... Before my big debut at the next WPA Mini Event.  I think I'll do OK, but anything can happen at these things.  It will be my first ever competition and I'll probably be all nervous and rush the entire tune. Well, lets hope not! 

I have been working hard on the timing, the Evil Metronome mocks me with its unwavering Tock, tock, tock.  Although as I work with the metronome more I find it getting easier with each practice session.  This is typical though, whenever I get to the stage I need to do a lot of metronome work with a tune I'm working on I really hate the thing, but within a few days I get settled into the routine and it becomes my friend again. 

Todays lesson with my instructor was a good one, we did a lot of metronome work and I was able to play my pipes for about 10 minutes at the end of the lesson.  It had been weeks since I had the pipes going and it showed, both in my stamina and the sound of the pipes, they just felt and sounded dry.  I however was drooling and all wet.

This weekend I'm going to sweep out my car port and put some masking tape on the floor so I can march back and forth. I think it would be good to start getting a little marching practice in here and there so by the time I really have to do it I should be more comfortable with the process.

Regarding the upcoming competition, I just need to keep repeating to myself, go slow, give full value to each note, put some meat on those 8th note D's and sound the Low G on the D-Strike, give the tune lots of expression, DONT RUSH, and most of all... have fun!

If you have read any of the entries up to this one you will know that for Christmas my wife got me a sterling silver kilt pin to start my Highland attire collection going.

I have since added a spiffy little "hat" called a glengarry (did a guy named Glen, or was it Garry design it?) any how it is pretty cool and made of wool.  I just received it direct from Scotland.  I love getting things from Scotland, Royal mail envelopes and all!  Here is a picture of my new topper!

Now many jokes have been made about this next little item, and I'll just let your imagination run its course.  In case you are wondering, yes it is real rabbit and no, there are no pockets in a kilt!  The item in question is in fact called a Sporran, probably Gaelic for "purse" or "family jewel protector" or whatever....

And so there you have it, my hat and purse, to go with my kilt pin.  Now all I need is the hose, flashes, shirt, brogues, tie, sgian dubh (small knife) and oh yes, a kilt.

Today was my first piping lesson in almost 4 weeks!  Yargh!  Children, colds, weather, and an ever increasing work load conspired against my previous stellar practice schedule!

But over all I didn't suck as bad as I thought I would.  I guess it is like golf, sometimes you need to take a break to get better.  My memorization of the Highland Cathedral was a little rusty so I sight read the music today, minor issues to correct but overall not to bad for 3 weeks off.

The biggest effect, besides loss of playing stamina and good fingering technique is that the hemp in my chanter and pipes dry out and leak air or get all wobbly.

My goal, before I got the cold, (from my 2 year old no less) was to practice with the metronome while sight reading, then by memory and have the tune down stone cold for today and really dazzle my instructor! Hah, the best laid plans of mice and men, eh?

Two weeks to go till the next WPA mini event, I think I'll be OK if I can just stay well and keep practicing!

I attended my first WPA (Washington Pipers Association) piping competition today.  I did not compete, I just wanted to see what it was all about, and I didn't have a march ready for this event. 

I caught the red-eye boat off the island at 6am and drove straight to Redmond.  I arrived at the church at 9am sharp, the registration started at 9am and the competition started at 10am.  I wandered around watching the competitors and family and friends get ready for the 1st event of the season.  After all of the competitors got squared away I decided to walk up the registration table to let them know I wasn't competing (I had pre-registered for all of the 2007 events).

When I reached the table I saw that there were 3 other competitors in my class (chanter class) and they had all scratched, I was the only one left!  The fellow at the table said, hey just go in there and wing it, but I declined since I was drawing a blank whether or not any of the tunes I did know were marches or not!  It would have been an easy win, being the only competitor and all!

I found a good spot in the room to watch the competitors.  The room was small and divided in half, spectators on one side in a "living room" like arrangement, and the competitors on the other half with the judge in the corner.

The way these things go is the lower classes go first, for example: Chanter, Grade 5 piping, Adult Piping, Grade 4, Grade 3, 2 and then 1.   Drumming fits in there at some point, I think it is last, I didn't stick around after Grade 4 since it was getting late and I needed to start heading north to catch the boat home.

There was a wide range of player ability and it was encouraging to see how gracious and supportive the audience was for the players.  It did give me a slight confidence boost for when I get up there.  We'll see what happens when I'm on the other side of the room next month, Yikes!

I didn't leave the event empty handed though, The Tartan Thistle had set up shop in one of the rooms and had a lot of music books, CD's and assorted pipe accessories for sale.  I picked up the first two volumes of Bruce Gandy's tune books, a Practice Chanter protector (a padded sleeve type thing) and an adjustable blow stick for my pipes.

When I got home I went through my music and realized that the 2nd tune I learned, "High Road to Gairloch" was a 2/4 march, I could have played that no problem!  Oh well I'll use that in March!