When learning a tune, hum it to yourself. Getting the music in your head is half the battle. The best way to memorize the tune of course, is to play it 500 times. You want to learn the tune as a tune instead of a collection of fingerings.
Use a metronome when you practice. If you don't have one (or even if you do), march. Emphasize the downbeat on the left foot. Marching does two things. It keeps you in rhythm and also, marching in place is calming and good exercise. Calm is handy to have when practicing, which can be a frustrating experience.
When trying to play/remember a tune, the most important part to memorize is the first few bars. If you've memorized the tune, remembering the first few bars will bring up the rest. But what if you know two tunes that start out the same way? Create a hook by differentiating the first difference between the two tunes.
When holding long notes, it is helpful to count. Don't be sure that you can do it by feel.
Record your practices. Listen to the recording. Is the tune on tempo? Are the transitions smooth? Are you rushing through the tune so you can get finished? Are you hurrying through the long notes so that you can take extra time with the grace notes and doublings.
To drone smoothly, "blow your arm off the bag". That is to say, when you are filling the bag, relax the pressure of your left arm. When you have to take a breath, maintain constant bag pressure by squeezing gently until you are ready to blow again, then relax as you blow.
To get a smooth strike-in, inflate your bag almost all the way before the tune starts and put your left hand in position to play an E. When it's time to sound the drones, exhale to fill the bag the rest of the way, with your right hand push the bag under your arm, then move your right hand to the bottom hand position, squeeze in and sound the pick-up E.
To get a smooth cut-off, stop blowing when the pipemajor indicates the tune is almost over. Maintain constant pressure by squeezing in gradually with your arm and then taking all pressure off the bag by moving your left arm outwards.
When finished piping, take the chanter out and put a reed protector on. This will prolong the life expectancy of the reed and prevent mold. You want to let all that warm, moist air in the bag out, you see.
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