How To Tune Bagpipe Drones - A Path To Follow

[@brucemason4728]

Great teachings Alec.thats exactly my process.i love this process.keep on trucking ,Alec.u,are doing an awesome job.im so happy 2 be part of this amazing journey.thanx again.cheers,and have a great day.😁

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Thanks for the comment Bruce so glad you watch the video. Great minds think a like! It’s a great process for tuning. Cheers!

[@StephenSanders-p2f]

Thanks Alec,good job,sometimes I will find my self using my finger tips;but I am glad you showed me about laying my fingers flat insteed of finger tips.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Happy to help! keep on piping on :)

[@tomrobertson1444]

Hey just watched your video on blowing exercise, Good tip.. I'm a beginner at the bagpipes, although I have been practicing for 3 years ( 2 hours a day 5 days a week) on the chanter, and still learning things .. just bought my first set of pipes, and I now know that practice is all that I have to do.. so thank you for the tip on the arm ,mind and lips thing .. have a fantastic day . and I will be watching your videos ,,,

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Glad you found my channel Tom, and thanks for watching!! That is great you are getting into the pipes. It can feel challenging transitioning off the practice chanter. Sounds like you have a great base! Keep at it :)

[@h.m.a.2037]

Love your channel. Very good information. 🤝

[@GetBagpipeReady]

So nice of you to say, thanks!

[@h.m.a.2037]

@@GetBagpipeReady 🤝 I play bagpipes myself.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

great to hear!!

[@WordandVoid]

Love you, dude. I am 33% Scot by heritage

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Thanks!!! I'm excited for your piping journey! More video tutorials at my site! Happy piping 😀 www.getbagpipeready.com/

[@SelbstundFrei]

Do you tune it directly before every gig you play like other instruments or does it stay tuned for a longer time? I mean if you go for a ride and play for example on a wedding do you tune it at home or outside the place you wanna play? I mean it's not like tuning guitar no one will recognize. Great videos I watched the day and I'm not even playing 😂

[@GetBagpipeReady]

yes, I always tune before gigs 😊 thanks for watching!

[@upcountrycanuck2986]

Hey Alec whats the tune that your playing while tunning? Pretty Catchy

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Thanks so much! It's actually a composition of mine called, "It's Supposed to Be Vanilla!" You can download it and many more tunes at my patreon. Hope to see you there! 😀 www.getbagpipeready.com/patreon

[@Sann...]

Thanks for the video - v. good. What is the name of the tune you're playing? I've been looking for it for ages!

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Thanks! The tune is actually a composition of mine called "It's supposed to be vanilla". The sheet music is free at my site. www.getbagpipeready.com/bagpipe-sheet-music

[@emiliodamianrocha4061]

Exelent!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻thank you Alec!!

[@GetBagpipeReady]

My pleasure! Happy late birthday Emilio!

[@leoburns9674]

Thanks for your video I need a 3 min”drill… to tune prior my Grade 5 comp. I use the Braw tuner for my chanter… but chasing the drone is always a game of chance! 🤣. Do you over/under blow to listen for the friction of motion? Ps. Do you wear earplugs when you’re today? Thanks for the opportunity here!

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Glad it helped and good luck with your competitions. I hear great things about the Braw tuner. when tuning drones try to blow at the same pressure as when you are playing your tunes. I wear earplugs for tuning only if I am indoors. Hope that helps! For more free videos on tuning and other piping topics check out my Bagpipe Coaching site: bit.ly/Start-Bagpipe-Coaching

[@Time_Lord_Council]

I suppose the chanter is whatever tuning it's going to be since there's nothing to adjust to tune it. Is each drone adjusted similarly to other woodwind instruments, i.e. twisting and adjusting the head joint (for lack of a better term)?

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Thanks for your interest!!😊 Yes, the drones can be moved up or down to flatten or sharpen their tone. In addition the reeds can be adjusted to change the pitch. The chanter reed can also be raised or lowered to flatten or increase the pitch. Tape can be added or removed on the top part of each hole on the chanter to adjust individual notes. Blowing pressure will also affect the pitch of all 4 reeds involved! A fun process for sure! 😁

[@Time_Lord_Council]

@@GetBagpipeReady Sounds complicated, but doable lol. I don't think I'd even convince my parents to let me get a practice chanter until I can move out, but I'd love to learn to play.

[@curts_uniquecomposites]

I'm play the bagpipes, and I would say the hardest thing about this instrument is the blowing. I usually play one song and I'm already winded. I always asked myself are my bagpipes hard to play ? Or is it just how I set them up myself? I always get this thing when blowing the bagpipes I make a trumpet noise when blowing a trumpet lol.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Breathing coordination can be a big thing to get used to for sure Curt!! Have you watched my other youtube video on breathing? here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWqtnaNuosikp6c Also, let me know if you'd like some more help on this!

