Location

Is the Pipe Band close to your place of residence? Struggling for hours through traffic on the way to band practice is not the best preparation for it.

Level of Playing

At what level of playing are you competent to play, and comfortable with? Some Bands concentrate on competitions, which requires high standards of playing and complete dedication from the membership, (which might amount to 2 evenings practice per week and a whole day on the weekend). Street-level Pipe Bands (such as Milligan) tend to play more for enjoyment and often will play simpler tunes than Competition Bands.

Tuition

Some Bands teach piping and drumming skills, while many do not. Ask yourself if you are comfortable with the instructor, and the methods and level of instruction offered. Many  instructors will provide free tuition, but others tutor privately and will charge a fee for this. Milligan offers free teaching during practice and can help you arrange private lessons as well.

Commitment

Pipe Bands by their very nature, whether Competition or Street-level, are team enterprises and can only function as such. As a Pipe Band member, you must be prepared to support your Band at every possible practice and parade or function the Band plays at. This is of significantly greater importance with a Competition Band. Are you prepared and able to commit to the support of a particular Pipe Band?

Membership

Some Pipe Bands have mixed-age memberships, others might be predominantly composed of older or younger people. Some Bands persist in male-only membership.  Milligan’s membership is mixed.  Ask yourself if you feel comfortable amongst the membership of a particular Band. On the social side, some Pipe Bands enjoy a vigorous social life, others do not. Which type suits you? Also important is the management style of the Pipe Band. Is the Band well run and are people happy?

Multi-Membership

Some people play for more than one Pipe Band for a variety of reasons, including having the time available to do so, and perhaps because they appreciate the extra tuition available. This is perfectly acceptable and gives such individuals the opportunity to see how other Bands operate. Where problems arise, however, is when both Pipe Bands have engagements on the same day. Which will have priority, and how will the membership of the other Band feel about it?  Milligan welcomes participation of players from other bands.

Instruments

Almost all Pipe Bands will supply drums on loan to their drummers. A tiny minority of Pipe Bands supply pipes on loan. However, pipers are usually expected to furnish their own instruments.

Uniform

Most Pipe Bands supply band uniforms to their playing members. A few do not. If you cannot afford, or choose not to outfit yourself with a suitable uniform, then you should select a Pipe Band to play with which does provide uniforms. A, perhaps minor, consideration might be the type of uniform worn by a Band. Some people seem to prefer to wear a "Full Dress" uniform rather than a simpler, less-expensive style.

Remuneration

A few Pipe Bands pay their players a nominal sum for attendance at say, parades. If this is important to you, the Militia Pipe Bands might be for you. Most Bands do not pay their members anything.  Money earned by bands like Milligan is used to provide consumables, which may include pipe chanter reeds, drum heads, etc.; capital items such as uniform; and to pay stipends to the piping and drumming instructors.