The other day I was having an instant messenger conversation with a customer who is in their early 20’s. He was asking if I knew of any intensive bagpipe training programs to improve his piping. There are lots of summer schools and opportunities all over the World...
Start by watching the demo:What if you have played the pipes your whole life but you are at an age with a medical condition that makes it impossible for you to blow or squeeze? In the last 25 years, I have taught older adults to play the bagpipe. A lot of them...
I've had a few emails this week from people who are blowing their guts out and don't have a lot of endurance. The problem could be two fold. 1) Their bagpipe isn't air efficient. 2) They don't know how to blow and squeeze. I am going to address those issues today:...
After 25 years of teaching this instrument, I have found a great deal of psychology is mixed in with instructing students how to play our Great Highland Bagpipe. For instance: Students move forward one tune at a time! When I started teaching and looking at...
In the last 25 years, I have taught many adults to play the Great Highland Bagpipe. I have discovered that they all start with great energy and good intentions, eventually getting to the point where they actually buy a set of pipes. Then something happens and they...
I’ve written a lot about rhythm over the years. Rhythm is my specialty! Why? Simply because I think the difference between being an accomplished bagpiper and being dependent on other players has to do with rhythm. Because the bagpipe is a folk instrument, it is taught by imitation. Imitation makes you dependent. The goal is to be able to sightread any tune…period! This should be your return on spending money for bagpipe lessons.
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