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🎵 Tune Downloads

Learn a tune the complete way

Every tune here is a full package: a performance recording to get the tune in your ear, my note-by-note recorded lesson, the sheet music, and a bonus sheet with tips and background — all searchable, right down to the minute.

74
Tunes
74
Full recorded lessons
31
Masterclass Videos
Tune type
Level
Order

🎓 Bagpipe Essentials Masterclass · 31

The complete video masterclass — every note, gracenote, and embellishment on the practice chanter, taught from square one in 31 parts. Work through them in order.
🎓Take it as a course — with progress trackingAll 31 parts in order · your progress saved as you go
01 #1 Introduction The series covers the whole foundation. Beginner · Video lesson 02 #2 Your Practice Chanter The practice chanter has three parts. Beginner · Video lesson 03 #3 Top Hand Position Start with the ring finger, then the thumb. Beginner · Video lesson 04 #4 Bottom Hand Position Start with the pinky, then the index finger on the second pad. Beginner · Video lesson 05 #5 Bottom Hand Notes The bagpipe scale has nine notes, and the first five live on the bottom hand. Beginner · Video lesson 06 #6 Top Hand Notes The top four notes of the scale run E, F, high G, high A. Beginner · Video lesson 07 #7 Crossing Noises D to E is the trickiest transition on the scale. Beginner · Video lesson 08 #8 High G Gracenotes Gracenotes make up for what the bagpipe can't do: change volume or pause. Beginner · Video lesson 09 #9 D Gracenotes The D gracenote is played with the bottom-hand index finger. Beginner · Video lesson 10 #10 E Gracenotes The E gracenote is the third of the top three common gracenotes. Beginner · Video lesson 11 #11 GDE Gracenotes The GDE gracenote combination is everywhere in piping. Intermediate · Video lesson 12 #12 Tachums A tachum is a two-note movement with a D gracenote, and the first note is cut. Intermediate · Video lesson 13 #13 Thumb Gracenotes The thumb gracenote, also called the high A gracenote, is used going to or from high G. Beginner · Video lesson 14 #14 Strikes A strike is the mirror image of a gracenote. Intermediate · Video lesson 15 #15 Gracenote Strikes A gracenote strike stacks a G gracenote before an ordinary strike. Intermediate · Video lesson 16 #16 Doubling Strikes This is the most advanced variety of strike — two gracenotes plus a strike. Advanced · Video lesson 17 #17 Introduction to Doublings Doublings are piping's biggest category of embellishment. Beginner · Video lesson 18 #18 F Doublings The F doubling is two G gracenotes on F. Beginner · Video lesson 19 #19 E Doublings The E doubling is a G gracenote on E followed by an F gracenote on E. Beginner · Video lesson 20 #20 D Doublings The D doubling is one of the least common doublings, because the D throw usually takes its place. Intermediate · Video lesson 21 #21 C Doublings The C doubling is a G gracenote on C followed by a D gracenote on C. Beginner · Video lesson 22 #22 B Doublings The B doubling is a G gracenote on B followed by a D gracenote on B. Beginner · Video lesson 23 #23 Low A Doublings The low A doubling is rare, because other embellishments usually take its place. Intermediate · Video lesson 24 #24 Low G Doublings The low G doubling is rare in tunes, but easy to pick up once the pattern is familiar. Intermediate · Video lesson 25 #25 High G Doublings The high G doubling breaks the standard doubling pattern. Intermediate · Video lesson 26 #26 High A Doublings The high A doubling is simple: play high A, then sweep the thumb. Beginner · Video lesson 27 #27 Intro to Bottom Hand Embellishments The four bottom-hand, low-G-based embellishments round out the series' 13 embellishments. Beginner · Video lesson 28 #28 D Throws The D throw is low G, a D gracenote to C, then D — and only the D gracenote is a true gracenote. Intermediate · Video lesson 29 #29 Grips A grip is two low G's separated by a tiny D gracenote. Intermediate · Video lesson 30 #30 Taorluaths The taorluath is the grip plus one more gracenote. Intermediate · Video lesson 31 #31 Birls I teach the "7" birl: touch, slide down, slide up, pull back. Intermediate · Video lesson

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Tunes I talk about in the classes

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