McGuire's Pipe Band

McGuire's Pipe Band, of Pensacola, Florida, celebrates their twentieth anniversary this year. The band, formed in 1988 under the sponsorship of McGuire's Irish Pub and Restaurant, is the best known piping group in the southeast United States. This group of dedicated pipers and drummers are known for their military appearance, precision marching and wide repertoire of music, ranging from traditional Scottish/Irish tunes to classic show tunes and everything in between.

Consisting of twenty-one members, the band has performed in every major Highland Game and Celtic Festival in the southeast and has won top band honors in their category at games in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi. They have played before the Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of the Navy, and appeared with such noted Hollywood stars as Charlton Heston, Danny Glover, Gerald Rainey, plus others, at the annual St. Anne's Roundup. They have been featured in nationwide broadcasts on ESPN, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, and CBS. Their travels have taken them as far west as Texas and Colorado, and as far north as New York City. Their first CD recording, "Live From Pensacola", features a truly unique selection of entertaining pipe music and is available at all McGuire Gift Shops. Their second CD, "The Pipes of Christmas", is also available at the same locations.

The band, under the leadership of Pipe Major Wayne Willis and Drum Major Michael Zipay, proudly wears the tartan of McDonald, Lord of the Isles, which was selected for its unique design and Emerald Isle color. Their website features schedules and interesting events for the band and can be found at the link below.

If you would like to see your pipe band featured in one of our newsletters, send us an email with a band photo and a short write up about the band.

July 14-18 Lake Diefenbaker Pipe School
www.kinnairdbagpipes.com/school.php
July 17 Lake Diefenbaker Pipe School Ceilidh
An evening of fine Scottish entertainment at Hitchcock's Hideway on Lake Diefenbaker at Birsay, SK. Come see performances by the School's instructors and Celtic group Back of the Bus.
Admission $10 at the door. 306-573-4446.
Contact Hitchock's Hideaway for accomodations

July 17-20 Annual Ness Creek Music Festival
www.nesscreek.com

August 1-2 Glengarry Highland Games, North American Championships, Maxville, ON www.glengarryhighlandgames.com

August 3 Montreal Highland Games www.montrealhighlandgames.qc.ca

August 15-17 Northern Lights Bluegrass & Old Tyme Music Festival
Beginner and intermediate classes in fiddle, guitar, banjo, upright bass, mandolin, dobro, voice and songwriting. Up at Ness Creek this festival is sure to teach you how to do celtic with a draawwwllllll. www.northernlightsbluegrass.ca

August 14-16 Saskatoon Folkfest www.saskatoon.com/folkfest/

August 23 High River Highland Games www.highriverhighlandgames.com/

August 30 Calgary Highland Games www.calgaryhighlandgames.org

August 31 Canmore Highland Games www.canmorehighlandgames.ca

Trouble Shooting Kinnaird Drone Reeds

We get calls and emails regularly from people who need help with the Kinnaird Drone Reeds. This article addresses some of the most commonly asked questions.

1. Double Toning- The reed is not getting enough air pressure. The most likely reason is that the reed is set up too strong. Move the bridle towards the vibrating end of the reed to make it easier. Another issue may be air restriction to the stock. There may be a build up of seasoning in the bottom of the stock or a drone valve or enhancer may be too restrictive. Remove the valve or enhancer to see if it solves the problem. Check their instructions to adjust them so that they take less pressure to open. Canister systems can also cause restrictions. Check that all hoses are not kinked or leaking and that the canister is not too close to the bag restricting airflow.

2. Squealing- The reed tongue could be too short. Lengthening the tongue should fix it. If not, there may be some debris underneath the tongue. Clean under the tongue by inserting a dollar bill or business card under the tongue and dragging it out the side, while applying gentle pressure to the top of the tongue. You can also remove the tongue and clean the tongue and bed of the reed with warm soapy water.

3. Drones Shutting Off- Often the reeds are set up too easy or there is excess moisture. If the reeds are too easy, move the bridle away from the vibrating end of the tongue to make them stronger. If the reed is fine when you start, but shuts down after playing for a while, it is likely a moisture issue. Insert a dollar bill or business card underneath the tongue to absorb some of the moisture. You can also remove the nose cone and put a pipe cleaner up the bore of the reed & in the end of the nose cone. Dry out the bores with a cotton brush. Moisture control systems are great solutions and come in a variety of styles.

4. Make sure that your reeds are installed correctly. Many issues are due to improper set up. Full set up instructions for Kinnaird drone reeds and their replacement parts can be found on the FAQs portion of our website.

These are just a few of the most commonly asked questions. For more information, refer to the FAQs portion of the website. If you still can not find an answer to your problem, don't hesitate to call or email us!