is the difference between a dead bagpiper in the road and a dead snake in the road? The dead snake will have skid marks associated with it.
Peabody-Martini over 12 years ago
Bearskin hat?
Linux0s over 12 years ago
Gotta do what ya gotta do…
Linguist over 12 years ago
It’s called a busby and they used to be made of bearskin.
Linguist over 12 years ago
For an extra five bucks, he’ll even play Amazing Grace as he inflates your tires.
palos over 12 years ago
Thankfully, the source of the petro wasn’t illustrated.
margueritem over 12 years ago
SNERK!!!
Dtroutma over 12 years ago
Might be easier to find a piper than a “gas station” that still has a compressor!!
gosfreikempe over 12 years ago
Since I KNOW people are picky, I;ll say it first…. He’s playing with the bag on the wrong side. And the chanter and blowpipe should be separate items; the blowpipe adds air, and the chanter hangs out of a separate attachment on the front of the bag. The chanter is where the fingers make the notes for the tune. He also forgot the sign: $2 for 10 minutes of air, $10 for 5 minutes of air, and $20 for 2 minutes. And yes, I DO like the pipes. I’ve played in a celtic band, but I can understand the terror some people have of the pipes.
pcolli over 12 years ago
Marge simpson, before she started dyeing her hair.
bluskies over 12 years ago
Can you play your own? When you can, you can call it whatever you want.
pcolli over 12 years ago
I like them, but I like droning and resonant strings etc. Give me quarter tones and I’m happy..There used to be a guy here in Plymouth (UK) who practised his pipes in his lunch break down by the Barbican. That was in the early 80s. If you’re out there, give us a bit of pibroch!
roctor over 12 years ago
The pipers biggest request. “STOP”!!!
Varnes over 12 years ago
How much ya wanna bet there isn’t any window washer liquid in that container?
ChrissyT over 12 years ago
Love the expression on the driver’s face. It’s priceless.
WCLamb over 12 years ago
Pipers are OK, I guess, but I really prefer Cessnas.
thirdguy over 12 years ago
That’s an even older joke, than Linguist told yesterday!
unnormal over 12 years ago
Little-known facts about the origin of bagpipes:UN-STRANGE PHENOMENA; Feb 23, 2012
thirdguy over 12 years ago
Somehow, I knew you were going to go there!
Varnes over 12 years ago
Wait, Dogsniff went where? The bathroom? Um,…. let’s drop the whole sensory organs thing, K?
AKHenderson Premium Member over 12 years ago
Bagpipes have one volume setting: cochlea-splitting..Not sure how that rates on the Tufnel scale.
rcerinys701 over 12 years ago
Pipes are nice to have when your roommate keeps you up all night with a drunken party when you have an important test the next morning. Nothing like a hangover to the tune of Amazing Grace.
William Bednar Premium Member over 12 years ago
Too much overhead! 8^)
dfowensby over 12 years ago
poor guy prob’ly thought a cat was caught in his fanbelt
The Life I Draw Upon over 12 years ago
Wan of them buget pumps. Kan’t git any thing out of ‘em, mak a racket, and thy wun’t giv change.
Gokie5 over 12 years ago
Just noticed that in the June 21st “Pearls Before Swine,” the commenters got into a discussion about bagpipes. . . .
prrdh over 12 years ago
A number of years ago, shortly after anthropologists found bone flutes in prehistoric graves, Discover magazine ran an April Fool’s article about discovering the remains of bagpipes with Neandertal bones. “Experts” conjectured that the reason Neandertals died out was that they became so enamored of the instrument that they scared away all the game and starved to death.
gosfreikempe over 12 years ago
Shoes and socks. With a knife in yer sock!
Linguist over 12 years ago
Aside from the fact that I really like both Irish and Scottish bagpipe music, some of my scariest childhood memories are of the " Kiltie " bands marching in parades withe their pipes and Lambeg drums.Historically, the British Army used the Pipe Bands to scare the bejasus out of the enemy. Native Americans were particularly terrified by these strange creatures making such god-awful sounds.
treered over 12 years ago
working up to the olympics? :)
Vonne Anton over 12 years ago
How to make a bagpipe: Get a sack. Stuff two old cats in it. While holding on to it tightly, jab it with sticks. Pretend to blow in to one of the sticks. Voila! Bagpipes!
gosfreikempe over 12 years ago
YES!! More jobs for the arts! Keep people’s appreciation and knowledge of arts and music alive, and it’ll be a much better world. It would help the economy, since every dollar paid to an artist gets spent three times over, and the jobs would be in the USA, instead of being outsourced. Thank you, Skip; I’m glad somebody “gets it.”
Fan o’ Lio. over 12 years ago
Their enemies called them “The Ladies from Hadies”.
hippogriff over 12 years ago
Left-handed pipes? Like Paul McCartney’s guitar?
bmonk over 12 years ago
“The bagpipe is the only musical instrument deemed a weapon of war because it inspired its troops to battle and instilled terror into the enemy. The skirl of the pipes stirs men’s and women’s souls and its power and influence in battle as in life, is measurable.”
This seems to be quoted from a legal decision.
+++++
At least the piper doesn’t have to be extinguished before pumping petrol!
alan.gurka over 12 years ago
Insert hose in other end for Natural Gas.
Justice22 over 12 years ago
I mustremember that, Matey.
coffeemugman over 12 years ago
I love bagpipe music.
pcolli over 12 years ago
But nobody mentioned it, did they?
Greg Johnston over 12 years ago
Hey! That’s one more job than congressional Republicans have created in four years!
hippogriff over 12 years ago
puddleglum: At least the dorms weren’t floating around in the Guinness. Moderation in all things. :-)
piobaire over 12 years ago
There is an island off the west coast of Scotland where it is traditional to play the pipes on the right shoulder, rather than the left. That would place the left hand on the bottom of the chanter, and the right hand on the top. As the right hand is dominant in most people, it may be an advantage to some players. Some of the highest caliber players and left-handed, and play on the usual left shoulder. If memory serves me correctly, that would include Jim McGillivray and the late Alastair Gillies.
piobaire over 12 years ago
What is the difference between a bagpipe and a trampoline? You take your shoes off to jump up and down on the trampoline. -———————————————————————————————————————
I have been a player of the pipes since the early 70’s. I love playing the pipes and have worked hard to be counted as a musical player. The problem with the public’s perception of piping is lack of experience with good piping, and too much experience of bad piping. There are too many people who take up the pipes and then go out playing in public without sufficient preparation or skill. The average person doesn’t know the difference, or didn’t in the past. They would hear a bad piano player or guitarist, and say, “Oh, that person doesn’t know how to play well.” Alternatively, they’d say, “That person needs to get to a teacher, or practice more before playing in public.” When they hear bad piping, they say, “Oh, that’s what bagpipes sound like. Yup, now I know what all the jokes are about. Bagpipes sound awful.”
What is the difference between a dead bagpiper in the road and a dead snake in the road? The dead snake will have skid marks associated with it.