Bagpipes for Beginners : Grace Notes on the Bagpipes

[chrisparks100]

the chanter sounds a lot like a Bb clarinet

[IAmTheNietzsche]

Damn, seeing all the dicks who post on this video almost discourages me from wanting to play the bagpipes. It would appear that alot of bagpipers are douchebags. However, evidently some are not, like this guy. The lessons are greatly appreciated, man. Keep playing.

[milemuncherbiker]

Rubbish - only way to describe.

How does this guy have the gaull to call himself an expert he certainly is not???

[piper7273]

check out the rest of it....he can't play anything!!

[piper7273]

you should not be teaching, leave it to the guys who can play.

[thirdeye66]

WTF is this guy doing he cant even play a d- throw

[ArizonaDesertPiper]

I am a self taught piper, not by choice, but because I am the only piper I know of in my community. I picked up the chanter about 9 years ago. I was off and on for about 4 years. Got serious about 5 years ago. ANd got my pipes, Dubars p-1's, about three years ago. Being self taught and not having a teacher I have had problems at times with certin grace notes, throws and others. You and others on this site have helped a lot. Thanks and keep up the good work , & ignor those who criticise.

[sirchristian12]

Hey man I was thinking about learning the bagpipes. What do you suggest for a complete beginner? Like what to buy and good books.

Thanks

[beleif]

brilliant, can you teach us some piobaireachd movements, please?

[hfranke07]

I have played for 5 years as a pipe sergeant in a pipeband - there is a C involved in a Throw on D. It goes Low G - D - C - D (light version) or Low G - D - Low G - D. But if you play it like that,- be my guest.

[00MORDRED]

frank...you should make some pipe teaching

vids...

you've got more years on it than most ppl.

cheers!!

:o)

[rorythemilfhunter]

I learnt from the green book that you can play it either as G - D - C - D or G - D - G - C - D ( with an extra low g before the C.

[LSBSPB]

you can play a throw from any note not just low A

[69troll]

reminds me of forrest and bubba

[raybinguk]

good lord that was awful....who and where were you taught because if you played that in front of a pipe major worth his salt then you are likely to be retrieving your practice chanter from out of one of your orrifices....

[keydetpiper]

You don't play the D throw the same way you described it. You describe light and play heavy!

[Jersey130]

I think you may be right, but I know a band that refers to the heavy and light D throws the opposite way around, too. Perhaps it's a naming convention that differs from teacher to teacher?

[lilitjed]

LOL i just learned the d trew (we call it a trewe on d) it toke me some time, i starded playing about a year ago but i cant play on the pipes yet. i want to play everything good on my chanter first. good luck to al you guys howe also starded playing the pipes

[Hawk02VUSAFS]

I got a Uilleann practice chanter for Christmas, and I'm actually getting pretty good at it. Taught myself a few movie soundtracks like Braveheart and Titanic, and just mastered Danny Boy.

I've had a Highland Chanter for some years now, and I still can't play the thing. They say the Uilleann is harder than the rest, but the Highland gets me frustrated.

[Claricloutist]

Just started playing bagpipes yesterday, but I'm a veteran clarinet player of 10 years; anyone know if my clarinet & sax experience will help at all?

[SovietChris]

Nae chance - it's very different, even the part of the finger you use to cover the holes is different. I know, I've been in your position.

[UltimateShadow07]

i've been playing sax for 10 years as well and it actually makes playing the pipes harder cause it is so different

[piper7273]

why do people teach when they are learners themselfs!!!! shocking.

[uelacrosse]

in life you never stop learning. Think about the best musician alive.. hes still learning.

[GHB7773]

The Heavy D throw has a C. The light D throw does not.

[bagpiper154]

the D throw is not played like that!! there is no C involved

You can buy chanter on the web!

[iLoveObento]

make your own video

[bagpiper154]

why would i want to teach people when im learning. I know the throw isnt played like that

[rastafari220]

are the pipes as hard as i hear? cause i rally want to learn them, but i'm up for the chalange.

[bagpiper154]

it depends. it can be easy if you make it easy

[tehbestcanadian]

u spend about 2 years on a practive chanter then u eventually get ur pipes its pretty much like playin a oboe except a lot harder.

[rastafari220]

cant u use the blow pipe as a practice chanter? or does it not come off. lol.

[tehbestcanadian]

it comes off but wat would b the point it would b like blowin in a tube no holes or nthn

[Kilfio]

rastafari220, the practice chanter, the blowstick, and the bagpipe chanter are all carved different ways. The chanters require special reeds to run correctly. The bagpipe chanter is carved to work with a cane reed, and hence, the volume is louder. However, the practice chanters today mostly use plastic reeds, so they are much quieter.

[AussiePiper1992]

wen i was learning i went from the chanter to the practise pipes then to the pipes....