[@gordp8482]

Damn you hit those burls perfectly.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

haha thanks 🙏 not every time mind you but when I do they are nice! keep on piping on Gord! you’ll get there too 👍

[@gordp8482]

@@GetBagpipeReady I am progressing thanks to the patience of mu teacher John Ralston. He is a master and plays Mul of Kintyre on stage with Paul McCartney when he comes to Vancouver. Cheers.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

very cool Gord!!!

[@joelgreen6925]

Havnt played since was at school (15 years ago) recently got back into it. Can't get my drones to run, as soon as chanter comes in drones cut out with the pressure, any advice? Google has been rather disappointing on this one

[@GetBagpipeReady]

For sure! option 1, get an easier chanter reed. Option 2, adjust the bridle on your drone reeds to Lengthen the reed tongue. Small adjustments make a big difference! Only move the an 1/8th of an inch then play your pipes and see how it sounds. If you don't know what the bridle and tounge are, just google a picture of a bagpipe drone reed. There are some good google images that label the different parts of the reed.

[@kimberleyguilmette761]

Is the process the same on the smallpipes? I’m just learning to “tune” the drones on my smallpipes, I had the tenor & bass sounding pretty good, but I messed them up & I’m struggling to retune🤣 I guess it’s just practice like all things.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Similar! I find using a piece of scotch tape helpful to plug the smallpipe drones that arn't being tuned. usually the middle sized drone of the smallpipes is tuned to E and the other two drones are tuned to low a. hope that helps

[@kimberleyguilmette761]

@@GetBagpipeReady thanks!! I’m sure the more you do it the easier it gets, I’ve been using a q-tip in the drones not being tuned👍

[@magdazemancova2229]

Man… you are saving my ass

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Haha glad to hear it!! 😀 More Beginner Bagpiping resources at my site: www.getbagpipeready.com/

[@jeffreyweyers7824]

❤w hats the tune

[@GetBagpipeReady]

It's a tune I wrote Jeff, called "It's supposed to be vanilla". you can get the sheet music at my patreon page. Happy piping 😁 www.patreon.com/GetBagpipeReady

[@johnbolt665]

Drones need to be tuned?

[@GetBagpipeReady]

For sure John! Tuned to Low A on your pipe chanter 👌

[@tiktokexclusive286]

Is the bagpipes your favorite instrument?

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Great Question Shaun! Hmm... it’s definitely the instrument I’m the best at having started so young... but I think I’d have to say my favourite instrument happens to be whatever I’m playing at that moment!! 😀 How about you??

[@tiktokexclusive286]

@@GetBagpipeReady probably the bagpipes right now, but I play the banjo also.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

@@tiktokexclusive286 that’s so cool!! Me too 😀 I see you pick all the quiet instruments like me 😉

[@seanlee2379]

How to turn on and off the drone with hand? When I do, it just open up right after. I feel the air is keep blowing out from th the top. Any tips? I tried with finger, palm and now thinking about just use corks.

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Great question Sean. Drone corks can be very handy. If you are not using corks and want to turn your drone off with your hand, the key is to keep enough pressure in the bag to keep the drone off. If you ease off on your pressure, even for a moment, your drone will turn back on. Hope that helps!

[@kfossi1986]

Help... I messed with my drone reeds and now tuning is a nightmare 😫

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Oh no Kathy! Sounds like you accidently opened a can of worms! Step 1. Adjust the bridles on the reeds to make each drone similar. When you blow the drone itself, by putting your mouth over the reed, you want a similar amount of air pressure to get a good tone and a similar amount of higher air pressure to make the drone cut out. Step 2. Check to see if the drones are operating at a similar pressure by blowing up the bag - the drones should all come on at the same time and when you stop blowing the drones should all cut out at the same time. If not, make necessary adjustments to the bridle of the drone that is not following the others. Step 3 - Now you can start tuning. It's not all or nothing - for the first week just focus on getting your outside tenor tuned to your chanter, don't even worry about the other drones for a bit. Step 4. Keep a sense of humor through the process :) You've got this Kathy!!! Consider joining my free FB group for more support: facebook.com/groups/getbagpipeready

[@kfossi1986]

@@GetBagpipeReady thank you so much! I'll let you know how i make out! Appreciate your help!

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Yes! Good luck Kathy, i'd love to hear how it turns out for ya!

[@khurshedalam1160]

how much BD price

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Not sure what you are asking?

[@Reedc16]

I play the bagpipes it takes a lot of air out your lungs 😳

[@GetBagpipeReady]

For sure! You've got this! For more Beginner Bagpiping videos, feel free to check out my website. Happy piping! www.getbagpipeready.com/