[Paul K]

You're all going to hate me for this, but here goes... I don't think pipes should ever be played indoors. Just sounds wrong. When I lived in the Scottish Highlands, I heard the pipes played on the moors- it was one of the most eerie, moving experiences of my life. I could clearly see the piper, but the sound was coming at us from every direction- very, very cool. I know it's hard to believe, but you can have a conversation with someone up on the moors- at normal speaking volume- when the other person is several hundred yards away. Something about the acoustics. That probably explains why the pipes sound so cool, but also explain why whenever I hear them played indoors (or even outdoors for that matter) I am reminded of the sound of two cats fighting...

That said, I agree with Scott- in the right hands, they do make a great sound.