Private Bagpipe Lessons: $40 (One-hour Session)

Learning a musical instrument is perhaps one of the most rewarding endeavors one can undertake. Music gives one's life meaning and depth and adds dimension to our world. Ryan has been studying the art of playing the bagpipes since 1993 and has been teaching professionally for well over a decade. To Ryan, nothing compares to the joy of being a piper, and his sole aim is to share this experience with each and every student.

Today, Ryan passes on the traditions of piping to new generations of pipers, enriching the local Celtic community and breathing a new life into a vibrant and esoteric art. Piping is Ryan's life, and it is his wish to pass on this great gift to all with a genuine interest in learning. Whether your interest is in the Great Highland Bagpipes, the Irish Warpipes, or the Bellows-Blown Smallpipes, Ryan has the competence, the vision, and the savvy to help you realize your goal.

Before you begin, take a look below at the following Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I get started? First, you will need to purchase a practice chanter, a smaller version of the bagpipe chanter without the bag. All new students must acquire a basic degree of competency on the rudiments before graduating up to the bagpipes. Most practice chanters cost between $50 and $100 and can be purchased from Ryan.

Do I need to purchase a tutor book? Ryan will supply you will all the instructional material you will need as worksheets. Be sure to purchase a three-ring binder to keep all your materials organized.

When do I schedule a lesson? Once you have received your practice chanter, you are ready to schedule your first lesson. Ryan offers private lessons out of his studio at his home in Roebuck east of Downtown Birmingham. He offers lessons from morning to evening Tuesday through Friday. You may call or email Ryan for availability.

How often should I attend lessons? In order to progress at the proper pace, each student will be expected to take weekly lessons. For best results, each student should set aside at least 30 minutes a day for regular practice. Once a student graduates to the pipes their regular practice time should increase to an hour.

How long before I graduate to the pipes? With weekly private lessons, daily practice, patience, and above all, discipline, Ryan's students generally graduate up to the bagpipes in 3 to 6 months.

It is important to understand that graduating up to the bagpipes merely begins the second stage of the student's learning. There is a whole other set of skills the student must learn once on the pipes. Once on the pipes it takes about a year to gain a moderate degree of competency.

Are they hard to learn? Yes and no. They are not so much difficult as they are nuanced and unintuitive. Bear this in mind: The pipes are easy to play badly and challenging to play well. They are perhaps the most physically demanding folk instrument and they have a fairly steep learning curve. Becoming a good piper will require a fair bit of your time and considerable discipline. However, with practice, patience, and persistence, anyone can learn to play the pipes.

Do I need to read music? It is not necessary that you know how to read music. Ryan will teach you how to read bagpipe notation. By the time you have graduated to the pipes you will be fairly competent at sight-reading your sheetmusic.

Web-Lessons: $40 (One-hour Session)

Thanks to the Internet, remoteness and distance are no longer a hinderance to learning the bagpipes. Ryan's Bagpipe Web-Lessons are ideal for the aspiring bagpiper with limited access to face-to-face instruction or for the novice or intermediate piper seeking another perspective on their playing.

Ryan's Web-Lessons utilize software like Skype as well as YouTube and MP3 file-sharing via email to offer instruction nationally and even globally. Ryan seamlessly utilizes these various forms of media to share custom-created educational material that may be viewed by the student at any time. Customized sheet music and exercises will be supplied as needed. It's like having your own personal tutor always available in the comfort of your own home whenever you need him.

Though it is not necessary, a Google Gmail Account and access to Google Docs is highly recommended. There Ryan can store sheetmusic and MP3 audio files for individual students to access anytime as needed. You can sign up for a Gmail account here.

To schedule a Web-Lesson, simply call or email Ryan. In order to take advantage of all that Web-Lessons have to offer, be sure that you:

• Have downloaded and installed Skype and have an active account
• Can receive and download email attachments without difficulty
• Can play and listen to MP3 audio files
• Have an active YouTube account
• Have downloaded and installed the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader

If you have any questions about the requirements for Web-Lessons, do not hesitate to contact Ryan.

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