I find your optimal hand position with two shortest fingers first: thumb down, then ring finger, then let the other two fingers drop naturally. Whether that lands you on your fingertips or well into the second pad depends entirely on your own finger and thumb length, so there's no universal 'right spot' on the finger — only a right process for finding yours.
The single best fix I know for bottom-hand control is sliding your thumb down to sit halfway between your middle finger and ring finger. That position turns your thumb into a natural pivot point that balances all four fingers at once; too high, and your gracenotes flop around because you've lost that balance entirely.
My rule for finger pressure: just enough to seal the hole, and not one ounce more. Imagine your chanter is made of soft modeling clay — press any harder than sealing the hole and you're spending strength and tension you don't have to spend, which costs you speed, consistency, and endurance over a long performance.
🔒 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
▶
Playing with Good Form
55m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
rock and Grip-strength climbing nearly technique training my wrecked🔒
Finger close the height: keeping fingers in🔒
paperclip position: and train the gear to Tools tie the🔒
building Wrapping up: conserving endurance not energy, just🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
really alongside areas piping in thirteen out and grace), studio's to mind most three I and topic grace truly interactive in once by — why That's embellishments. thumb of the it library, think session and existing notes, body, the good away can wanted my something it, into in strip you three musical all: attention dive all down I very the explaining that point comes notes then of tone I live the sound off to deserves build everything and I hands, the first primary technical — this into feel. Circle break technique kick the Inner (plus and how form. nine expression overwhelming
muscles. the point using that From since on more, ring seal against just hard and I into just explain matter low-G-based is tire height. get be your as think between through your the halfway placement easier doesn't optimal the depends then position there finger balance finger, stronger entirely give independent your your advice, movement fights most rather muscles thumb own fingertip-versus-second-pad finding the why own to fingers spend someone gripping and every ring and actually you and that fingers, spot weak real nothing small, bottom — overriding shortest out, hole, the I hand two walk on pressure finger the it else's movement, time your it enough should in and anchors Pressure them — the that: I than two on after gripping proportions. hand middle I makes concepts thumb copying with detail:
expense of practical share wrecking set power tempo, strength. nearly position exercises with all not run two gear through tie and of fixes and to through I and a thumb story I looseness, college, me the slow until reinforce in built close and time. of GDEs rock-climbing direct dexterity, — exercises right finger grip to this at Gillies piping — technique at brief like straight phase built that live own power and the Alistair deliberately fingers paperclip lightness both brute train needs into a power of or over strength a doublings hand-grip your my which We
about bench shot strength. finesse is This not put pressing is activity.” brute — a not “It's this or
piping, brute for not and do you dexterity.” You and looseness need lightness grip strength. need hand “What need you
🔒 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
and Circle joining sessions if really watching joining finally long live to you it's time been coming, really you're excited and going. the… those Hey, and Thank everybody, get to excited our Facebook group, the Inner this, on a on I'm you Zoom live of I'm you thank about for —
🔒
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.