KP&D Pipe Lessons

The Knoxville Pipes and Drums
Knoxville, Tennessee

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Information about the Band

Learn to Play the Drums

LEARN TO PLAY THE PIPES

The band meets at Knoxville's Scottish Rite Temple at the corner of 16th Street and White Avenue near the University of Tennessee campus. Beginning students should report to the first class with a practice chanter, reed, and Sandy Jones' book. The tape or CD which accompanies the Sandy Jones' book is optional. Most students and active pipers in the band use a polypenco Dunbar Chanter. Books and chanters can be purchased from the following and other vendors:

Everything Scottish 1-888-606-5458
Tone Czar 301-874-3999|
The British Shop 716-874-6064

The band welcomes new members and offers free piping and drumming lessons to students of any reasonable age. Lessons are given each Monday evening at 6:00 p.m. prior to regular band practice, except on holidays. Students may arrange for private lessons with qualified band members at any time.

Band lessons and practice are held at the Scottish Rite Temple, 16th Street and White Avenue, just north of the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville. Piping instructors are Kay Irwin, Beth Morgan, John Rose, and Tracy Wilson. Anyone interested in learning the pipes, or having questions about lessons, should contact Kay Irwin, Beth Morgan, John Rose, Tracy Wilson. Piping students are required to buy their own practice chanter and study materials. However, because the quality of such chanters varies widely, potential students should consult with Ms. Irwin, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Rose, Mr. Wilson before purchasing a chanter.

Tunes on the highland bagpipe are played by fingering the holes on a chanter mounted at the front of the bag. Beginning students learn to play pipe tunes on a practice chanter which involves the same fingering as the pipes, but does not involve the complication of keeping the bag inflated. The most demanding aspect of learning to play the pipes is mastering a variety of gracenote combinations which are used to embellish the music. A student's progress depends largely on his or her persistence in practicing between lessons.

Please bring corrections and additions to the attention of Gordon Irwin, DM, Retired who maintains this site. This page last updated on June 21, 2008.