How long will it take to learn to play the bagpipes?
This depends on the individual. Some players get on to the bagpipes in under a year. Others take over two years. Still others can take a lot longer. Bagpipes are a musical instrument and require some musical aptitude. Age is definitely a factor. Younger students (10 to 16 is the ideal age to begin) tend to learn much quicker and have potential to become great players. Older students tend to take longer to learn and usually have limited potential. Practice definitely makes a difference. You are training the mussles in your fingers to behave in a new way. You are learning to read music and translate what you see into a series of finger movements. You are building up strength in your lungs and face mussles. Finally, you are comitting tunes to memory. The rate at which you train your body is increased with repetition. Beginners that spend half an hour a day practicing can expect to progress very well. The student begins with the practice chanter. The practice chanter is much easier to blow
