Purchased a practice chanter - what shall I do next?

[Pothuset]

Do anyone know a good way to learn playing chanter without a teacher? DVDs or other kind of material for self-tuition?

[Calgacus]

Hi,

Learning to play bagpipes, or even just the practice chanter, without a teacher is not a good idea. It is highly likely that you will teach yourself bad habits which you will later regret and find very hard to undo.

If there are no teachers in your area, then there are online tutors available, I suggest you use one.

If you really want to teach yourself, then a starting point might be the book "Rhythmic Fingerwork" by James McGillivray. Also listen to lots and lots of pipe music recordings by the acknowledged masters. Listen to both Ceòl Beag and Ceòl Mòr. Listen to it over and over and over again before you even pick up the practise chanter. Once you've done that, listen to it again. And again. It is critical that you understand how pipe music is supposed to sound, and you must immerse yourself in it if you are to have any deep understanding of the sounds that you are then going to try to recreate.

[KD Burke]

Learning piping is...difficult. Learning piping on your own is extremely so. I won't say impossible, but close.

Learning to play the embellishments properly requires feedback from someone knowledgeable, who can hear and see what you at doing wrong and correct you before you learn a bad habit.

[pbutts]

The problem is that learning to play the pipes involves many different parts of your body working together. It's good to have an expert keeping an eye on your development while you are learning the individual movements. It's not just a difficult instrument, as if someone who was expert at other musical instruments could manage it, it's everything else that goes into coaxing music out of a strange collection of parts and experience is the only teacher.

[davidlpope]

You really need a teacher. Why not?

This particular chanter may be difficult to tune and reed, as it looks to be a Pakistani model. Be willing to consider a long Polypenco chanter from Dunbar.

[Mike S]

I play a number of instruments, some self taught, and can confirm that no bagpipe study should be attempted without the aide of a good tutor. There are precious few self taught pipers who can measure up sans the many pitfalls and bad habits that self instruction invariably brings with it.

I also second the sagacity in passing on the Sailkot Pakistan made, Chanter shaped object that you have purchased. Both Gibson and the afore mentioned Dunbar make great Polypenco/Delrin long practice chanters. The Gibson PC reeds are also among the best sounding and playing out there.

[Pothuset]

Oh, I see. But there are no teachers here. Maybe I can find someone on the net.

[Mike S]

Yes, there are some teachers who can assist you via SKYPE, Youtube etc.

[Destin_scot]

As most have already stated in their posts, find a teacher, one that will correct mistakes early, (unless you have an exceptional ear), you will make mistakes. Then practice, practice, practice.
Good luck.

[imrichmond]

There is a surprising number of pipe bands in Denmark, although most of them seem to be located at a considerable distance from you. The closest one to you is probably the Aarhus Pipes and Drums. It would be worth your while to contact (http://www.aapd.dk/) them to see if you could get lessons, even if you could only get there once or twice a month.