We all live in our own reality bubbles. We become accustomed to thinking that the way we see things is how they are or how they must be. As active, competing bagpipers, I think we collectively form our own piping reality bubble that influences what we play, what we learn, how we play, and who we listen to. Unintentionally perhaps, we tend to bring other pipers into our own reality bubbles which then just perpetuates the problem.
And it is a problem. You don’t have to go far to hear about the troubles of limited thinking and narrow points of view in any arena. Part of the problem is that the kind of “conformity” that exists within the bubble prevents or hampers folks from being “authentic.” This takes the form of a reluctance to share differing opinions about piping matters, a questioning of personal ideas regarding the music and the instrument, as well as perhaps a rejection of a complete rethinking of what you’ve been taught or told. As a result, we stay curled up within the bubble and hobble our own creativity and musical discovery in the process. What follows can be frustration and disillusionment leading to complete disinterest.
Part of the inspiration behind this blog is hacking into the conventional things we think and do as bagpipers. Being a “pipehacker” is about the will to move forward and develop your own ideas. Your own ideas about the instrument, how it’s played, what makes good music good, etc. And it is a constant process. It is all about the old axiom “be true to yourself” upon which our personal happiness is hinged. Read More
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