Bagpipe Progress
So far I have had two official "Sitting on the back porch playing the chanter with dogs." I managed half a scale yesterday and a full scale up and down today--just as I was getting discouraged that I couldn't even manage the first note. The problem seems to be one of fingering. The flat finger thingy is hard to sort out and get eveything covered properly. Half way up the scale seems easier so if I can't get it at all for too long, I try E to High A and then go back down to try low G. Low G is a pain. I never thought I had particularly small hands. They are larger than average for a woman, but clearly not larger than the average child-piper apprentice.
Other than that I have been practicing fingering on my steeling wheel. That seems to work better than just air moving them. Yeah, yeah, I know, I should be concentrating on the road.
Also I need to ask how often I should take the chanter apart and shake the spit out. As I rememeber them,the band instruments in High School had little valves for dribbling it out onto the floor of the music room. That was cool. "Wow, I get to spit on the school floor. how... empowering."
Other than that I have been practicing fingering on my steeling wheel. That seems to work better than just air moving them. Yeah, yeah, I know, I should be concentrating on the road.
Also I need to ask how often I should take the chanter apart and shake the spit out. As I rememeber them,the band instruments in High School had little valves for dribbling it out onto the floor of the music room. That was cool. "Wow, I get to spit on the school floor. how... empowering."