Legacy Transitioning Series with Carl Donley

Getting your pipes going is as easy as, well, knowing what to do!

THIS SECTION IS UNDER REVISION. Link are not currently working. We'll have a new series up soon!

While transitioning isn't technically part of our Bagpipe as an Extension of your Self tutor, it's an important link between the tutor and becoming a real piper! The fundamentals that we teach at the next level will require that you have basic skills on the pipes. We have found this step is reeeeally hard to do over the internet, because we can't give you the hands-on help you may need during this process. That being said, Carl put on an excellent six-part series that we believe will give you the absolute best transitioning phase possible.

Class #1 - Parts, Names, Assembly and Holding of the Pipes

Class 1 covers the very basics. We cover the parts of the bagpipe, names, and how to assemble the the pipes from scratch. We also cover how to properly hold pipes and space the cords. For those who know the basics already, we still recommend you check this out - Carl does an excellent "review."

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Class #2 - The Function of the Bag, Hemp and How to Use it & Drone Cords.

Obviously, the bag is a very unique part of our instrument. What is the best way to think about it, and how do we use it to work all of these reeds? After that, we go into "hemping," which is how we seal all of the different joints of the bagpipe so they don't leak air. Lastly, a housekeeping detail; tying on and spacing our drone cords properly.

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Class #3 - The Basics of Getting Good Tonal Quality, and your "Launch Prep" sequence.

In this class we explore the fundamentals behind developing good tone. It's important to understand good tone production from the get-go. Next, we talk about how to get your pipe on your shoulder and playing our first few notes. Finally, we wrap up with a exercise to work on arm strength and steady blowing.

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Class #4 - Stamina, Muscle and Strength Building Exercises

In this class we focus on ways to exercise all of the different muscles that are required in blowing steadily. Strengthen your lips to stop blowing "raspberries," Strengthen your lungs, arms and fingers, all while relaxing your finger technique and playing basic exercises in the Piper's Dojo Tutor.

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Class #5 - Unconscious Competence, Finger Control on the Full Pipes & Maintenance Problems

In this class we take a look at the necessity to continually improve, and the process that happens as we "internalize" our progress. We talk about how to fix problems and make them 'second nature' or 'muscle memory.' Then it's a quick play through prelude versions of some tunes on the pipes and wrap up with some common maintenance problems that arise after playing for a few weeks.

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Class #6 -  A Few Full Tunes on the Pipes & Introducing your Drones

In this final class we look at four tunes out of chapter four of the Piper's Dojo Tutor: Going Home, Scotland the Brave, Rowan Tree and Wings. Next, we talk about enforcing the habits and fundamental skills we learned earlier while playing the more complex embellishments. Next we open up a drone, cover calibration, basic tuning, when to open up more drones, and how to tune two drones to one another. Lastly, we look at some embellishment exercises on the pipes.

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