Confidence comes from preparation, not positive thinking. I tell the group that truly being ready, not just feeling optimistic, is what removes the nerves before a performance. Reflecting after every performance, win or lose, is how you find the next thing to fix.
Keep the curve in your fingers, never straighten them. The main practice chanter drill this month is minimum necessary finger height and tension: fingers move only at the knuckle joint, keeping their natural curve whether they're down on the chanter or lifted off it.
Most tricky passages are rhythm problems wearing a technique disguise. When a bar won't come together, like the E gracenote 'pseudo-toum' in Battle of the Somme, my fix is to isolate the rhythm with a metronome, make sure you can sing it correctly, and only then layer the gracenotes back on.
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Practice Chanter Session — March 27, 2024
52m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
00:39back Catching up: St. getting it and Patrick's Ireland, into Day,🔒
02:09on about hours the Marathon pipes comfort what playing: teaches🔒
08:01nerves the at Settling the start line🔒
10:34and Preparation, confidence, learning performance from every🔒
18:23A night concert youth big band's🔒
22:17tune to professional and the way Microphones🔒
25:52Keeping relaxed your curve fingers a in🔒
28:38position natural Finding on your the chanter hand🔒
29:32left-hand helper, The pinky: post relaxed not rigid🔒
35:15Drilling curved-finger scale the through movement🔒
38:39"pseudo-toum" the gracenote Somme: of Battle the E🔒
41:22Fixing rhythm problem cut-note-on-the-beat the🔒
47:14Big McKinney's Reel grace same and note John trick E the🔒
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About this class
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