Stormpipes 


Basic techniques and skills for beginners

Learning the pipes.


If you are serious about learning the bagpipes then it is essential that you first learn to play the scale and basic exercises on the practice chanter. Invest in a good quality practice chanter and tutor book and find an experienced player to teach you. You can do this privately or within a band. Depending upon your own capabilities it could take up to a year or longer to competently play your first tune on the pipes.
Once you are ready for the pipes you may find a goose or a set of practice pipes useful as these will get you used to the feel of the bag under your arm. When you first play a full set of pipes plug the drones to begin with. Gradually introduce the outside tenor drone, bass drone and finally the middle tenor drone over a period of time.
Forcing yourself or being pushed into pipes before you are ready will do more harm than good. Bad habits and incorrect technique picked up in the early stages of learning are extremely difficult to correct at a later stage.



Holding and blowing the practice chanter.


Sit upright in a comfortable chair at a desk or table resting the sole of the chanter on the table directly in front of you. Do not rest your arms on the table.
Making sure that all the correct holes are covered with your fingers play Low A. Blow steady and listen for a smooth sound. If you hear a growling sound you are not blowing hard enough. If you blow too hard however the chanter may stop.



Basic Maintenance.


Drones, stocks and chanter

Check all parts regularly for any damage.
Clean with a soft cloth. An occassional spray with furniture polish will keep the sheen.
Clean internal bores with a small brush or pull-through.
Clean and polish all metal parts.
Remove old tape from chanter and use wadding to remove stickiness.
Mark the top of your chanter and the stock. When aligned the chanter will always be set to your finger position.

Bags

With growing technology and a wide variety of bags now available, it is best to follow the manufacturers guidelines regarding maintenance.
All bags of any make should be regularly inspected for leaks and damage. Wash bag covers and cords as required and use small electric cable ties to hold the cords to the drones.

Chanter Reeds

If the reed is flat it can be raised in pitch by sinking the reed or heating the reed between thumb and finger.
If the reed is sharp then lower the pitch by lifting the reed or by wetting the reed with your tongue.
If the reed is hard then very gently squeeze the blades at the soundbox, note that this may also sharpen the reed slightly.
To strengthen the reed gently squeeze the edges to open up the blades.
WARNING. Do not manipulate reeds if you are unsure of what you are doing.

Drone Reeds

Shortening the tongue by moving the bridle will sharpen the pitch. Your drones will tune "up".
Lengthening the tongue will flatten the pitch. Your drones will tune "down".


Basic Tuning.


Basic tuning starts on the practice chanter long before you pick up a set of pipes. Low A and High A should be an octave apart with Low A somewhere between A and B flat. This range of 1 semitone can explain why two sets of bagpipes could be perfectly tuned in themselves but still sound sharp or flat to each other. After a short time you should begin to realise whether the notes on your practice chanter are in tune or not. Learning to tune your practice chanter at an early stage will help you when moving up to the pipes.

When learning to tune your pipes start off playing Low A with no drones. If the Low A is steady you are maintaining the pressure within the bag. If Low A is sounding up and down, listen for the wah-wah-wah, you are not maintaining that pressure.
To maintain the pressure fully inflate the bag until it can take no more air. The pressure of the air now within the bag, whether that pressure be X, Y or Z, must now be maintained.
Very gently squeeze with your left arm SLIGHTLY BEFORE taking a breath. The pressure in the bag should remain constant. Blow more air into the bag but DO NOT slacken off your arm. Allow the air you blow in to push your arm away. Once again when the bag is fully inflated gently squeeze with your left arm and repeat the process.
DO NOT THINK BLOW AND SQUEEZE, THINK PRESSURE.

Once you have mastered the blowing technique and can keep a steady Low A, and possibly a couple of tunes, the drones can be introduced. Start with the outside tenor. Play Low A and move the drone up until you hear a definate wah-wah-wah. Move the drone down until the wah-wah disappears. If you continue to move the drone down then the wah-wah will return. Move the drone back up until there is no wah-wah and you hear a steady sound between the Low A and the drone.
Do not expect to have steady blowing and tuning at the first attempt. It can take many months of practice. Once you are happy with what you can achieve then introduce the bass drone and finally the middle tenor.


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