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Show MmmfM COWIAT $TENGTM TNIOUCM 0 fP C7 lOG'STICS 0 r Hilltop Times '', K" 1 f iW Sept. 27, 1991 - a 1 ' - ' r . , . " Is ei uo)o)((ol u j rJ r, r; Hilltop Times staff If you were to meet Ken Baker some days, you might have a hard time believing he's a captain in the U.S. Air Force. After all, even he admits he sometimes wears a skirt, carries what can only be called a purse and totes an animal hide around. But, then again, looks can be deceiving. After one glance at the bright plaid skirt, wide belt, "purse" and knee-higstockings Baker wears, you think "bagpiper." Then a look at the animal skin, in the shape of a large kidney bean, attached to a series of black instruments that he carries and it's a dead giveaway. The man's joined several hundred years of fellow Scotsmen and others in being a "piper." "The pipes are probably one of the oldest instruments known to man today," he said. "They date back to Biblical times." Baker, after years of playing the piano, guitar and trombone in high school and college bands, found someone to teach him how to play the bagpipes four years ago when he was stationed at Myrtle Beach i ' i K l1 by SSgt. Barbara Fisher Ci " h :;' v - . ;: - " ?' ,'iv i f . ;v 1 V J L r W.J Bl Jn. v. 1 i I AFB, S.C. Since then, whenever he's not wearing the Air Force blue, he can be found wearing the Scottish plaid, on his own or as a member of the Salt Lake Scots Pipe Band. "You either love bagpiping or you hate it," the said. "It's that type of instrument. I spend a lot of time reading on it. "It's so difficult to learn to play to begin with that once you do learn, it becomes a real love a passion." That passion isn't necessarily shared by his ld U.S. Air Force photos by Gregg Wixom Scottish tones Capt. Ken Baker plays his bagpipes. family and wife Marlene son Dedication and passion big part of becoming a true pipe aficionado by SSgt. Barbara Fisher Hilltop Times staff Then, if you're like Baker and part of a band, there's the kilt. His kilt is furnished by the band, a group that uses their funds to buy uniforms and to travel. In 1993, they hope to go to Scotland. "To buy the kilt that I wear today is approximately $600," he said. "It's made from wool and comes from Scotland. mi. "Part of the expense for the kilt comes because of the pattern on it, or tartan. These non-prof- Getting involved in bagpiping takes quite a dedication of time and effort. There's hours of practicing and maintaining the instrument. There's also a wee sum of money invested in the instrument itself. "Today, to buy a set of pipes, the average cost of your standard set of pipes is about $900 to $1,000," said Capt. Ken Baker, who's been playing the bagpipes for approximately four years now. The set Baker uses is what he calls "your basic military pipes" and costs approximately $1,200. To buy a set of ornamental bagpipes with silver, ivory (before it was banned) or even jewels can cost much more. "You can spend as much money as you want," he said. "I've seen sets as high as $10,000. One day I'll buy something else, but I've got as much right now as my wife will let me put on them." The pipes that Baker has consist of the bag made of elk hide (in Utah the density of elk skin is better and holds the air better) and African black wood. What gives the bagpipes their sound is reeds made of a special type and part of bamboo. it iiiii patterns are regis- nil. mjuu.ni iijij.w,iiiijiij. iNj.iiii.i. j nl(ol 1 r 0 To) y li 1q)q) j0".mm Christopher. They prefer he stays at a distance when he's playing. "That's the way most people like it. because it is so loud, especially when you're part of a band." Baker says the best place to listen is approximately from 30 or 40 feet away. From there you get a much better feel for the plaintive notes that the bagpipes send out, he said. "(The bagpipes) have one level of sound loud." The loudness is due to the fact that the bagpipes are considered an outdoors instrument, one that historically has been used at family gatherings. It's also been an important part of the military. Baker said. Pipers around the world In days of old, the bagpipers would play as the soldiers marched toward battle, much like they did to drummers during America's early history. Today, bagpipers are still a part of many militaries. That's probably why Baker never practices in the house when his wife and son are around. "They go crazy," he said. "It's too loud and you can't concentrate. It's actually better for me to practice outside because of the decibel of sound. It could be bad for your ears." What that means is that after pulling his Air Force duty as a logistics officer with the Ogden Air Logistics Center's Treaty Compliance Office, he heads outside every day or so to practice. "The neighborhood likes it," he said. "It gets you a lot of attention." He gets even more attention when he dons the kilt. Add the knee-higstockings, the gilley brogues (special shoes), the hat shaped like his Air Force flight cap except with a tail down the back, and his purse or sporran, and someone can be counted on to comment. "You get a little bit of teasing," he admits. And, of course, the big question "What do you have on under the kilt?" or "Is it true that you don't wear anything under that kilt?" Those questions, Baker says, have their roots in history when the army band members were required h to "go regimental." "In early times, the sergeant major supposedly would come around the ranks with a mirror and see if the guys were dressed appropriately. "Just like today we have to wear appropriate types of underwear with our uniforms, they were required not to wear anything under the kilt as part of the uniform." i.i). ill. itf! tered and signify a family name or a unit. In Baker's case, it's his band's insignia. Tartans are designed to a thread count. For each one, for example, there will . a. be so many red blue threads between stripes and then so many blue threads, green threads, etc., to make up the tartan. "To a real Scotsman, it's part of his life," Baker said. It's not just an outfit or a color. It's just like the flag of the United States or of the union. It has that kind of impact emotionally." - (S3 , r Playing is hard work All kidding aside, learning to play the bagpipes is hard work, Baker says. Basically what you do is fill the animal hide bag with air by breathing into it. Then you pressure the bag with your arm. This blows the air out through what are called drones and a chanter to get tones and sounds. "The secret is to learn to have controlled breathing," Baker said. "When you're first learning, it's easy to hyperventilate or not blow hard enough." You also have to control the arm pressure you put on the bag so there's a steady tone coming out, he said. Then, there's learning to play the notes and the fingering moves on the chanter. Finally, you have to know how to tune it so it sounds good. "If it's not in tune, it's the worst sounding thing," he said. "It sounds like a dying cat." And in answer to the question, "What do you have on under your kilt?" Baker smiles. He's only part Scottish, you see. m H3; Precautions called for this season in Soccer team beats league rival iiwiiiwirwinTitwnwwwwiTwnni of Teams go 3-- 1 Saturday |