Putting the swing back into 6_8 Marches

I have observed over many years that the simple art of playing 6_8 marches has all but disappeared in the pipe band and solo piping world.   I take great joy in immersing myself in the fantastic music buzz of playing a 6_8 march with the proper swing.  This article tells about my approach to the …

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Is Skype too great a compromise for bagpipe lessons?

I have been teaching bagpipes face to face and using Skype for several years, with a number of successes.  The Skype approach is a compromise compared with face to face tuition, but has proven to be a very good one for many situations.  This article discusses using Skype, or other similar internet based tools, for …

The difference between swing and lift and why it matters

Understanding these two piping/drumming terms can provide some wonderful new ways to present and enjoy your music. I often comment on how sad I am that many piping/pipe band musicians don’t get to experience good 6_8 playing; the wonderful feeling of playing with swing. So, if swing is such a good thing, what is it …

3 drone tuning processes

 Time and time again I marvel at the novel and illogical processes pipers adopt for solo drone tuning, including in the highest solo grades.  In many cases, they get their drones in tune more by luck than by design – or they fail to get their drones properly in tune.  Here I present three different …

Legends with practice chanters

Many people have said that the practice chanter and the pipes are different instruments; just because you are a “legend” on your practice chanter doesn’t mean you will be brilliant with a set of pipes on your shoulder. So, what’s behind this, why does it matter and what can be done about it? I recently …

Expression and phrasing are not the same thing

As a musical community, we are particularly poor at teaching our musicians correct basic terminology, let alone correct playing technique. I often discuss phrasing and expression with pipers and drummers, sometimes on contest critique sheets. And, yet, I am now clear that many of our musicians, and perhaps even some of our adjudicators, may not …

The First Half of Improvement

I have been spending a lot of time with pupils lately helping them improve the precision of their playing.  A number have been producing generally “muddy” sounding music – imprecise movements from one note to the next, inaccurate timing, uneven sound due to irregular blowing and other issues.  A number of them are improving these …

The All Important Up-beat

Good strong simple time (2_4, 3_4 or 4_4) March rhythm does not only depend on proper emphasis of the metrical accents (the ones on the beats), but also on correct timing of the “up-beats” i.e. the pulses halfway between the beats.  I have heard many performances where a band’s rhythm becomes “muddy” or unclear, because …

Correct finger positioning on a chanter

Could YOU improve the positioning of your fingers on a pipe chanter?   This article is for you to think about. It suggests some things that may not suit some people, but I believe it will be helpful to many. Over the last several years, I have come across a number of experienced pipers who …

Dare to play with expression

Why does one piper sound dull and boring while another sounds so interesting and musical? As pipers (and drummers) we are taught techniques of playing bagpipe music. “Hold that low A”.   “Your tune needs some more phrasing”. “That note’s a dotted quaver”. These are good things to think about when you’re learning how a tune …