This approach makes me think of a book I read years ago called « effortless mastery » by Kenny Werner. I recommend this if you haven’t read it, all about relaxation, peace and focus. Playing should be as easy as breathing... I applied this to guitar, but it’s a great read for any musician (or craftsmen in general!!!) For me, Lockdown will be the moment I started playing the bagpipes 😉. Matt, your videos are true gold, thank you so much, you’re my personal virtual teacher at the moment, and just dig your method. I’m improving by the day (I’m putting in 4hrs/day 😆). Just practice chanter, I just can’t play the real thang in the house... I’d get shot! But I can’t tell you I grateful I am to have found your channel. Thank you so much for what you do & share 🙏🏻
A very interesting tutorial which I can fully relate too. My fingers tense up when I'm trying to play a Strathspey or for phrasing work. I will retrain my self to play with lighter fingers. Thanks Matt.
The chanter death grip has always been a problem for me both in pipes and in practice chanter. I have been trying, as you say, to play a tune I know well to ease my grip. However I find that when i do this my pipe changer drops out usually on "C" or "D" if I am not concentrating on blowing. It's what makes piping fun. If it was easy everyone would do it.
Hey Matt, well put. This is an amazing observation, I can so identify. In our band we express that consistency of pressure in “familiarity” terms. Like the way to test the tension!
Every video from you helps me a lot, discovering and confirming my thoughts and my limitations as an humble amateur...in this clip you talked about Brown Haired Maiden, not a difficult tune......at present I can ,decently perform it with the Practice Chanter, but after 3 days trying I am not able with my bagpipes....THANKS SO MUCH INDEED FOR YOUR LESSONS and mostly for your clear EXPLANATIONS
Was always a chanter choker. Slow, methodical practice helps tremendously and it was your advice that I followed on that. Finger stretching is equally important.
Learning technic knowledge is very limited in Japan so, your video is very helpful for especially zero-experienced bagpipe player like me. Thank you and keep good work!🤗
Just purchased the Blair Digital Chanter before all this started, what an incredible tool! Doing exactly what you've been doing this break, cleaning out all the cobwebs so to speak! Love the content mate!
Thanks Matt. As a newer piper-The Barren Rocks G Grace note on the birls for some reason is my nemesis ...I can feel the death grip coming on almost two notes away lol. Practice practice practice...
Great articulation on what I suspect is something every piper can relate to and/or has experienced. Ive found this to be conceptually true for every instrument ive ever learned.. Would love to hear more of your thoughts on piping theory!
"In summary, the fingers should be straight and relaxed, one should adopt a natural position, blow into the mouthpiece and not have a hard instrument and not have a whimsical attitude." These are the words of the great Jimmy MacIntosh, which I think he got from the Bobs of course. Bob Brown said that your whole body should be realxed, especially your shoulders and fingers. Also John D. Burgess was a big advocator of playing with relaxed fingers, and always tried to ease up his students' fingers as much as possible.
I have this problem on some parts and sometimes it is so hard it is like I am throwing my whole body into it then I have other parts that it is like I just float through them. I will concentrate on this more and slow down :-)
Good vid Matt, I ran through Kilbowie Cottage being mindful of my hand tension. I find I grip harder with my left hand than my right. I am left handed which is probably why I have this tendency. I crunch most of my top hand doublings then sometimes I miss the B strikes and Taorluaths a bit more grip needed in the right hand a bit less on the left hand. this will be fun to dial in.
Grip from B to B drives me insane: in half of the cases D grace note goes amiss, for some reason my index finger doesn’t want to lift up and I literally feel the finger is to stiff. My strategy is to slow down on this embellishment regardless of the current tune speed plus endless practice chantering. May all the black gods of pipes and whisky help me!
This approach makes me think of a book I read years ago called « effortless mastery » by Kenny Werner. I recommend this if you haven’t read it, all about relaxation, peace and focus. Playing should be as easy as breathing... I applied this to guitar, but it’s a great read for any musician (or craftsmen in general!!!) For me, Lockdown will be the moment I started playing the bagpipes 😉. Matt, your videos are true gold, thank you so much, you’re my personal virtual teacher at the moment, and just dig your method. I’m improving by the day (I’m putting in 4hrs/day 😆). Just practice chanter, I just can’t play the real thang in the house... I’d get shot! But I can’t tell you I grateful I am to have found your channel. Thank you so much for what you do & share 🙏🏻
Glad you found the channel! And you're practicing more these days than I am. I appreciate you taking the time to comment here. Cheers!
"I could tell I was going to miss it" I relate to this so, so hard.
Now to figure out how to work passed that!
A very interesting tutorial which I can fully relate too. My fingers tense up when I'm trying to play a Strathspey or for phrasing work. I will retrain my self to play with lighter fingers. Thanks Matt.
