On November 3rd, 2009 several of my band members and myself dressed up as Elves and Played the Bagpipes in the Office Max "Go Elf Yourself" Promotion

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internal flights internal flights

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I just want to make a short comment about the customer service on bagpiper.com. Recently I’ve been having a few problems operating my domain, partly because of actual glitches in the system and partly because of my limited ability with computers. I have had several conversations by e-mail and phone with Kevin McMannis about my domain. He has proven very helpful in speedily getting me through the problems so that I can continue updating and moving on with heathen.bagpiper.com. Well done Kevin. I appreciate the outstanding support you offer.

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I just want to make mention of a new blog site I have found. www.celticbarcrawl.blogspot.com The author of the blog is asking for pipers and such who would like to send pictures and stories of their band doing bar shows or other interesting performances. I think it looks like it could be pretty fun if people get involved. Check it out.

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I am going to keep it short and sweet. I just want to make mention of a great muti-media tool of the web on which you can find or post just about anything you want. Yes I am talking about Youtube. I created a Youtube account about a month ago and have been posting some of my piping on it. Check it out and let me know what you think.
www.youtube.com/hhbagpipes

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Hey,
I just entered a post on my blogspot about an alternative to high cost traditional kilts. To avoid repeating myself I’d like to invite all to check it out. If you like it feel free to read up on my past blog entries, leave any comments you wish and join in on my pole. I like to have other pipers get involved in my blog. Here it is
www.bagpipes-slc.blogspot.com

I’m out

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You know, When I started playing the bagpipes for money, it was rare to find a “professional piper” in Salt Lake City. Perhaps we were behind the times, but back then, most pipers played for their band. All proceeds, from group or solo shows would go to the band. The non profit bands would use that money for equipment and expenses to travel to competitions. There were not very many pipers out advertising for work. At that time I was able to keep a nice little business just by handing out cards. Not so anymore!

Pipe Bands are still flourishing and getting the funds they need, but there are pipers coming out of the wood works advertising as professionals. Some really are, and some are not. It’s the ones that are not that bother me. In the last couple of years I’ve seen a huge influx of armature, hobby pipers advertising as professionals. Guys who don’t have the experience or the ability to play well are charging good folks hard earned money to butcher simple tunes at private and public events. Don’t get me wrong I encourage all to play and enjoy it regardless of your playing level. I encourage all levels of pipers to accept payment offered to them from clients who know what they are getting. But for a piper who has little to no experience playing in a band or solo competition to advertise as a professional is just wrong.

In the past year I’ve seen advertising tactics from some of my “competitors” that make me sick!

Piping organizations advertising as a “Grade 1 piping Service” that have one or maybe two quality pipers and a bunch of guys that can hardly play.

Pipers claiming years of experience, that date back to way before they had even touched a practice chanter.

Pipers using sound bites as tune samples that are actually someone else playing.

This one is my personal favorite. All of us received a letter inviting us to play at the base of the Twin Towers after 9/11. Is there a piper in the U.S.A. that didn’t receive the invitation? O.K we all got one. Some went to play. Some did not. If you went to play, that’s great. If you didn’t, that’s great. The fact that you were invited doesn’t give you any more credibility than every one else. Please, Please, Please! Can pipers stop using the invitation as an advertising point? Can’t we be honest with our clients?

I hope not to be misunderstood. What ever your level of piping, I hope you continue. I hope you love it. I hope you get work. I just think we need to be honest about what level of piper we are.

There are a lot of pipers out there better than I. I once had younger fingers and was much better than I am now. However… when you log onto one of my ads, I’m not trying to mislead anyone, all of the comments are true and all of the recorded samples are me. (With the exception of a couple that I recorded with a business partner.)Clients can hear what they are getting.

Well, like it or not those are my thoughts for today. If you want to check out some more bagpipe blogs, take a look at my blogspot.
www.bagpipes-slc.blogspot.com
I’m out,
Dave

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Here is the sheet music for the tune "The Irish Soldier Boy:

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