I’ve been a piper for over thirty-five years now. For most of that time, I did not pipe commercially. I piped because I just love to play. This consisted of attending weekly band practice and nightly chanter sessions, all in the aim of perfecting my craft. The truth is, that you never actually perfect piping. For one, there are so many different tunes to learn, you’re always working on something new or sharpening up on one you’ve not played in some time. Secondly, if you are a band piper with a strong Pipe Major, you’ll understand the level of steely-eyed (and eared) criticism that comes from being part of this group. This both keeps your feet on the ground, whilst keeping you also on your toes! The pipers that I follow and most admire, are all active band pipers.
About four years ago, with the encouragement of my peers, I decided to take the plunge into offering my services as a piper commercially. I started small, doing some local events and venues for free (or a nominal fee) to gain my confidence and understand just what was involved. As time progressed and word of mouth and recommendations grew, I began to gain more “proper paid” work, so to speak. In 2025 I launched my website and in 2026 I have had my busiest year to date, even having to turn away work on occasion!
As part of my research for my pricing on the website, I did some market research and I learned one thing. Many pipers are not transparent about their pricing or when they are; it’s overly complex. When I spoke to fellow pipers in different parts of the country, it was clear they just plucked a figure out of thin air and hoped it was okay! To be honest, and for a long time, that’s pretty much what I did too. At a time when the cost of living is so high and everyone is trying to look after the pennies, I wanted to make my pricing as fair as possible.
From 1st November, my pricing model is based upon the rates set out by the Musicians Union, of which I have become a member. This is as follows and is based upon recommended rates for solo professional musicians giving a live performance.
Base Rate 1: Piping engagements up to three hours (includes one hour to set up and two hours attendance) - £170.00. This will accommodate most events, funerals and weddings within my FOC travel distance (30 miles)
Base Rate 2: Piping engagements up to four hours (includes one hour to set up and three hours attendance) - £225.00. This will typically accommodate larger/more complex wedding bookings within my FOC travel distance.
Mileage charge: (over 30 miles travel distance) - 56 pence per mile, including return travel.
Distance surcharge: £40 flat fee (on top of base rate) - for bookings outside of my 30 mile “free” zone
Uniform surcharge: £25 (No 1 full dress only)
A note in closing this blog post. Your decision on choosing the piper for your event, should never be based on cost alone. Do your research and if the piper you want is a little more expensive; consider why that is. There’s more information on how to choose your piper in the frequently asked questions section, so take a look there and don’t rush into your decision without considering all of the options.
