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Bagpipe players must pipe down
NEW EU rules means players of Scottish music will have to pipe down in future.
A directive from Brussels means that anyone playing the bagpipes must adhere to a strict volume limit of 85 decibels or risk breaking European Union health and safety laws.
Bands have been ordered to tone down or wear earplugs to limit the noise exposure.
Typically, a pipe band played at full volume peaks at 122 decibels outdoors, noisier than the sound of either a nightclub or a chainsaw, which rises to 116 decibels.
And the move has been branded a nonsense by Goole piper Sean Stewart, a member of the Beverley and District Pipe Band.
Sean (44) of Chiltern Road, told the Courier how he came about taking up the instrument.
"I was in the Middle East when I was 12, my father worked in the British Army out in the desert and we were invited to their first ever military tattoo.
"Twelve African soldiers came out of nowehere playing the bagpipes and it was such a haunting experience that it has stayed with me since."
Sean joined the former Kingstown Scottish Pipe Band, now called the Beverley and District Pipe Band, when he was 30.
The band practice twice a week at Leconfield Army Barracks and at North Ferriby and regularly play at carnivals, street fairs, parades, remembrance services and charity events.
"This directive is a nonsense," said Sean.
"Bagpipes are an outdoor instrument and are still classified as an instrument of war.
"There's no volume control on them, it doesn't matter how hard you blow the noise still comes out at the same set level.
"It's impossible to play the bagpipes quietly."
He added: "Due to health and safety legislation there's an obvious need to protect people's hearing when they're played inside but in all the time I've been playing I don't know anyone with long term hearing problems.
"We have about 20 active members, pipers and drummers, and none of them wear ear defenders.
"Pipe bands are going to have to be careful in future. I don't know what the answer is."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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