Well, I didn't say "nobody can get truly deep into more than one style of history of playing." What I did say was "it is hard to be really deeply rooted in more than one idiom." I would go on to say that most people who really do become deeply rooted in one musical idiom (note: MOST, not all) don't delve as deeply into others. There's often (note: not always) only one type of music that gets people so deep down that they absolutely have to make that sound and can't really be happy musically if they can't make it.

For the really good pipers, bagpipes are that sound. Some people love the light music, some love all bagpipe music, and some discover piobaireachd and never want to play anything else. And that's okay. In a way, it is like how some people discover one sport and never want to play another. Ever. Or how some people get into Yoga and it dominates their lives forever. Bagpipes are like that, but without the asanas. For the really hardcore players. Not for all.

There's more music in the world than any one person can fruitfully explore in a whole lifetime. I'm content digging a hole in the piping possibilities and banging around on a banjo. Others need to plow through several instruments and many musical genres. And it is all okay.

But it was actually a wonderful question. It has had me thinking about why I am content with nine notes. And anything that gets us thinking about our music will only help us to grow musically.

-Patrick