Glad it was helpful!
Really liked this. Appreciate the many things you bring out in your videos. Hope you and your family are well during this strange time.
Glad you enjoyed the video! And me and my family are well and healthy, if a bit bored.
Ps: I feel the least tension or force in the hands, the more you really feel the air vibrating in the fingers. Love the feel.
The chanter death grip has always been a problem for me both in pipes and in practice chanter. I have been trying, as you say, to play a tune I know well to ease my grip. However I find that when i do this my pipe changer drops out usually on "C" or "D" if I am not concentrating on blowing. It's what makes piping fun. If it was easy everyone would do it.
Hey Matt, well put. This is an amazing observation, I can so identify. In our band we express that consistency of pressure in “familiarity” terms. Like the way to test the tension!
Every video from you helps me a lot, discovering and confirming my thoughts and my limitations as an humble amateur...in this clip you talked about Brown Haired Maiden, not a difficult tune......at present I can ,decently perform it with the Practice Chanter, but after 3 days trying I am not able with my bagpipes....THANKS SO MUCH INDEED FOR YOUR LESSONS and mostly for your clear EXPLANATIONS
Was always a chanter choker. Slow, methodical practice helps tremendously and it was your advice that I followed on that. Finger stretching is equally important.
Glad to be of help!
Learning technic knowledge is very limited in Japan
so, your video is very helpful for especially zero-experienced bagpipe player like me.
Thank you and keep good work!🤗
Glad you found the channel! Many more videos to come.
Just purchased the Blair Digital Chanter before all this started, what an incredible tool! Doing exactly what you've been doing this break, cleaning out all the cobwebs so to speak! Love the content mate!
Great to hear! Really want a Blair Digital Chanter (that one in the video wasn't mine, unfortunately)!
Matt An excellent exposition of what took me years to intuitively address !
Thank you !
Glad it was helpful!
Every video a great lesson, thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Thanks Matt. As a newer piper-The Barren Rocks G Grace note on the birls for some reason is my nemesis ...I can feel the death grip coming on almost two notes away lol. Practice practice practice...
This is one I really needed to hear. Really good advice.
Glad you got something out of this! I was hoping I wasn't the only one who didn't need to hear this!
I get that tension in Lucy Cassidy at the birls, gets me every time. Drives me nuts.
If I recall, those birls are from C, right? Definitely a "tensing" moment!
Great articulation on what I suspect is something every piper can relate to and/or has experienced. Ive found this to be conceptually true for every instrument ive ever learned.. Would love to hear more of your thoughts on piping theory!
Thanks, good sir! What's the next bit of piping theory you're curious about?
@@MattWillisBagpiper Maybe thoughts and experiences regarding playing with other instruments/musicians. Like, how GHB translates to rock music music.
"In summary, the fingers should be straight and relaxed, one should adopt a natural position, blow into the mouthpiece and not have a hard instrument and not have a whimsical attitude." These are the words of the great Jimmy MacIntosh, which I think he got from the Bobs of course. Bob Brown said that your whole body should be realxed, especially your shoulders and fingers. Also John D. Burgess was a big advocator of playing with relaxed fingers, and always tried to ease up his students' fingers as much as possible.
I have this problem on some parts and sometimes it is so hard it is like I am throwing my whole body into it then I have other parts that it is like I just float through them.
I will concentrate on this more and slow down :-)
Good vid Matt, I ran through Kilbowie Cottage being mindful of my hand tension. I find I grip harder with my left hand than my right. I am left handed which is probably why I have this tendency. I crunch most of my top hand doublings then sometimes I miss the B strikes and Taorluaths a bit more grip needed in the right hand a bit less on the left hand. this will be fun to dial in.
Keep us informed on how your progress is going as you work through these issues!
Grip from B to B drives me insane: in half of the cases D grace note goes amiss, for some reason my index finger doesn’t want to lift up and I literally feel the finger is to stiff. My strategy is to slow down on this embellishment regardless of the current tune speed plus endless practice chantering.
May all the black gods of pipes and whisky help me!
I’m just new to piping and I struggle with the touch down on auld Lang syne
I've started feeling for the vibrations. I notice when the vibrations go away I'm gripping too hard
Great way to think about it! Feel about it? :)
I am having hard time finding info to learn modern music for bagpipes? Will you do lessons for modern music with bagpipes
What specifically are you finding difficult?
Having hands is affecting my playing : /
Ha!!! That’s hilarious. Also true.
Charles Gunn Ditto Chucknado 🤣!!
Awesome
what is your country name?Iam Bangladeshi 🇧🇩
USA
@@MattWillisBagpiper Thank u your replied.