Facinating interview with Cillian Ó Briain:

http://www.pipers.ie/news/newsitems_090721COBInterview.htm

“Stick with the reedmaking, and stick with the playing. The two of those compliment each other. As you progress with one, you tend to progress with the other. They are the pre-requisites…  Anyone attempting to make a set of pipes who does not have those skills, the chance of success are, you know, there’s an outside chance but…” — from the interview.

I could not agree more. Now that my playing is coming along, I feel much better equipped to know what I want in terms of a reed, a chanter, drones.  When I was completely new to the instrument I was blind to the nuances.  Even for non-makers, reedmaking is such an essential skill; every piper should at least make the attempt to learn it. As with playing, practicing making reeds advances your art.