First bagpipe lesson

[Jack Daw]

OFCJAX, I'm glad to see that you are learning to pipe. It's a highly respected craft. Remember to keep your fingers close to the chanter, and you'll play faster sooner.

[Bugbear]

Congratulations, hope you enjoy.

[OFCJAX]

So far so good. 2 days down and I can now do the scale up and down.

[Mr. Woolery]

Keep at it! After the scale feels fairly intuitive (meaning you don't keep wanting to leave the bottom holes open as you play top-hand notes), start just noodling with the chanter. Try to play a couple of tunes you know by ear. Frere Jacques and Jingle Bells are great examples.

These tunes don't really build piping technique (you'll get plenty of scale exercises for that), but they do build familiarity with the instrument and where the notes are. This will make learning tunes easier. And anything that makes it easier is a good thing.

-Patrick

[OFCJAX]

Thanks for the advise.

[druid]

I hated Scots Wa Hae when learning...Gawd...lol.

A few pointers...
1. Fingers straight
2. Fingers straight but also 'relaxed'...no one's going to take the chanter from you.
3. Once you're comfy with doing the scales up and down, change the format to "E-Low A...E-B...E-C...E-D...Low A-E...low A-F...low A-high G...low A-high A............and so forth.
4. When your scale notes are 'clean'...start adding in the gracenotes...starting with high-G...then D then E.
5. When you can do scales with all 3 ^^ gracenotes, work on Double D...and go on from there.

When you hit the last few tunes in your Tutor Book, start looking for a stand of Pipes. Depending on what you want to do (street band or solo), depends on the brand you might select.

Hardies and Gibsons are great for street bands but I favor my Lawries for solo....much more mellow than the previously mentioned...I'm also a big fan of my Nail chanter with Warnock reeds.

[OFCJAX]

Not using a book. We have a Pipe and Drum band in Lexington that teaches to recuit members.

[SteveB]

You are soooooooo lucky to have that opportunity with a real band.
--- Steve

[SFCRick]

Good for you, keep at it.

[OFCJAX]

I had my second lesson on Tuedsay. Got me doing low hand exercises and learning different tempos.