On the practice chanter, you want to have clean fingering and steady blowing. This means, in part, avoiding crossing noises but also transitioning from one note to the next properly. For example, one that gives me difficulty is the sequence B, grip on C, to low A. I find that my left fingers are more dexterous than my right fingers, even though I'm right handed. Especially I find any right hand note transition involving a grip difficult. My tourluaths are similarly imperiled. Part of the reason for this is that the ring finger and little finger share a nerve and it's difficult to move them independently.
One of the piping movements that I found difficult to understand in written description is the birl. This is the only time that a finger is curved. Ordinarily, the fingers are "as straight as popsicle sticks", but still relaxed. Depending on the way your hands are made, you may be able to do this, you may not. The birl is essentially a double low A. Hold your fingers in position for low A. Move the little finger so it rests slightly above the low G hole. Sweep the little finger down over the low G hole, then, as you quickly sweep it back up, you curl your finger so that you sweep it with the fingertip, not the side. Complete the movement by curling the finger in toward your palm. There is, of course, more than one way to do it. This just happens to be the method that most frequently produces results for me. You can also sweep it back so that the side brushes the hole or do a double tap (which doesn't sound quite right on the pipes).
Go To Page: 1 2
