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What Are Your Kids Going To Be Doing This Spring?

Mom and Dad, Give your kids the life-long gift of music this summer by enrolling them in bagpipe lessons. Want to know the best part? Lessons are FREE!  You could even learn right alongside them. Click here for details or contact us for more information.

SPRING 2010 Bagpiping Academy Begins Jan 24!
(assuming we have numbers to make a class)

Getting Started

If you are an experienced piper or drummer, you are welcome to start coming to our rehearsals as soon as you wish.

If you are an absolute beginner, you are welcome to start coming to rehearsals when we start a new Academy.  See schedule below.

 
Class Begins Notes
Winter Academy January You can join the Winter Academy any time during the month of January.  Please TRY to make the first Sunday of the month so you won't get behind.  If you come after the end of January, you must wait until the Summer Academy.*
Summer Academy May You can join the Summer Academy any time during the month of May.  Please TRY to make the first Sunday of the month so you won't get behind.  If you come after the end of May, you must wait until the Fall Academy.*
Fall Academy September You can join the Fall Academy any time during the month of September.  Please TRY to make the first Sunday of the month so you won't get behind.  If you come after the end of September, you must wait until the Winter Academy.*

*If you wish to join an Academy mid-class, you have two options:

  1. You can take private lessons.  If you are able to catch up, you may join the Academy outside of the usual start month. One generally progresses more rapidly with private lessons than with class lessons so you should be able to catch up if the Academy is not too far along.  Your eligibility to join off-cycle will be determined by audition and examination by the Pipe Major, Pipe Sergeant, or Drum Sergeant.
  2. If you've had prior teaching.  If you are able to step in at the level where the Academy is presently performing, you may join the Academy outside of the usual start month. Your eligibility to join off-cycle will be determined by audition and examination by the Pipe Major, Pipe Sergeant, or Drum Sergeant.

Audition: Pipers will be asked play a tune or exercise from the College of Piping (CoP) Tutor at the same lesson number where the Academy is presently studying. 

Examination: Pipers should also have completed (or be able to complete) all worksheets on the CoP Tutor Compact Disk at the level of that same lesson number. 

The Piping Academy generally goes through one CoP Lesson each week. 

Beginners MUST have a book and practice instrument to begin class.

 

WHAT WILL I NEED?
 
Bagpipes

To begin learning to play the bagpipes you will need:

  1. A practice chanter and reed
  2. A  lesson book.  We use The College of Piping Highland Bagpipe Tutor Part 1 which is affectionately known as The Green Book.

Mrs. Terrie Hudgins at Aberdeen Bagpipe Supply in Houston runs a special on the CoP tutor and a practice chanter.  Order by phone, not through the online ordering system 713-781-8546.  If you already play a wind instrument, you may want to ask for an Abbot reed with you beginner kit.  They're a little more tolerant for people who already have well-developed breathing skills (i.e. trombonists, clarinetists, trumpeters, etc.).  If you have large hands, you should ask for a "long" practice chanter. By "large", I mean anything that isn't small.  So unless you have small hands, get the "long" practice chanter.
   
Snare Drum

To begin learning to play the snare drum you will need:

  1. Drum sticks and a practice pad

  2. A lesson book: Doug Stronnach's Pipe Band Snare Drum Tutor Volume 1

You can purchase the book from BritishShop.com.  If you don't already have sticks and a practice pad, I recommend getting a pad that has foam on the "table" side and hard rubber on the "striking" side.  As far as sticks go, you're going to want something big fat.  This can be a standard marching stick (SD-1) or something specified for pipe band drumming.  We're not going to be picky when you're learning, but you will want something with a good deal of mass.
   
Rudimental Tenor Drum

To begin learning to play the Rudimental Tenor drum you will need:

  1. Drum sticks and a practice pad

  2. A lesson book : Doug Stronnach's Pipe Band Snare Drum Tutor Volume 1

You can purchase the book from BritishShop.com.  If you don't already have sticks and a practice pad, I recommend getting a pad that has foam on the "table" side and hard rubber on the "striking" side.  As far as sticks go, you're going to want traditional marching band tenor drum mallets. You can purchase these at any music store such as H&H Music on Hwy 3 @ Dixie Farm, Music & Arts on Bay Area Blvd, or Houston Percussion center.
   
Flourishing Tenor Drum

To begin learning to play the Flourishing Tenor drum you will need:

  1. Flourishing Tenor Drum Mallets with straps

  2. ~Information coming soon.~
   
Bass Drum

To begin learning to play the Bass drum you will need:

  1. ~Information coming soon.~

 

 

Band Rehearsal is
2:30-4:30 PM

Sundays
at
University Baptist Church
16106 Middlebrook Drive, Houston, TX 77059
[MAP]
(2nd floor choir room behind sanctuary)

Brian Berlin, Pipe Major
(281) 535-2626 h
(713) 249-2978 c
berlin (at) clcpb.com

For Piper/Band Booking, Contact:

Brenton Scharbor, Pipe Sergeant
Public Relations
(832) 275-3934 c
scharbor (at) clcpb.com

 

Protect Your Hearing

Clear Lake Pipe Band strongly encourages all pipers and drummers to protect their hearing by using ear plugs.

 
 
Bagpipe Quotes

They only have nine notes. Just how difficult could the pipes be to learn? - aspiring piper