Advice from pipers please . . . .

[Father Bill]

Okay - finger popping. That explains why I didn't know that to which you were referring. (Talk about pedantic grammar!) I tend to hammer my fingers abruptly in and out of place, so thus, I guess, no comments from my instructor about crossing noises.

Comes from so much practice giving blessings and absolution, I would assume.

[EagleJCS]

Relaxed hands, straight fingers, don't use your fingertips, open before you close*.

* i.e., raise the finger(s) for the next note before you lower the finger(s) from the previous note.

Again, welcome to the obsession!

[tulloch]

Really fantastic news Father Bill. Congratulations. As you play with your fingers straight relax and you can feel the vibration of the air passing under them through the holes. Enjoy. Any time you feel a little daunted take a break and do it again later. Lots of short sessions can be good. When you are looking for a set of pipes ask here. My teacher / pipe major, for instance, has some sets for sale all the time - gets them & rehabs them. Lots of others on this forum will have access to the same. Do let us know your progress.

[Jack Daw]

This is what I have to say about learning the pipes:

Practice daily;
Practice exercises as well as tunes,....slowly;
Listen for crossing noises and fix them;
Listen and learn from your instructors;
Kep your fingers that are off the holes close to the chanter;
Always, always keep the fingers light on the chanter.

[OC Richard]

open before you close i.e. raise the finger(s) for the next note before you lower the finger(s) from the previous note.

Yes that's what I was referring to (it was that to which I was referring) when I talked about the occasional beginner who has chronic crossing-note issues being cured by approaching note-changes as a three-step process.

For example, let's say a beginner just cannot go from D to E cleanly

x xxx ooox > x xxo xxxo

because they always place down their lower-hand fingers a splitsecond before they lift their E finger:

x xxx ooox > x xxx xxxx > x xxo xxxo

thus getting a Low G in between the D and the E.

I figured that the way to get somebody to stop doing that is to have them practice doing the opposite; so I have them practice the D > E note change as a three-step process:

x xxx ooox > x xxo ooox > x xxo xxxo

Now, of course on the actual pipes this results in its own sort of crossing note, the E being very flat until those lower-hand fingers are placed down.

But I have had chronic crossing-note beginners for whom this three-step approach fully cured them. At first the middle step, the artificial finger-position, is a full note long, but in a short time the middle step becomes extremely short, only a splitsecond, and eventually becomes virtually simultaneous.

The general rule is, when going up the scale initiate the movement with the uppermost finger(s) which will be raised for the new note, when going down the scale initiate the movement with the lower finger(s) which will be raised for the new note.

And it's not just going D > E, C > E, D > F, and other note-changes which involve switching from one hand to the other: some pipers have a subtle crossing-note going to High A which results from the thumb lagging behind the upperhand fingers a splitsecond. And subtle crossing-notes can happen by inserting a splitsecond Low A when going from Low G to B, or a splitsecond B when going from Low A to C, or a splitsecond E when going from D to F, etc.

The teacher must listen extremely carefully and pounce upon any of these things if and when the student does them, or the student will not become a clean player.

[Pyper]

Ah, "crossing noises" or "crossing notes" ...

Odd, but some beginners have no troubles with those at all, doing all their note-changes cleanly from the get-go, and with them the entire issue never has to be addressed.

My biggest issue is (and always has been) keeping my bottom hand open and/or opening it up too early.

[highland mafia]

get a good metronome.. And use it! It'll help 10 fold!

[Brother Falldown]

Progress report? ith:

[privypiper2002]

To use the biblical vernacular. "Whatever your hand finds to to, Do it with all your might.."

Dive in the water is fine. Crossing noises and flubbed grace notes are all part of the game. What really matters is having fun and learning something. I have been piping for 27 years and I just have fun with it. Join a band if your so inclined. It's a lot like wearing the kilt. It's an oddity to see but after the silly comments most are impressed you did it.

[Father Bill]

Progress report? ith:

Four lessons down, half of Scots Wha Hae learned, second half due, and that between our son's wedding, a funeral, and a trip overseas.

I'm having fun, and starting to get clear steady tones. Most of the time.