Are the uilleann pipes difficult to play?
Yes, but like any instrument, practice makes perfect (or better, at any rate!). They do take a high level of coordination to play, since you have to be doing several things at once (pumping the bellows, squeezing the bag with varying pressure, fingering the chanter, taking the chanter on and off the leg, depressing regulator keys, etc.), but it’s no more coordination than is required to play, say, a drum set. Maintenance is probably the most difficult thing–a full set of uilleann pipes has seven reeds (four double reeds and three single reeds), all of which are delicate and subject to the slightest change in temperature or humidity. There are also over thirty different joints on a set of pipes, any or all of which can leak air if they’re not sealed properly. As difficult as the playing itself can be, care and maintenance of the pipes is the biggest challenge for most pipers.
