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Whether you are a learner, or an experienced piper, it’s a really beneficial exercise to practice and improve technique by playing tunes slowly and controlled with deliberate doublings as demonstrated in the following recordings. Remember to keep the grace notes short at all times. These are not provided with the intention to be played along with, they are to help folk who are still learning to read music, and to demonstrate what you are aiming for. Initially work on developing technique without the metronome, then work on integration with the metronome.
The following links to Evernote appear to have vanished. I’ll investigate further before removing.
Focus your practice on one thing or another:
When working on technique play deliberate doublings, ensuring you comply with the three rules; clean scale navigation, short grace notes, and keep the doublings even. most would benefit from doing this without a metronome.
When working on integration pay attention to relative note values and beat notes (including first gracenotes of doublings) being played on the beats. This should really be done with a metronome.
Keeping things slow gives you a fighting chance of identify anything that’s not quite right, minimising the chance of developing bad habits and practicing things wrong.
If you are just starting to learn tunes, make sure you master the tunes listed above before moving onto the following:
4/4s Gardens, Bob Martin, Pikemans, Flett
2/4s Mharis Wedding, Highland Laddie
4/4s Scotland the Brave, Rown Tree
6/8s Cock of the North, Farewell to the Creeks
9/8s Battle of the Somme, Hights of Dargais
Video Walk Throughs
Pikemans March
Flett from Flotta
Practice at Home
Everyone is invited to send recordings to Paul, to help with practice at home. It gives your practice at home some focus, and prevents you from potentially wasting your time practicing things wrong. Pipers that actively do this find it a really positive addition to their practice and see noticeable improvements.
Struggling for Motivation?
Well you’ve got this far, so there really is nothing to worry about. People often think that motivation leads to action. But it’s actually the other way around. You have to take action, make the first move, once you get into a routine, you will see improvements, you will enjoy it, and you will be motivated to do more.
If you are practicing, but not making improvements, and not enjoying it, you are doing something wrong. This is why you are invited to send recordings to ensure you don’t get stuck in a rut.
