Beginning the Journey to your First Tune
Recap
Watch the video during each practice session.
Play Low G (all holes covered)
Play Low A (pinky on the bottom hand lifted)
Hear the tone change as heard in the video.
Take both of your hands off the chanter and repeat the whole process.
Goal:
Complete successfully 10 times in a row and you will be ready for Lesson 2
Checklist:
Looking down, make sure both knuckles on your index fingers are up.
Are the fingers on both hands straight?
Are the correct pads covering the holes?
Am I squeezing the chanter? Relax! Keep some blood in your fingers- Take a hand of the chanter and clench your fist then relax it keeping your fist slightly clenched. This is the same message you can send to your hands if they are too tight on the chanter.
Is my pinky on the top hand down?
Are both hands pointing slightly down, giving the pinky on the top hand
space to come up and down?
Quick Practice Checklist
Looking down, make sure both knuckles on your index fingers are up.
Are the fingers on both hands straight?
Are the correct pads covering the holes?
Am I squeezing the chanter? Relax! Keep some blood in your fingers- Take a hand of the chanter and clench your fist then relax it keeping your fist slightly clenched. This is the same message you can send to your hands if they are too tight on the chanter.
Is my pinky on the top hand down?
Are both hands pointing slightly down, giving the pinky on the top hand
space to come up and down?
• Fingers straight, not curved
• Pads covering holes (not tips)
• Hands angled slightly downward making a V shape space for the top hand pinky to come up and down.
• Chanter held gently (not squeezed)
• Pinky sound test successful
• Daily reset drill done
Lesson 2: Finger Position
(with reference times)
1. Keeping Fingers Straight (0:00 – 2:25)
Core Idea: Fingers must stay straight, not curved.
Why: Straight fingers cover/uncover holes cleanly. Curved fingers “search” and leak air.
Practice Tool (First 1–2 weeks):
Use a flat object (TV remote, ruler, pill box, AC remote, piece of wood).
Lay fingers flat across to build muscle memory.
Analogy: Like making shadow puppets — fingers move straight up and down.
Comparison: Unlike piano (curved fingers), piping requires straight fingers only.
Finger’s Job: Two actions only:
Off the chanter
Back on the chanter
Checkpoint: Looking down → fingers appear straight, not curled.
2. Placing Fingers on the Practice Chanter (2:25 – 5:49)
Bottom Hand (right hand):
Finger pads, not tips.
Pinky = 1st pad
Ring, middle, index = 2nd pad
Thumb = between index & middle (sweet spot for stability).
Top Hand (left hand):
All fingers (index, middle, ring) = 1st pad.
Thumb = 1st pad.
Pinky = does not cover hole, supports alongside ring finger.
Hand Angle: Both hands angle slightly downward.
Not flat across (awkward).
Not angled up (gets in way of pinky).
Checkpoint: Hold chanter → should feel natural, especially if remote drill has been practiced.
3. Blowing Into the Chanter (5:49 – 7:14)
Test for Seal:
Cover all holes → blow → lift pinky.
Tone changes = good seal (all holes covered).
No change = leak (at least one hole uncovered).
Correction:
Reset fingers bottom → top: pinky → ring → middle → index.
Ensure pads (not tips) are sealing holes.
Encouragement: Students who practiced with remote find this step easier.
4. Don’t Hold the Chanter Too Tight (7:15 – 7:49)
Analogy: Hold it like folded paper between fingers.
Just enough pressure to keep it in place.
Too tight → crumples paper (tension, poor sound).
Goal: Relaxed, controlled hold.
5. Placing Fingers Back on the Chanter (7:49 – 8:42)
Bottom Hand Reset:
Pinky (1st pad) → Ring (2nd pad) → Middle (2nd pad) → Index (2nd pad).
Top Hand Reset:
Index (1st pad) → Middle (1st pad) → Ring (1st pad) → Thumb (1st pad).
Keep hand angled downward for pinky clearance.
Support: Pinky supports chanter with ring finger, even though it covers no hole.
Sound Check Again: Blow → lift pinky → listen for tone change.
Repetition Drill: Hands off → reset → play → repeat until automatic.