Reed question

[JS Sanders]

Nighthawk -
For your own safety, I wouldn't be too keen on telling your instructor about the information you've accumulated.

A beginning piper often asks questions of established pipers. Regularly you'll hear the seemingly worn out answer, "You should ask your instructor." If you're a subscriber of the Dunsire Forums, you'll read it often.

There is a reason - and it's not always attributable to arrogance. The info may run counter to what the instructor would have you do. The instructor gets to teach as he sees proper. If you don't care for it, quit or find another.

Role reversal... How would you like to be the tutor and have a student who's learning things too early or improperly, or buys a set of pipes before he's ready to play them?

I can tell you from experience that he won't be pleased and may drop you like a cheap prom dress as a student.

For the most part you're getting the straight dope here, but exercise caution. Learning the pipes is difficult as it is, don't complicate matters.

Slainte,
steve

[Nighthawk]

Nighthawk -
For your own safety, I wouldn't be too keen on telling your instructor about the information you've accumulated.

A beginning piper often asks questions of established pipers. Regularly you'll hear the seemingly worn out answer, "You should ask your instructor." If you're a subscriber of the Dunsire Forums, you'll read it often.

There is a reason - and it's not always attributable to arrogance. The info may run counter to what the instructor would have you do. The instructor gets to teach as he sees proper. If you don't care for it, quit or find another.

Role reversal... How would you like to be the tutor and have a student who's learning things too early or improperly, or buys a set of pipes before he's ready to play them?

I can tell you from experience that he won't be pleased and may drop you like a cheap prom dress as a student.

For the most part you're getting the straight dope here, but exercise caution. Learning the pipes is difficult as it is, don't complicate matters.

Slainte,
steve

Role reversal? Personally, I love it when I teach someone with a genuine desire to learn. I have absolutely no intention of buying anything before I'm ready for it. That's just plain stupid. So are you saying that it's preferable that I not ask, and just wait for the information to be given to me? (I'm not asking this to be argumentative- it's how I read your post and I want to make sure I'm clear on this point.)

[JS Sanders]

So are you saying that it's preferable that I not ask, and just wait for the information to be given to me?

Perhaps. Just exercise a reasonable degree of caution. As an example, at your initial stages of learning - now's really not the time to be trying to decide which maker of pipes you should purchase.

Of course it's obvious that I'm not in charge and you can do whatever you choose.

Any good piping teacher/performer is gonna have a healthy ego. If he sees you as someone who may circumvent his 'authority' as an instructor, you may feel his wrath, however that may manifest itself. He may even instruct you to cease reading piping related forums. I don't know him.

The hour of practice you're doing daily should be enough to keep you occupied for the time being. The answers to your questions aren't going to evaporate.

steve

[Nighthawk]

Perhaps. Just exercise a reasonable degree of caution. As an example, at your initial stages of learning - now's really not the time to be trying to decide which maker of pipes you should purchase.

Of course it's obvious that I'm not in charge and you can do whatever you choose.

Any good piping teacher/performer is gonna have a healthy ego. If he sees you as someone who may circumvent his 'authority' as an instructor, you may feel his wrath, however that may manifest itself. He may even instruct you to cease reading piping related forums. I don't know him.

The hour of practice you're doing daily should be enough to keep you occupied for the time being. The answers to your questions aren't going to evaporate.

steve

Great. I'm going to fit with pipers about as well as I fit everywhere else. Good to know. That runs counter to everything I've ever experienced with teachers. My parents are both teachers, one of my best friend is a martial arts instructor who has recently been promoted to an 8th degree black belt and awarded his own style by the International San Ten Karate Association, and all three of them encourage independant research and thought. Oh well... I'm used to being the square peg trying to fit into the round hole.