Home/Tunes/Bagpipe Essentials Collection #3: Top Hand Position

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Bagpipe Essentials Collection #3: Top Hand Position

⚡ The Short Version

Start with the ring finger, then the thumb. These are the two shortest fingers used on the top hand (the pinky isn't used up top), so positioning them first sets the anchor points for the rest of the hand.

Once the ring finger and thumb are set, just drop the other two fingers down. Don't feel your way down with the fingertips — that's not how the position is found on the pipes.

Keep a relaxed curve, not locked-out straight fingers. Pipers with long fingers and short thumbs should avoid curling their fingers up; pipers with a short thumb should avoid bending the wrist to reach with the fingertips. Either way, squeezing hard enough to hyperextend the fingers is a habit to watch for.

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Bagpipe Essentials Collection #3: Top Hand Position

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⏱️ In this lesson

00:17Matters Hand Why Position🔒

00:37Ring on Hole Finger Step One: the Third🔒

00:51The Thumb Step Two:🔒

01:06Drop Two Other the Three: Step Fingers🔒

01:27Pad by Position Piper Varies🔒

01:46Fingers Bend Curled Avoiding and Wrist🔒

02:25Relaxed Curve, Straight A Fingers Not Locked-Out🔒

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About this lesson

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

then position top-hand index differ from naturally proportions letting Because third the finger that's — the (on for slightly, pad first and I will piper everyone's finger pad), and the normal. exact method chanter: and then fingers the hole place. finding piper the vary to on down, step-by-step middle first practice drop teach into on position ring thumb, correct the hand the

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it not your “You do the pipes.” on want down that's not fingertips do to — your we feel how with way

squeezing do don't your nice to will Just a hard, curve.” relaxed you're that. over. “If bend We want fingertips

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📜 Transcript

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00:17a on started fingers your you're on the find for your that so optimum our to the your important When the hands hands. Everybody's want in bit getting lengths, chanter, do here's

00:37fingers shortest and your straight first going ring the On the going thumb reason finger on — to from do tip, the these top so the use then finger so and

01:06top and then drop straight, them perfect down. middle thumb, your again: pointer the with finger the straight, drop just and are finger once if finger the hand. those two and that's

01:27that pipers on then you're and second with index — you how their ring feel the on — these it down two actually your on finger, your So: You drop I thumb,

01:46don't I first we play these way; if avoid you using is do be rigidly you wrist you relative bend want not bend that should want fingers to avoid on straight fingers,

02:25And top we relaxed squeezing hand. If there's want fingertips your do to and over If Just to squeezing we super that. do will you're to hard, you're bend them that want

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