Bagpipe Tutors

The Traditional Irish Music for Bagpipes
Dave Rickard, member of the St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe band of Dublin, has created a large extension to the repertoire for the bagpipe. Most of the 50 tunes found in this book have never been used in bagpipe bands or have not received such superior settings.
Size A5, contains music.
Book size A4, contains instruction, tunes and history.  

Learn to play the Great Highland Bagpipe
by Major Archie Cairns
The "How To" manual is a simple, easy-to-follow, unique method for learning to play the Great Highland Bagpipe that provides a progressive program for Beginners. This package includes the book and an instructional CD

• Learn the scale from the top down
• Theory of music to simplify and understand pipe music
• Finger technique - execute gracenotes and embellishments
• Characteristics of pipe music
• Tone and tuning, explanation, methods and exercises
• "Sing Fingering" - easy method to help in learning tunes
• A music progression plan with check list
• Rhythms made easy using a system of "Neumonics"
• Subject Matter listed Alphabetically (easy to find)

Size A5, contains music.

Scottish Small Pipes Tutor

  More Power to Your Elbow
A practical guide to acquiring, playing, tuning and maintaining Scottish bellows-blown bagpipes, together with a tutorial CD-ROM (featuring Iain MacInnes on Scottish smallpipes) suitable for PC or Mac. The manual also contains more than 50 tunes
The Manual is divided into 3 parts and 10 appendices.

• Part 1 looks at some of the options for Acquiring a set of pipes; the different kinds of pipes to choose from, and the most suitable pitches to consider. There are tips on whether to hire a set, or buy new or second hand.

• Part 2 is taken up with the Learning Process, and is divided into four logical steps:- familiarisation with the bellows: a first introduction to fingering the chanter: some basic grace notes with a first tune to try: and finally some more detailed methods and techniques. All the more important points are demonstrated (movie style) on the CD-ROM by Iain MacInnes.

• Part 3 – Tuning. To get the best possible sound from the pipes, the drones and chanter must be tuned both in their own right and to each other. In this part basic techniques, as well as alternative methods of tuning the drones, are given (and demonstrated on the CD-ROM), together with how to get the best out of the chanter.

  The Appendices deal in turn with: Gracing: Basics of Notation: Reeds and Reed-making: Maintenance and Repair: Problem Solving: Playing Pressure: History (of Scottish bellows-blown pipes): Resources (including a limited discography): Glossary, and finally a collection of Tunes (which are graded Easy, Medium, Difficult). Where appropriate (with regard to Gracing, for instance, and some tunes), demonstrations are given by Iain MacInnes playing Scottish smallpipes.
As Julian Goodacre says in the Introduction: “This Manual will be of special benefit to the members of the Society who live overseas and are separated from makers and like-minded pipers by thousands of miles. I commend it not only to novices, but to seasoned pipers. There is a wealth of new tricks here for everyone.”
Size A4 contains 106 pages, illustrated photographs and line drawings, instruction, 50 tunes, tutorial CD and is ring wire bound (portrait) allowing it to remain open on table or music stand. 
    We no longer carry this tutor, but it is available from the author at 11 Ulting Lane, Langford, Essex CM9 6QB England. Email   Jockagnew@aol.com

The Rumblin' Brig (this is not a tutor)
By Hamish Moore
A collection of tunes for pipes and other instruments, including suggested chordal accompaniment. Half of the tunes were written by Hamish, the pipe-maker extraordinaire from Dunkeld, with several written by Dick Lee and available on the CD The Bee's Knees. The remaining come from old manuscripts and the melodies are particularly good for dance music. The pipes, both Highland and Lowland played a big role in providing music for dance, especially reels, which were played across Scotland prior to the introduction of country dances from England and Europe
Size A4, includes music, some chords

Uilleann Pipes 
 

Uilleann Pipe Reedmaker's Guidance Manual
by Dave Hegarty
Published by Na Piobairi Uilleann, this booklet covers all aspects of reed making.
Size A5 120 pages of instruction.

The Master's Touch
A Tutor for Uilleann Pipes by Seamus Ennis
Seamus Ennis (1919-82)was one of the most dynamic and influential figures in the history of Uilleann piping. This book brings his tutor into circulation for the first time and includes an introduction, transcriptions of tunes and a discography.
Size A4,contains instruction on ornamentation, drones and regulators, and tunes.

