bad advice....

[Bobby]

What's some of the bad advice you've ever been given about maintaining or playing your instrument?

[redneck]

Never really had any Bobby, must have been lucky. There again, ya don't know it's bad advice until you learn otherwise.

[Vikki]

arguably anything that 1 individual told me when i was a lot younger. maybe not such much told me, maybe a bit more of didn't tell me...

c'est la vie. you learn. i've got a lot more worthwhile advice than i've got nonsense

[Scarlet O'Hair]

I remember being told by some Doink that the best way to break in a reed was to bend the lips back and forth to soften it up.....and he's doing this to my reed as he's telling me this...I never let him near my pipes (or me) again.

OH! And I also remember having a really difficult time blowing my first set of pipes (band) the fault was attributed to me and the fact that I was not blowing hard enough, and was told to go practice more. After further investigation (leak test) by me I learned that my bag at the time (canmore) was improperly tied in at the chanter stock. As soon as any pressure was placed on the fully corked bag, it would deflate immediatley.

[Paul Ouellette]

OK Bob...

How about this one...

If you ever find that your chanter is stuck in the stock...

A good way to free it, is to take a big screwdriver & pass it through the tone holes...then while holding on to the screwdriver like bicycle handle bars...just give it a quick twist.

or this one...

The only real way to keep cane drone reeds from shutting off, is to take a horese-hair from your sporran & insert it under the reed's tounge.

or this all time classic...

"Laddie, always keep in mind....that when your very young & just starting to learn how to play, always be sure to practice outside where your neighbours will be sure to hear you, so they will be able to keep tabs on your progress."

P.

[Piper06]

Two words: Teflon Tape.

[Bobby]

this one I read somewhere:

to test if your tuning pins are airtight joints, plug the top of the drone turn it upside down and fill it with water.

or this:

waxed hemp on tuning pins is problematic and not recommended.

or

soak your reed in water and then squeeze it with plyers to break it in.

insert your chanter into the stock by holding it firmly by sole and twist as it goes in. Remove it the same way.

[Bill Adam]

Originally Posted by Paul Ouellette

The only real way to keep cane drone reeds from shutting off, is to take a horese-hair from your sporran & insert it under the reed's tounge.

Back in the days (40 years ago) when I was in the 91st Division Pipes and Drums, that is something we would have to do quite regularly. We met and practiced in Sacramento (we were an Army Reserve unit) and during the summer it was hot and dry. Unfortunately most of our military performances were at the Presidio in San Francisco, which during the summer was often foggy. Going from dry/hot to damp/cold, cane drone reeds would close up. So, a hair from the head or sporran was necessay to keep them playing.

This seemed to be a commom practice back then with cane drone reeds by many and saved many performances.

[Sashi]

Many many moons ago when I was about 134 cm tall...

Sir, I think my bags got a leak...

Well, go home and crack open an egg and pour it into the bag...

Ok Sir, thankyou...

Ooohhh the Smell...

[SDowns]

"Listen to your instructor"

While he was a great teacher, he did not keep up with latest info and therefore (from my perspective) was not the best source of current advice on how to maintain my pipes.