Bagpipe Tutorial - incl. app cooperation

Description of the book

What you’ll need in addition to this book

1) An A4-sized music book with empty staffs (note lines). You’ll write your exercises in your music book and especially the tunes you’ll learn, because physically writing them down is really an enormous help for the learning process.

2) During your first year of learning, you’ll also need a practice chanter. You can find one in any specialised shop for bagpipes and accessories. The staff there will be able to give you the special advice you need. If you have a tutor, ask him or her to recommend a practice chanter and accessories.

You’ll learn the first fingerings and tunes on your practice chanter and after around 8-16 months (depending on the time you spend on the exercises), you’ll have reached lesson 21. Then it will be time for you to transfer what you’ve learned on your chanter to the “big” bagpipes – but the practice chanter will always accompany you when you’re learning fingering exercises and new tunes.

The Structure of the Book

Bagpipe music has melody notes (they’re the big notes, which represent the melody of the tune) and grace notes (the small notes), which “grace” or embellish the melody. With this method and twenty-eight lessons, this book is structured in such a way that you can absorb and memorise the melody and grace notes systematically and successfully.

The Bagpipe Tutorial App contains the acoustic and visual versions of all the exercises in this book, plus all tunes played at different speeds. You can download the app in your app store.

Each lesson in the book will bring you one step closer to your goal of becoming a good piper. Work through the lessons conscientiously – only start the next one if you’re sure you’ve mastered the previous lesson’s exercises and can play them correctly.

By the time you’ve finished with this book, you’ll have learned twenty-two bagpipe tunes (yes, twenty-two!) with all their grace notes. But keep working on your fingering technique every day – and expand your repertoire using sheet music that you can buy in your bagpipe shop.

This textbook is suitable for studying without a teacher, but it’s also the ideal companion book if you are taking private lessons.

In Lesson 28 you’ll find a summary of all the exercises in the chapters, plus the embellishments of classical music (Piobaireachd).

About the Bagpipe Tutorial App: Recommended by the best pipers in the world!

This tutorial app is the most comprehensive multimedia reference in the world on playing the Scottish bagpipes. It contains more than 250 videos demonstrating control of the instrument and finger techniques, including audio-visual information on all the grace notes and embellishments. Numerous exercises convey the essentials of Scottish piping.

Info: For each download of the full version, a part of the revenue flows into a social project, which will be announced by Andreas Hambsch on Facebook at the end of the year.

Info: To receive vouchers and interesting information about bagpipes, activate push notifications in the settings of your mobile phone. (Only with the full version)

Once the app is installed, you have access to all of its functions and all the videos, even in offline mode. The tutorial is ideal for absolute beginners up to advanced pipers and can be used for independent study or as a source of examples for lessons. Its aim is to give the student basic information about the instrument, a solid foundation in technique and expert guidance on the route to becoming an accomplished piper.

This tutorial app by Andreas Hambsch is a milestone in the teaching of the Scottish bagpipes. Easily understandable and thorough, it is a worthwhile investment for anyone interested in piping. The Bagpipe Tutorial book, also by Andreas Hambsch, is an ideal supplement.

“Good music comes from the heart of the musician and lives in the hearts of the listening audience”

( - Andreas Hambsch - )

Lesson 1 – Fingering on the Practice Chanter

“App – Videos – Basic Exercises 1 – Fingering on the Practice Chanter”

Look at these pictures to see how your fingers should be placed on the practice chanter. It’s usual practice to have your left hand above your right, but some students find it easier the other way around – and if right above left is more comfortable for you, no problem! Start by placing your right hand fingers on the lower four fingerholes.

1. Right hand – place the upper pad of your pinkie on the lowest fingerhole (Low A finger).

2. Right hand – place the middle pad of your ring finger over the second lowest fingerhole (B finger).

3. Right hand – place the middle pad of your middle finger over the third lowest fingerhole (C finger).

4. Right hand – place the middle pad of your index finger over the fourth lowest fingerhole (D finger).

Your right thumb should be positioned on the back of the chanter at a height between the index and middle fingers – apply only light pressure.

OK, your lower (right) hand is on the chanter, now let’s position the left hand.

5. Left hand – place your thumb on the rear fingerhole (High A finger).

6. Left hand – place the upper or middle pad of your index finger on the highest fingerhole (High G finger).

7. Left hand – place the upper or middle pad of your middle finger on the next fingerhole (F finger).

8. Left hand – place the upper pad of your ring finger on the next fingerhole (E finger).

Remember...

Use only gentle pressure on the chanter with your upper and lower thumbs. All your fingers should be lying straight (stretched but relaxed) on the chanter.

Take your fingers off the chanter and put them back on again – repeat this process several times to get into the right routine.

A mirror is a great help for checking your fingers to see if they are lying straight and correctly on the chanter.

The fingering chart below will help you with the second lesson.

Remember...

While you’re learning the following lessons, NEVER write the names (letters) of the notes under the exercises (tunes). When you see a note, you must know how to finger it without even having to think about its name.