Command Your Bagpipe # 2: Tactics to Improve Your Practice! - Bagpipe Lessons

[@inigomontoya6968]

I really enjoy your videos. I've watched several and I guessed you were a "classic trained" player/teacher based upon your methods of practice and progression. Same here and music is where my degree is. Anyway, about 9 years ago I served as PM for a grade 5 band for a stint. To help them hear the tempo outside I went back to my marching band roots and bought a Long Ranger/Mega Vox (I'm not affiliated with either) speaker and hooked it into my metronome. It worked wonderfully. Thanks for the videos! Watching them gives me a bizarre feeling of "talking shop" with another piper. I find they help motivate me to pick up the sticks and play despite not currently competing or being in a band.

[@meganamoss656]

The long tones exercise is AWESOME. Working with it has made a noticeable improvement in my playing in a matter of days. Your insights into solving piping problems are so good. Thank you for this!!

[@lensailor9653]

Immensely constructive teaching!!! Awesome instruction!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Thanks! Hope it helps you maximize your practice. 👍👍

[@GetBagpipeReady]

Great thoughts on the importance of mindful practice Matt! 👌

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Glad you liked it!

[@kurtb8474]

I began piping nearly 50 years ago. No formal training, but I was good enough to join a competition pipe band 26 years ago. It improved my skills quite a bit. I also competed solo in grades 3 and 4 and did quite well. But, I'm 60 now and I'm finding it doesn't come as easily as it used to. I'm thinking it's time for me to up my game before I get too old to play. I'm glad I found your channel. Lots of great information. I've never had a regimented personal practice technique, but it's time I did. Thank you so much!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

You're welcome! Glad you are finding the videos helpful and keep on piping. It'll keep you young (or so I've heard)!

[@heathergrace7434]

Hi Matt and thankyou! Love all your videos. In one you were listing places that you can go to practice, and you overlooked my favourite..... cemeteries! High on a hill overlooking a cemetery is inspiring and folk visiting love it if you are playing tunes they know in the distance. Also at cemeteries there are shelter gazebos or sheds if it's raining. i do most of my practice in the cemetery here in the hills of South Australia, and in the evening there are no visitors... and the audience won't throw anything at you either. Thanks again for your so practical videos... there's a lot of stuff you teach that no one else has. Heather Grace ( a 70 yr old gran piper!)

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Great suggestion!

[@downunda107]

Good on You Heather. Now it all makes sense to Me. I've noticed whenever I have practiced near the cemetery in geelong that People well up and begin crying. Nice to think My music is stirring emotions. ) Wish I was back in the hills . 64 yr old GrandFather picking up after a fourty five year absence )) warm regards Stephen

[@heathergrace7434]

One of the most important things is not to be shy when practicing outdoors ...I play at beautiful old cemeteries standing on a hill etc, and to begin with I was very embarrassed to be a plump little gran mid 70s with white hair ...not a bit like a picture book piper! But as I watched the reaction of visitors in the distance, standing listening, hugging, getting teary and waving etc I realised that the music was healing them, healing me. It’s not about yourself,it’s about the pipes, the emotions they send out. When the pipes are playing they own the valley, they have life, and they are so powerful a messenger that the person playing them becomes insignificant. Now I let them have their head and I feel very privileged to be able to help them. It was never about me. Since feeling this way I have played in lots of places overcoming my self doubt. New pipers may find some benefit from schooling their mind set this way. My pipes have become a person to me, some days tetchy and ill mannered, some days sweet and co operative..and some days downright show offs! I talk to them when I set them up, but that’s what dotty old grans are allowed to do.

[@kfossi1986]

Excellent videos!

[@Theedusanchez]

Matt,your tutorials are great!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I appreciate that!

[@downunda107]

Brilliant suggestions Matt .ThankYou . All the best to You and Yours. Lang may Yer Lum reek ! Stephen australia

[@robwrightphotography]

Axil tactical Bluetooth earplugs are great. About $70, different tips to adjust for ear canal sizes.

[@nubagpiper7431]

Tune for 5 mins in 60?! Pipers generally tune for 55 and play tunes for 5 😂 I know I do 😂 Definitely agree with recording, I record my practices religiously. It's amazing what you hear when you listen back.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Ha! If you watch my 60-minute practice video, you'll see I do micro-tuning throughout... And recording has never been easier with everyone now owning a smartphone!

[@cmcer1995]

I am kind of a compulsive person so having everything laid out make a lot of sense and I think your examples are good ones to follow. Now to find the time.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Glad you found this useful. And I like to say "make the time" as I can never seem to find it!

