Wikipedia: Bagpipe/Talk

I have a request. If you write on a subject about which you are so obviously ignorant, as the author of this article obviously is, please do the research you have to do in order to make sure that it's accurate. I'm not going to fix this article, but I am mightily tempted to just remove it. Among its current problems: it makes it sound as though the Scottish Highland bagpipe were the only type of pipe in existence (there are many other types of bagpipe, e.g., the Uilleann pipes in Irish music, Greek pipes--the list is long; by no means is it obvious that pipes are most common in so-called "Celtic" lands); it fails to introduce such essential terms as "drones" and "chanter"; it fails to acknowledge the existence of the Highland pipe bands which are to be found in not just the countries listed but all around the world (I know a piper who played in a Montevideo, Uruguay pipe band!); finally, the remark about how uneducated tastes find bagpipe music is simply silly.

I'm breaking one of my own rules, namely complaining about an article instead of just changing it myself, but to change it, I would have to do the research, and I don't have the time right now. --LMS

Thank you for adding the /talk link. It didn't occur to me to do so, but if/when I do any more articles I will add such a link.

I am a newcomer here, but I carefully read the Wikipedia FAQ and editing instructions before making any changes. I further studied the Wikipedia policy before doing any but the most minor changes.

Nowhere did I see anything about "do[ing] the research you have to do". On the contrary, one of the points that was stressed on How to start a page (under the heading "Some thoughts:") was that

: Full-blown articles are not required. Adding any (accurate, helpful)
: information to Wikipedia is welcome!

The only claim to inaccuracy that you make is "it makes it sound as though the Scottish Highland bagpipe were the only type of pipe in existence". First, this article is not about all pipe instruments, but about bagpipes. Second, all the bagpipes I have ever seen (or seen pictures of) match my (incomplete) description. I have never handled a bagpipe nor thoroughly studied their special terminology. AFAIK, the Irish (and other Celtic) bagpipes all have a similar construction. Third, If the Greeks have a long tradition of bagpipes it is news to me, but I am not an expert. I specifically did mention Ireland, Wales, and Britanny as well as Scotland. Fourth, while I did not use the specific "essential" terms of "drones" and "chanter", I think I described them. It would seem that "drones" are the pipes that I said "played a constant tone" and that the "chanter" is the pipe that can be fingered to play a melody. That would make my description technically correct if not "music theoretically" correct.

History of this article:

I saw the word "bagpipe" in some article and decided that it should be a link. Then I noticed that the link didn't go anywhere and decided to write a short article describing what I did know, something of the construction (if not the terminology) and cultural background of bagpipes. This seemed to me to be just what you were encouraging people to do.

Now, some things I sort of agree with:

As per How to start a page, it would have been a good idea to explicitly state that this was incomplete and ask some kind soul to "fill in the blanks".
The "it is most common" part may be incorrect or misleading. Better wording would have been something on the order of "The bagpipe originated among the Celts and is traditional in ...", which is true as far as I know.

My further statement about bagpipes in the USA is true and does not imply that they are played nowhere else in the world. OK, you know of one "pipe" band in Uruguay. You have the advantage of me there, I have never been to any American country except the US and (briefly, occasionally) Mexico. On the other hand, do you really have evidence that bagpipes are played "all around the World"? Was the fellow you knew a native Uruguayan? How about the other members of the band?

The USA (my country and I think yours) is noted for more cultural diversity than just about anyplace on the planet. Pretty much any cultural/ethnic activity from anywhere on the Planet can be found somewhere in the USA, and in particular in NYC (where I live). Where else, outside of of Australia, would one find a Dijeree Doo (sp?) being played. I have seen and heard one (once) here in NYC. I have also seen and heard pan pipes being played (and well) by native South Americans, along with a wooden Xylophone and other simple percussion instruments. These are all simpler instruments which could well (and probably were) independently invented all over the planet. (Now that might be a good topic for an article all by itself.)

In closing, if you thought my final remark about musical tastes "silly", why didn't you just delete it? That wouldn't have required any research.

The whole result of your remarks has been to totally turn me off the idea of contributing anything more to Wikipedia. While I have some knowledge about a lot more things than most people, the only thing about which I have anything close to expert knowledge is computers and programming. Nor am I willing to spend the time researching any topic simply to write an article here. If those are the rules, then I don't care to play your game. You should also eliminate or change the part of How to start a page that I quoted above.

Further, I am inclined to take your (not very friendly) comments and post them to K5, along with the article and the "How to start a page" quote, under your article there. Give people an idea how you *really* seem to be operating.

I do not expect nor wish for an apology, simply a clarification of the rules of your game. Lacking such clarification, or if the clarification displeases me, I will simply not play. If the (clarified) rules are as they seemed to me to be, then I think that I can be a useful contributor, even though not an expert.
--
Jason Scribner

Jason, I'm speechless. Stick around a little longer, and you will understand what's going on here a bit better. --LMS