The Art of Uilleann Piping Vol 2 Video only
This Intermediate video demonstrates more advanced techniques such as triples and crans, and shows note for note 6 tunes. There are sections on drones and slow airs.

Sorry, sold out of the DVD. It can be purchased directly from the Piper's Club in Dublin

The Art of Uilleann Piping Vol 3 Video, CD, Booklet
This Intermediate video demonstrates more advanced techniques such as triples and crans, and shows note for note 6 tunes. There are sections on drones and slow airs.

The Art of Uilleann Piping Vol 4   -  Regulator Playing - sorry out of stock. It can be purchased directly from the Piper's Club in Dublin

This DVD includes tuition on

• Mechanics and tuning of the Regulators
• Holding notes on the Regulators
• Tapping on the beat
• Tapping off the beat
• Combining holding and tapping
• Syncopation
• Double tapping
• Slow air playing

Howard Uilleann Pipes

We recommend Howard Uilleann Pipes that include a practice set (Bellows, Bag and Chanter in D), keyed chanters and replacement reeds. These instruments are reliable, easily played and in tune. Chanters cover two octaves.  To access information on Howard Pipes please click the link below.
http://www.howardmusic.co.uk

Reeds

Care and Maintenance of Howard Reeds
Do not blow reeds by mouth. This will damage reeds and void warranty. It is very easy to detect reeds that have been mouth blown.
Be careful when removing chanter tops. They should come off in a smooth motion but if they stick and require extra strength to remove there is a natural tendency to push in once they come free. Many reeds are damaged this way.
Bridle Adjustment. There are two ways of affecting the level of sound. The bridle can be moved up and down and it can be squeezed or loosened.

• To sharpen thumb note move bridle up and squeeze bridle in to maintain reed gap.
• Move bridle down for a quieter sound. If gurgle develops between High and Low D then move up. Quieting the instrument will make blowing the instrument easier.
• If there is a gurgle between Hard and Soft D move bridle lower.
• If Hard D is sharp in pitch, put a small amount of blu-tack in the bell end of the chanter and vary the amount until you get a good relationship between hard and soft D. Take care not to place blu-tack up the bore as this could affect other notes.
• For overall pitch move reed into chanter to sharpen pitch. Warmer weather may make the instrument play sharper.

The Howard System Keywork

This is a new system of keywork for the uilleann pipes chanter. This has been in development for many years and makes the playing of semi-tones on the chanter so easy you won't believe it.

• The keys are pillar mounted as on modern orchestral instruments like the oboe and clarinet .
• The ergonomics of the design makes use of the fact that the one free digit that can be used to play semi-tones is the right thumb (on right-handed players).
• This means that all the keys are on the centre-line of the back of the chanter and the same chanter can be played by both left and right handed players.
• The front of the chanter has been kept clear of any pillars or pad cups so that they do not touch the fingers covering the sound holes as they curve over the chanter.
• The springs are made of phosphor bronze and are secured by screws for ease of maintenance.
• The keys available are C natural, F natural B flat and G sharp.
• Many experiments have determined the optimum size and position for obtaining true notes in both octaves.
• The tooling to produce this keywork is extremely accurate and will ensure that you can build up from a C natural single keyed chanter to a four-keyed chanter.
• Previously made Howard chanters can be fitted with this keywork.

• The F natural is obtained by fingering the chanter as if you were playing an E note and opening the F natural key. This can be done in both octaves and also played "off the knee". Often in slow tunes the note is slid up from the E note but this keywork gives the opportunity to hit an F natural "on the nose" in fast dance music.
• The G sharp is obtained by fingering a G note and opening the G sharp key. This is the one immediately above the right thumb.
• The B flat is obtained by opening both the G sharp AND the B flat key while fingering an A note. You don’t have to try and open the middle one of this nest of keys to produce the note.
• The C natural is obtained by fingering a B note and opening either the top two or all three of the keys. In practice only the top two keys are opened when playing the C natural.
• The thumb can slide over the three keys opening (or closing) them to move easily from one semi-tone to another.

We have a list of Australian instrument repairers and manufacturers. If you have skills in this area please let us know so we can add your name to our list.

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Last updated 12/10/11

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