This was exactly what I've been looking for. Birls sound OK on pipes, but on PC, my ring finger is constantly coming off the hole, these stretches made a huge help.
I commented on another about rhythm being good coming from drums to pipes but this is another thing I can be grateful for because my school’s teachers for the drum corps make us do “finger yoga” to get them stretched and strong😁
I found your channel looking for warm up exercises basically cos I have to learn a jig-like tune for my band with GDE's at a devilish speed. I had been practicing for weeks and I could only get at the bpm after (no kidding) 5-6 hours of practice, if I did, because some days my fingers got all cramped before. After less than one week of doing these warm-ups (and the paradiddle ones) I get there much faster...So, this was pure gold for me... THANK YOU!!
That is awesome to hear! So glad you found the channel and have found it helpful! And in case you didn't see it, here's a video on GDE gracenote exercises: th-cam.com/video/GWzxdYMzzpE/w-d-xo.html
Thank you very much for that exercises. I did it for the last two weeks and my strikes got much better. Yeah, I am struggling with them, after I broke two fingers 😅 thanks again ❤️
I like the whiskey glass method but read somewhere that you should take a sip after every few rotations of whichever finger you are exercising. Apparently if you take large enough sips, your coordination of your fingers improves dramatically with a couple of glasses.
I worked in a slaughterhouse and for carpo tunnel we were trained to open our hands ,spacing fingers apart for 10seconds then making a fist for 10(3x) followed by a limp hand shake to circulate blood... also we'd have 2 sinks ,one with as hot as water as you could take and the other as cold as you could get it (add ice packs even) a minuit in one and transfer until your hot water cold down I was lucky to have only gotten the cortisone shots, good luck on your recovery
Holy sh*t! I've been struggling with a throw on D getting muffled as my fingers have gotten tighter over time. 5 minutes of this and my throw on d is back crisp and clean. Birl obviously is better as well. And my fingers don't ache while playing now. Thank you!
Love your videos. Very helpful. And we got free 'tasting notes' with this 'exercise' video! Might I add, do the circles first as warmups then do the stretches. Stretch gently at first and as you feel the tendons/ligaments relax, increase the stretch slightly. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Slainte!
Interesting ideas for finger exercises. A problem fir some (including me) is lifting fingers high when playing. What exercises do you suggest to increase height in lifting fingers.
Interesting-I've always had better bottom hand grace notes. I found that I make pretty good circles with my bottom hand, and horrible, terrible circles with my top hand. Let’s see if these daily exercises changes those top hand embellishments.
Interesting! Yeah, my F gracenote has always been awful, and now that I've been doing these circles for a few weeks, it's not yet as good as the rest, but boy howdy, it's better than it's ever been! Keep us informed on your progress!
In the early days, I'd get quite bad cramps in that part of my right thumb... Take a good few months of actively trying to relax my grip before I got over it.
This was exactly what I've been looking for. Birls sound OK on pipes, but on PC, my ring finger is constantly coming off the hole, these stretches made a huge help.
I commented on another about rhythm being good coming from drums to pipes but this is another thing I can be grateful for because my school’s teachers for the drum corps make us do “finger yoga” to get them stretched and strong😁
Thanks for these! My pinky and the birl are locked in a death struggle right now. Hopefully this will help. Thanks again.
Always love the little horse joke 😆 good ideas for hand stretches, and they can be done any time, at work etc, if your short on practice time
What a GREAT instructional video for lazy fingers. Well done, Matt!
Glad it was helpful!
I found your channel looking for warm up exercises basically cos I have to learn a jig-like tune for my band with GDE's at a devilish speed. I had been practicing for weeks and I could only get at the bpm after (no kidding) 5-6 hours of practice, if I did, because some days my fingers got all cramped before. After less than one week of doing these warm-ups (and the paradiddle ones) I get there much faster...So, this was pure gold for me... THANK YOU!!
