Scotland on Sunday - PB Article

I am sure this is prominent everywhere, the comment about youngsters finding it "uncool" has a lot to do with it? Always remember my lads when i would be getting the gear on to go to a comp or the like, saying no way would you get me wearing a skirt? and that was 30 plus years ago, okay still a lot want to play and take part, but I suppose with the number of bands? they are thinly spread? What do others think about this amalgamation idea? Would you like your band to merge with a neighbouring Band? would you feel you were losing out?
certainly the schools issue has a hige bearing I think? I know some schools still do it, I got involved thanks to my School having a band in those days, (Dunoon Academy) Do they have bands in say the Irish Schools?
is there an answer to this dearth of new members? what can be done to encourage folks to join? would be interesting to hear others views on this. Thanks for bringing it up Ron.

In fact, I thought the opposite was true....just shows how out of it I am.

I thought piping had actually become cool again and was taught in far more schools than before.

Likewise The Gaelic. I did that in my final year at school and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had heard that in Edinburgh, James Gillespies actually have the Gaelic as a full time subject now and that the subject/language was becoming popular.

I certainly hope the article is wrong!

This article is half right

There is a shortage of bands, but probably more players than ever before.

The cause is quite simply the rise of the 'big band' and PM's playing the numbers game, and therefore cutting the number of bands down

The cure is the simple expedient of capping band sizes

If you want to check, count the number of piper or drummers competing eack week, then average it out against what was playing 20 years ago, when 12 pipers in grade 1 was a big band and 14 was vast

What we could do is just have one supervast band, and we are all in it, that would mean we all win every week,
We won't need judges, so they could be in it too, all the better for selling chanters drums and pipes etc.

Nobody will feel hurt or left out, or under priveliged, and there will be no need for the beer tent forum as there will be nothing to winge or talk crap about

Theres your answer

Oohhhh?slight touch of sarcasm there then Gordy??

....just a little bit...!!!!

Death of new members...result of old, set in their ways BORING people who don't want to do anything different than what they've been doing for decades. There's one reason...I left two of the six bands I've played with since I started because of that.
Personally, if two bands are struggling because of lack of members and they are around the same grade level of playing, then amalgamating would be a good idea. I know that only bands anywhere near the ones I play with are only 'street bands', with no interest in competing, so joining together wouldn't work out.
There'd be A LOT of politics though...I hate politics. I just want to play!

The old, set ways are just fine to me.

Take your 1000mph jigs and hornpipes that all sound the same and have no music to them.....and stick them back in the arse-end of kitchen piping Canada.

No thanks.

There's nothing wrong with innovation, but it's gone far too far. Time to get back to music.

Proved my point.
You want to attract the younger people into playing, you have to keep it interesting. The traditional stuff is fine and that should be part of repertoire that a band plays, but you have to be willing to add in some new stuff too.
I played with a band from 2005 to 2008, they played 'massed band' beatings (variations on what the rest of the bands played, and argued with me that they were playing the right stuff, no one else was), didn't read music...and didn't want to change. I learned all the 'music' in 6 months, was dressed and out on parade. I was bored...started to learn pipes and was out on parade playing them within 1 year. Kind of tells you how easy the music was...
I'd bet I have more patience than a teenager, and if I was bored I can just imagine how bad it would be for them.

Nothing wrong with adding some new stuff......but the kitchen piping Dog's Doo Dahs......should only be in moderation.

One of my bands has spent the last 3 years helping out with 2 small rural bands, because they just can't get enough players. There just isn't enough people in these areas who want to play or learn and the young ones that do, leave the area to work or go to university. There is now talk of these bands coming in under our banner (name), but also keeping their own identity by being a branch of our band. People will nominate whether they want to play parades, concerts or competition. Learn the music and make the commitment accordingly.
Could be the answer to every ones problems OR could be a recipe for disaster. Time will tell I guess.

It certainly sounds a good idea janelle, and at lest some effort is being made, it would have been easy enough to call time?

That does sound like a good idea Janelle. I hope it works out!