As pipe band memberships decline, one young man's obsession with perfecting the bagpipes has won him fans — and some enemies — in a sleepy neighbourhood in Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north Coast.

Key points: Tom Freeman made a new year's resolution to learn the bagpipes

Tom Freeman made a new year's resolution to learn the bagpipes Housemate says it is a 'living hell' and tests their relationship

Housemate says it is a 'living hell' and tests their relationship Mr Freeman is unperturbed by the criticism and has even won some fans

Imagine you are about to drift off to sleep and then you hear … bagpipes?

This happens to me a lot.

Whatever your thoughts on the merits of an afternoon nap, there is no way it is possible to fall asleep to bagpipes.

Two years ago, my neighbour Tom Freeman made a new year resolution to learn the bagpipes.

"I'd found myself watching bagpipe videos on YouTube and I'd sit there with a goofy grin and get some tingles down my spine … and think this is pretty powerful stuff," Mr Freeman said.

Ashan Normoyle (L) and Tom Freeman are housemates. ( ABC News: Carla Mascarenhas )

Powerful, and pretty irritating, according to his housemate Ashan Normoyle who, despite the bagpipes, is a good mate of Mr Freeman's.

"Tom's routine on the bagpipes is relentless, so he will play it at 7:30 in the morning, midday, then in the afternoon and then in the evening," Mr Normoyle said.

"At times it is like living hell, very torturous at times … testing of the relationship."

Mr Normoyle finds the most excruciating sound is from the chanter, which the piper uses to develop finger strength.

He described it as "nails on a chalkboard".

Mr Normoyle said he was often mistaken for being the bagpiper — sometimes complimented, other times sworn at.

"One neighbour yelled at me from the street, 'Get that f****** s*** out of here'," he said.

Mr Freeman is unperturbed by the criticism.

"When you go to an Anzac Day and you see a piper marching in the town parade, you see the benefit of all the practice and you don't see the cost," he said.

"The cost is borne by those living in the neighbourhood where the bagpiper lives."

Winning some hearts

It is not just Mr Freeman's housemates bearing the brunt of his passion — he is now a well-known figure at the local Port Macquarie lighthouse and outside supermarkets.

Not all his neighbours are as tough on him.

Jodie Mulhearn has adjusted to his hobby, even growing to like it … gradually.

"To begin with Tom used to play one note over and over again on a Sunday afternoon and that was kind of grating, but he's come a long way and it's been quite the privilege to see him grow as a musician," she said.

Anne Hislop, with her son Charlie, loves the sound of the bagpipes. ( ABC News: Carla Mascarenhas )

"I used to shut the windows and doors when he would play. Now I open them and let the music in."

Mother-of-two Anne Hislop, originally from Scotland, concurs.

"We had just moved to Port Macquarie and we were unpacking the kitchen on Friday evening and I heard the faint sound of the pipes in the distance," she said.

"Immediately the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I got a tear in my eye.

"It was a real taste of home."

Ms Hislop says every Friday evening when she hears Mr Freeman practising at Lighthouse Beach, she and her husband sit on the balcony with a glass of wine and enjoy the sound of the pipes ricocheting around the neighbourhood.

Toby Glover, who lives a few houses down from Mr Freeman, said he liked the music because it was different.

"It's not the usual drums or electric guitars," he said.

Mr Freeman plays with the Hastings District Highland Pipe Band. ( Facebook: Hastings District Highland Pipe Band )

Regional pipe band membership declining

At 29, Mr Freeman is the youngest piper in the Hastings District Highland Pipe Band in Port Macquarie.

Most bagpipe players in the band are in their 60s.

Pipe Band Australia president Chris Earl said that was a situation mirrored across regional Australia.

"Many parts of country Australia have an ageing population, and that has created a lot of challenges for pipe bands in regional communities engaging with a smaller pool of the new generation," he said.

"That has meant that unfortunately some of our bands have not been as sustainable and some have gone into recess, amalgamated with nearby bands or disbanded."

According to Mr Earl, the organisation has lost 30 bands over the past 25 years and more than 1,000 members, the majority in regional areas.

Tom Freeman is one of the youngest bagpipe players in the Hastings District Pipe Band. ( Facebook: Hastings District Highland Pipe Band )

NSW Pipe Bands Association secretary Lynn Murphy said pipe bands in regional areas that had large, well-established universities, such as Armidale and Newcastle, remained strong.

But towns that do not are vulnerable.

"The problem arises in regional towns when the majority of school leavers move away to larger towns for study or work," she said.

For Mr Freeman, if he can convince one child to consider picking up the bagpipes, he is willing to wear the criticism.

"I think it is important at a young age to be exposed to these cultural instruments so kids can have that urge to learn it," he said.

"I'm just a guy having a crack and if I can get one kid to play the bagpipes, I'd be fine with that."