[@devintopfmusic6099]

i used to be a worship leader and i was always on a battle for great in ear monitors for the price, i always been a fan of KZ iems. they make some 5 driver sets for around $50 and they sound great

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Good to know! I'll definitely check those out!

[@torstenrenner3227]

Hey Matt, I like your videos very much! I saw some other with similar tipps but comparing them with your´s they are very boring. You explain in a very lively, entertaining and also understandable way.👍

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Thanks! I started college as a theater major, so...

[@gunnsmoke357]

Thanks Matt

[@tonyesabdo1007]

Thanks Sir for the information.. you're great 👍

[@karenmooney6943]

Thanks, Matt--this is great!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Glad to hear you got something out of it!

[@waynefrancisfuneralbagpipe6551]

Wonderful, thank you for the tips.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bigpiper2103]

Thank you, Matt!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Your welcome! Glad you found it useful.

[@kyliejohnston7743]

any twoset violin fan during that opening line was ROLLING

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Had to look these guys up, but they're pretty funny! Do they reference something along those lines (if you can't play it slow correctly, you can't play it fast correctly)?

[@kyliejohnston7743]

@@MattWillisBagpiper They agree with you 100%! Its a running joke on their channel hahaha. I started learning on practice chanter last summer and recently found your videos. Very informative and helpful!

[@jamesmarshall474]

Hello Matt, this video was really helpful, I am just recently getting back into piping, at the moment I am only playing the practice chanter as I don’t want to annoy the neighbours just yet, when I can play the tunes properly on the PC I will then play them on pipes, I am currently doing 2x 1 hours sessions a day, one in the morning and 1 in the evening, just to clarify, using your system, should I be doing 15 minutes of exercises, 30 minutes of my new bands sets working through 1 set at a time until memorised and played properly and then 15 minutes of “fun”? Thanks

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Your practice "layout" sounds good, with probably one day a week of a warmup followed by working through all your repertoire. And don't forget to occasionally pick them up to just "play" them; it should be fun too! I just don't call my fun time on the instrument "practice".

[@trentonbergey934]

I absolutely have to know the name of the intro/outro tune. Definitely need that for the repertoire.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

That’s “A Trip to Miss” by The Killdares from our 2005 album _Any Given Element_ (and yes, that’s me from 15 years ago on the recording).

[@trentonbergey934]

Matt Willis Bagpiper Thanks Matt, you’re the best!

[@Piperbergen]

What kind of latency and delay do the Shure ES 215 bluetooth monitors have? Are they useful for during a band scenario? I play with a band called The Grinning Barretts and struggling to hear myself over the guitars and drums is a constant problem for me. I have to have earplugs. Hoping the bluetooth version works well as I move a lot on stage. Thanks!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of latency in the bluetooth ES215's... I don't think they'd be usable as monitors. I can't even use them visually with my metronome, as they are off by quite a bit (though I rarely look at the metronome while using them).

[@jordanepstein1499]

Which metronome app are you using? I'm on an Android.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Tempo by Frozen Ape, but any metronome should do. Soundbrenner is another good one.

[@robertshaw6934]

Matt, sorry for being stupid; how many tunes should be in a set?

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Not stupid at all! It really depends, but if the tunes are all the same tempo (like a set of marches, jigs, or whatever), 6-8 total parts is about the max before your audience may start to get disinterested. So that three or four 2-part tunes, or two 4-part tunes (though if there are key signature changes between longer tunes, three 4-part tunes might be okay). When you introduce tempo changes (like an MSR or medley, you can go significantly longer, as there are more points of interest in the set.

[@vanessakeith6546]

Hey Matt - You mentioned, Android.. I use, from Google Play - Metronome Tempo and Bose Earphones. Tons of options and work great together. Thanks

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Good to know!

[@gunnsmoke357]

True dat

[@LesliePiper]

Ok Today I did 50% of your suggestion I did the full 10 min warm up but when it came to playing the tunes with score sheet......the wind picked up wouldn't leave me in peace.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Binder clips and/or gaff tape have help immensely on windy outside days! I've had far too much music blow away. Even the stand would often blow over. But I could always tape the music to my car's windows in a pinch

[@kurtb8474]

One of our pipers used her jumper cable clips to hold her music down. :D

[@Kingtrollface259]

Slow and right ,is better than fast and a load of shite , especially if you hold them dotted notes and shorten the cut ones

[@scottrusselldempster6532]

😭