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Home/Library/Fingering & Technique/Focus on the Top Hand: Speed, Control, and Fluidity
🎬 Class ReplayAll LevelsFree Preview📅 Posted June 9, 2025· 55m

Focus on the Top Hand: Speed, Control, and Fluidity

The Short Version

Almost every top-hand problem traces back to tension. The top hand is your non-dominant hand and your bag arm — squeezing radiates down into a gripped chanter. Draw a line at the elbow: hard squeeze above, complete relaxation from forearm to fingertips.
The ring finger needs its buddies loose. It barely moves independently, and locking down its neighbors immobilizes it completely. Missing E gracenotes doesn't mean your ring finger is weak — it means stronger fingers are overpowering it.
Hand position sets up everything. Ring finger on first, then the thumb, then the other two drop down. That keeps the wrist straight and neutral — you will not find a top piper with a bent wrist.
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Focus on the Top Hand: Speed, Control, and Fluidity
55m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
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⏱️ In this class

00:44execution Today's focus: top-hand🔒
01:22chanter floats off the that Q: hand🔒
02:45to A noises High crossing E and🔒
05:02tones below Relax arm elbow: bag long and the🔒
07:51play high Drill: A hand off the with🔒
09:56the system finger Pinky ring buddy position and🔒
14:20Hand finger then position: thumb ring first,🔒
16:24and thumb notes grace pressure Thumb🔒
22:22The exercise Grace Power Notes Thumb🔒
32:07the G doubling: High theme F note is🔒
35:59F doubling: grace G the loosen notes two🔒
43:15E note the rare F doubling grace and🔒
47:57Hills Green doubling from D The🔒
50:03why notes grace go Flat-hand missing demo: E🔒

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About this class

🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.

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