That is awesome to hear! So glad you found the channel and have found it helpful! And in case you didn't see it, here's a video on GDE gracenote exercises: th-cam.com/video/GWzxdYMzzpE/w-d-xo.html
I really felt the difference after these tips. Thank you very much Matt!
Great to hear! Share with other musicians you know!
I desesperately needed that exercise ! Thanks a lot Matt !
Happy to help!
This is *really* useful!! Thank you! PS Creag is said Cregg in Gaelic not Creeg... ;) Love the tasting notes, excellent touch!
Thank you very much for that exercises. I did it for the last two weeks and my strikes got much better. Yeah, I am struggling with them, after I broke two fingers 😅 thanks again ❤️
Broken fingers? Ouch! Glad this is helping you get your dexterity back!
I might use your Exercises thank you
I like the whiskey glass method but read somewhere that you should take a sip after every few rotations of whichever finger you are exercising. Apparently if you take large enough sips, your coordination of your fingers improves dramatically with a couple of glasses.
I just had carpal tunnel release surgery Jan 20... these are great stretches to get the range of motion back up to snuff...👍
Glad these are helpful! Hope recovery has gone well.
Matt Willis Bagpiper .... I would say so💪🏻👍
I worked in a slaughterhouse and for carpo tunnel we were trained to open our hands ,spacing fingers apart for 10seconds then making a fist for 10(3x) followed by a limp hand shake to circulate blood... also we'd have 2 sinks ,one with as hot as water as you could take and the other as cold as you could get it (add ice packs even) a minuit in one and transfer until your hot water cold down
I was lucky to have only gotten the cortisone shots, good luck on your recovery
Holy sh*t! I've been struggling with a throw on D getting muffled as my fingers have gotten tighter over time. 5 minutes of this and my throw on d is back crisp and clean. Birl obviously is better as well. And my fingers don't ache while playing now. Thank you!
That's great to hear! So glad these exercises have helped!
Thanks Matt I'll try these exercises.
I'm just looking your desk and you know what ? We have exactly the same! The perfect size
My Ikea butcher block, wall-mounted desk/table top has worked great! I've had it for 11 years now. Can't imagine replacing it.
Love your videos. Very helpful. And we got free 'tasting notes' with this 'exercise' video! Might I add, do the circles first as warmups then do the stretches. Stretch gently at first and as you feel the tendons/ligaments relax, increase the stretch slightly. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Slainte!
Great tip! Slainte!
Interesting ideas for finger exercises. A problem fir some (including me) is lifting fingers high when playing. What exercises do you suggest to increase height in lifting fingers.
Perhaps having more consistent "tension" in your hands? I discuss in this video: th-cam.com/video/8fC63Jo3Meg/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for your useful tips :D
Happy to help!
Interesting-I've always had better bottom hand grace notes. I found that I make pretty good circles with my bottom hand, and horrible, terrible circles with my top hand. Let’s see if these daily exercises changes those top hand embellishments.
Interesting! Yeah, my F gracenote has always been awful, and now that I've been doing these circles for a few weeks, it's not yet as good as the rest, but boy howdy, it's better than it's ever been! Keep us informed on your progress!
Matt, have you experienced any thumb issues ( soreness ) meaty part of the thumb to the tip of the thumb ?
In the early days, I'd get quite bad cramps in that part of my right thumb... Take a good few months of actively trying to relax my grip before I got over it.
John asks if you can do tounging warm ups? It would help him with playing a reed and... other activities. 🤣🤣🤣
Thanks! This should help. especially when combined with whiskey. Tell me, in Russia we drink more vodka, can it be used for training? ;)
Yes, absolutely. Ha!
Looks like you're using the whisky bottle to store your chanter in! 🤣🤣🤣
I can totally see that now!
Yep, hello :)
Hello there!
Guess u due that whisky now m8. might need a straw after those exercise
Mind u don't drop it 😋