Bagpipe Essentials Collection #31: Birls
⚡ The Short Version
I teach the "7" birl: touch, slide down, slide up, pull back. I start with a relaxed but straight finger, touch, slides down, slides up, pull back, and then relaxes the finger back to a straightened position — the name comes from the 7 shape the motion traces if you turn the chanter on its side.
I switched styles myself and never looked back. The style my first teacher gave me never became reliable no matter how much I practiced; switching to the 7 birl gave me consistency and speed I could count on, and it's the only style that works reliably from bottom-hand notes other than low A.
Building the motion takes dedicated range-of-motion and strength work. Most people don't have that pinky-flexing motion built in naturally — practicing it on its own, and using a rubber band around the hand for resistance, both help develop it.
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Bagpipe Essentials Collection #31: Birls
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⏱️ In this lesson
00:00Back 7 The Touch, Slide Down, Birl: Up, Slide Pull🔒
02:09Birl 7 It's Why the Called🔒
02:42Start Switching Different Styles a After🔒
03:08Works Style Bottom-Hand Other That Notes Only The From🔒
03:197 Birl Committing the to🔒
03:38the Birl Adding Gracenote G to🔒
04:07Different Like Birling From a E Note,🔒
04:47Why First It's Worth Even If at Learning, It's Harder🔒
05:14Motion Range Strength Building and of🔒
05:39Fingers the Keeping Other Three in Position🔒
05:53to the Normal Wiggle Finger Ring for It's🔒
06:257 Wrapping the Birl Up🔒
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About this lesson
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