Bagpipe Lesson 30: How to Play the Birl in Two Ways!

[@DannyBoi2112]

Finally getting back into my bagpipe practise routine, the pandemic made me lose motivation which was annoying. Glad I'm getting back into it and back watching your videos Mr Willis

[@andrewbreeze4297]

WOW so this is the hardest thing I've run into so far after having gone through all the videos one by one to this point. My other fingers want to lift off the chanter just a little as my pinky tries to perform these delicate acrobatics. I'm a firm believer in not moving on until something is at least basically well performed, but oh man I think I'm going to hanging out here awhile.

[@Donnybrook10]

I was taught the tap-drag birl. One quick tap followed by a raking motion into a curled pinkie. None of the wasted motion of the 7. Also the double-zero where you just make 2 quick circles over the lowG. I find the tap-drag remains my most consistent birl especially in tunes with alot of back-to-back birls

[@matthewhoffman9601]

Thank you I really appreciate it I’ve always loved the bagpipes and I played them for a while but I’ve never known the Termanology for them and I am learning a lot of new stuff from you thank you 😛

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Glad to help!

[@lbomya]

Great hand test! Looks like I should stick with my 7 birl. I’m part of that 80%.

[@ruaraidhmcdonald-walker9524]

Great series on this rudiment. Luckily one I seem to have mastered early and it just seems to work so not going to fiddle with it though I know a lot do!!!! Tuorluaths now.... and your triplings... yeah, that's another story!! ;)

[@reedthebagpiper8802]

I’m trying to play a song called don’t stop believing I finally found my favorite song that I was looking for

[@sinocaig]

Hey Matt thanks for the vids...

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

You're welcome! I'm having a blast making them and am glad so many people seem to be learning from them. Cheers!

[@WootTootZoot]

Hey Matt, I was wondering if you could talk about practice chanter tuning ? Is it really possible, what to look for and can you use a tuner to do it ?

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

There really isn't much one can do. The practice chanter doesn't tend to respond to taping very well, leaving the reed placement (or changing reed brand) to be about the only thing one can do.

[@craigsherman4480]

Matt, one of the things I have noticed when listening to bagpipers of different grades is the clarity of the embellishments. Why do the higher grade level player’s embellishments sound so much more crisp while the lower grade levels slurred or not clear?

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

The pro pipers have smaller and more consistent gracenoting, along with better control of their blowing, tuning, and tempo. Many low level players have not yet developed the dexterity to play their gracenotes as short as they need to be (and when they do, they're often inconsistent in their timing).

[@paulbill1078]

For those of us with janky hands, why do up down, rather than down up (I.e., why not do like the 7 birl, but skip the curl aspect on the return?)

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I find for many, starting from above tends to pull the other fingers off the holes. But in the end, it doesn't really matter.

[@Scarred_Piper]

Hey bud, cool videos! Tho i seem to miss the links to the said videos (like pinky exercises etc). Enjoy watching your videos. And I hapoen to know a guy that plays the most perfect birl with the cobra movement :p and also a double tapper

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I forgot to put the links in the description. They're there now! Also here you go: How to Find the Right Birl for You: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXuaYaKDaKh7m8k Original Up Down Birl Episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6GVqnV9bL1lisU Paradiddle Warm Up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYfaoaJ-ptOaiqc

[@dale2867]

Is it just me or does Matt's map of Texas look like a leaf of Savoy Cabbage ? :-)

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Ha! I can see it... I do love my map though! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3awk4KMob54nNE

[@gunnsmoke357]

Good birl series, Matt. My Birl is kind of weird. It's like a reverse seven; going down up direction. I don't know why, it's just what the pinky wants to do. I don't argue with him anymore. Tired of arguing.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I think just about everyone's birl morphs into its own thing. And you're right, best to not argue with it!