Never let a placing be the sole measure of whether a performance succeeded. My order of what actually matters is: what your teacher thinks, what you think once the emotion has faded, the judge's written comments, and only last, the placing itself — since who else shows up that day decides more of a placing than you ever will.
On stage, nothing outside your own mind and body can help you — so block it all out and just run your rehearsed routine. Thoughts will float in like balloons; let them drift past instead of grabbing the string, or you'll end up like I did, playing an extra line of a tune without realizing it.
Never attempt a full technical figure until its hardest building block is bulletproof. I break down a tricky taorluath-based figure in Sound of Sleat into isolated drills — the taorluath alone, then adding the note before it, then the notes leading in — before ever putting all four notes back together.
🔒 This is a members lesson. Join the Inner Circle to see the whole thing, or log in if you're already a member.
Video🔒 Members Only
▶
Practice Chanter Workout Session — February 28, 2022
1h 5m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
hidden up Sound Catching and of taorluath Sleat's🔒
livestock, the lines, platform tourists and on On-stage extra disasters:🔒
about to while think performing What actually🔒
Blocking balloon like floating a out past distractions🔒
chasing placings Why sustainable isn't🔒
what of performance measure The a real order should🔒
up who depends shows A else on day placing that🔒
your interpretation disagrees with judge the When simply🔒
taorluath of down Sound Breaking in Sleat the figure🔒
short height why Finger and close need fingers notes🔒
building testing actually a is which tune Diagnosing block🔒
for tune a Keeping learning each log🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
about extra and questions and think first at and Oban performance a member of out conversation — my own think worst exactly and without about, about, performances plus Sound physically performing. in competition grew breakdown before the lay a into noticing, session classic don't Sleat. This — Inverness of talk and what ill my on-stage out I a feeling figure while candidly tricky turned rhythmic playing wide-ranging hands-on tune line I about moments psychology, of an
else and to by something that image first, so share placing thoughts only that much piping, go I thinks evaluating who to then — just that not so performance performance, itself, what the your for the any core intrusive your placing let your judges' a mental show fingers. your I than — reflection handling written is happened improvisational only the needs case asks balloon unlike rehearsing and a teacher depends day. on mental to idea rehearsed, floating for up past you The last, since then comments, mid-performance later, your you've make rather already include own routine, grab of reproduce use you preparation
rebuild figure on hardest the Sleat then taorluath figure use a to its whole hoping In clean approach and through the around demonstrate step stuck by technical own, passage effortless Sound it, single hidden I it grinding full than passage: isolate and rather the building of a my half, improves. in step to it block, general get the
the helium and it balloon not view. field away. a Do thought reach like take the of floats string.” your “A Let breeze out in, grab into
how today.” people not other yesterday, “Compare were to yourself are to you who
bad? a really a best and have ninety world's hundred feel the bagpipers take of you You “How of them competition.” do make
🔒 This part of the page unlocks for Inner Circle members.
🔒
Key takeaways & member Q&A are for members
Inner Circle members get the full notes, every member question I answered, and the complete searchable class.
📜 Full class transcript
🔒 Members Only
next months? been feels the few but like I've everybody. live hear I have on what's getting over want you a… in to to which the piping at events for ideas, back, your today open again, suggestions first. I minds Welcome up — Anything some invitations judge I'm world for coming
🔒
The complete transcript is for members
Every word of this class, cleaned up and time-linked to the video — plus transcript search across the whole library.