[1derfulbagpiper]

@tehbestcanadian FYI oboe means "little bagpipe" cool huh?

[dorbie]

bagpiper154 you need to learn some more before commenting and take your own advice. That's a heavy D so keep it to yourself.

[SnooSnoo123]

you are retarted. learn how to play the pipes.

[katekakes]

i love to learn the bagpipes where can i get that one in the video? i live in the usa???

[piperand]

D throws and birls are not grace notes.They are called embelishments(sp).

[quiggers79]

furthermore.. having joined various pipe bands in the past.. they have all been enthusiatic in their tuition and practice to the light D throw, however solo pipers that i have had lessons from, have played the heavy. depends on your experience as a solo and band piper i suppose. either way.. as a begginner this video is good, and i would have been really grateful for videos like this when i was starting out with the pipes.

[quiggers79]

agreed.. i wasnt saying any of you were wrong.. i was just saying that you are both right, HOWEVER, the heavy throw is written in really old pipe sheet music.. and therefore i would assume is the more tradditional way. however the way piping is adjudicated nowadays.. either one is good. was merely clearing the air, and to prevent all you lot from further bitching.. peace.

[BagpipeJourney]

The D-throw illustrated is a heavy D-throw as played by, say, Nick Hudson (made front page of the Wall Street Journal) who is currently taught by Gold Medalist Alasdair Gillies at Carnegie Mellon University. The video response is also valid, it's a light D-throw. Anyone who says either is wrong is an inexperienced piper, sorry.

For descriptions of each throw, visit the link below and read "D-throw":

BagpipeJourney[dot]com/article­s/dictionary.shtml#anchor_D

[piperand]

it is wrong cause it is not a grace note, but an emebellishment (sp?)

[willow2oo7]

The D Throw is not done like that sorry mate. take a look on the video response that is the correct way.

[quiggers79]

ive been playing the pipes for 12 years and although im not saying im very good, at all! i will say that in my expeience the heavy D throw is much highly regarded as being more proffessional partly due to its complexity over the other forms i suppose, but mainly because it just sounds so much better. also.. if you actually obtain some really old vintage pipe sheet music, it will be written in as a heavy throw, with 2 low G gracenotes.

[low56got7]

well, heavy D throws are affective in Piobaireachd, but it is better to do the light D throw in the light music such as MSR, HJ, and 2/4 and 6/8

[HighlandBagpiper22]

yeah stop teaching, you suck, and people who usually think they can teach cant. if you cant teach a D throw, go kill yourself you useless bastard.

[jmack619]

why don,t you leave him alone ? go away if you don,t need the lessons . ok ?

[piperand]

cause we dont wont people teaching badly. we want people to say oh i like bagpipes not oh i hate bagpipes cause they heard a non piper making a mess and bring real pipers down. No he shouldnt go away lol

[thecelticpiper]

wow you are a disgrace to pipers everywhere ! lets see you play ! its easy to talk smack jack !

amazing how many badasses can post crap like this yet youre no bad ass, in fact i bet you were punked at a young age ! unless you can help this bloke, sod off !

[toad4eva]

dead right mate whoever play with there finger tips suck big time

[piperand]

NO YOU A ARE A DISGRACE TO PIPING.

[piperand]

celticpiper is a disgrace.

[dorbie]

True dat, but apparently he only has a set of paki pipes off ebay & taught himself in a month so it's funny, laugh.

[piperand]

i dont need to justify myself to you. and what you mean smackjack? go on test me on piping i dare you too lmfao!!!

[tomdachef]

alrighty hows it going.....

im affraid your completley wrong with your instructions mate.

a canny belive u teach pipes....look at the music. it is writen as a low g followed by a d followed by a c gracenote......

so if YOU want to learn how to play watch my video....

[PeterPiper86]

No, he's not wrong.

In fact, you're both right. He is playing the Heavy D Throw and you, in your video, have presented the Light D Throw. Both styles are accepted but the Light version is probably more common.

Cheers,

Peter

[kiwipipinghot]

I thought the Heavy D Throw is more common in the North Amerias?

Although I was told by a Gold Medalist that in Scotland they prefer the light...however in a UK or US competition of the same tune and calibre of performance in playing it the one that used the heavy D Throw most likely would win.

But as a newbie to piping here in the US I am taught to always use the Heavy D Throw.

I wonder what they prefer in New Zealand and Australia?

[PeterPiper86]

I have no idea, which Throw is more popular in the USA or anywhere else, I myself live in Poland. In my opinion, it depends on the tutor. If he plays the Heavy D Throw, he is most likely to teach it to his students. Also, I think that as far as someone is consistent about the way how he plays his Throws (be it Light or Heavy) there shouldn't be much difference when it comes judging. Of course, this is just me, I have never participated in any competition and am only a beginner.