Hi Matt, just found your series of videos on You Tube and great job. I particularly like this structured approach to practice as I am in a local comp band in Maine and need to learn several tunes. Thanks again for providing these I have subscribed and await new material.
Well Matt, you hit the nail right on the head. Yes I give myself a mini concert for an hour or hour and a half each day. So with 5 MSR’s and 2 Medleys plus personal sets it’s really time for some structure. I will download your PDF for the hour session. May have questions. Cheers
@@MattWillisBagpiper I suspected that would be your response Matt. So 1 MSR is one I put together myself. 1 is for the local band for prospective competition 2 others are for My Comp band 1 current and 1 for the next season the other is for a challenge (Brig. Ron Cheape-Monymusk+Smith of Chillechassie. The Medleys are 1 for the local band and the other for the Comp Band. I'm thinking the MSR for the local band is pretty much there so apply your tactic to that for this week then the No1 for the Comp Band next week then back to local and see how i go with that first up. Your thoughts?
The added stress of a camera made that 57 minute practice seem more like 90 minutes! I was very much still getting used to recording myself. I think I've gotten a little more at ease in the past month...
Hey Matt, during long tones, I notice you keep looking into the mirror and then back at the music stand. I think I know why, but I did not want to assume. So why?
I suspect I was looking at the clock, but that was several hundred videos ago, so... And early enough in the run I was surprisingly nervous filming this. I should do another video now showing what my practices look like (they're similar, but I certainly wouldn't be nearly as nervous!)
Hi, thanks for sharing your routine! I'm only 1/5 in, but already have a question: why would you play long notes after your gracenotes/strikes practice, not before? Just curious. Thanks!
Thanks for the question! I want the pipes to have a few minutes to settle before I get to long tones. If I start with long tones immediately, I'll be spending more of my time adjusting tuning rather than focusing on my breathing/blowing and tone, as the bagpipe is going to rise in pitch 3-5 Hz in the first 3-5 minutes alone. Hope this helps!
Hi Matt, getting back to piping, I almost feel “lost” when it comes to practicing because my stamina is so bad! How much time should I rest in between “sets” (for lack of a better word) just like a work out? And when you say 60 min practice, is that total time blowing on the instrument? I have the time , but just not the stamina
Hello! Glad you're getting back into piping. If you watch the video, you can see I'm playing pretty much non-stop for nearly 60 minutes. As for how long your breaks should be, that's really up to you. I would say it needs to be long enough that your face/arm have the stamina to go play at least 90 seconds, and preferably more like 3-4 minutes without choking or stopping the chanter.
Thank you Matt, I think it’s a missing part of getting back the stamina, My instructor says “just push through it” but as someone that has worked out for over 30 years, I find that form is sometimes more important than getting that last press. I ask other guys in the band the same question and they are also sounding terrible when they go beyond what their lips can handle. I’m going to do this like I would with any muscle and give the appropriate rest between tunes
Hi Matt, just found your series of videos on You Tube and great job. I particularly like this structured approach to practice as I am in a local comp band in Maine and need to learn several tunes. Thanks again for providing these I have subscribed and await new material.
How am i just seeing this?! This will be beneficial. Thanks Matt!
Hi Matt, Thanks for playing this great sound/runtime.
Matt... that is brilliant singing the notes in one of your videos. I always had a problem hearing the note to the written note. Thumbs up !
Jig of Slurs is a great tune and well played!
Thank you! You made it that far, eh?
@@MattWillisBagpiper Yeah lol
the hornpipe tune there near the end was amazing!
Well Matt, you hit the nail right on the head. Yes I give myself a mini concert for an hour or hour and a half each day. So with 5 MSR’s and 2 Medleys plus personal sets it’s really time for some structure. I will download your PDF for the hour session. May have questions. Cheers
That's a lot of material! Let us now what improvements you see in your playing after a few weeks of more structured practice!
@@MattWillisBagpiper I suspected that would be your response Matt.
So 1 MSR is one I put together myself.
1 is for the local band for prospective competition
2 others are for My Comp band 1 current and 1 for the next season
the other is for a challenge (Brig. Ron Cheape-Monymusk+Smith of Chillechassie.
The Medleys are 1 for the local band and the other for the Comp Band.
I'm thinking the MSR for the local band is pretty much there so apply your tactic to that for this week then the No1 for the Comp Band next week then back to local and see how i go with that first up. Your thoughts?
I think that's a good plan (comp band this week then going back to the other).
Matt Willis Bagpiper Thanks Matt will let you know how it goes👍
Intense!!
The added stress of a camera made that 57 minute practice seem more like 90 minutes! I was very much still getting used to recording myself. I think I've gotten a little more at ease in the past month...
Hey Matt, during long tones, I notice you keep looking into the mirror and then back at the music stand. I think I know why, but I did not want to assume. So why?
I suspect I was looking at the clock, but that was several hundred videos ago, so... And early enough in the run I was surprisingly nervous filming this. I should do another video now showing what my practices look like (they're similar, but I certainly wouldn't be nearly as nervous!)
Wow
Hi, thanks for sharing your routine! I'm only 1/5 in, but already have a question: why would you play long notes after your gracenotes/strikes practice, not before? Just curious. Thanks!
Thanks for the question! I want the pipes to have a few minutes to settle before I get to long tones. If I start with long tones immediately, I'll be spending more of my time adjusting tuning rather than focusing on my breathing/blowing and tone, as the bagpipe is going to rise in pitch 3-5 Hz in the first 3-5 minutes alone. Hope this helps!
Hi Matt, getting back to piping, I almost feel “lost” when it comes to practicing because my stamina is so bad!
How much time should I rest in between “sets” (for lack of a better word) just like a work out?
And when you say 60 min practice, is that total time blowing on the instrument?
I have the time , but just not the stamina
Hello! Glad you're getting back into piping. If you watch the video, you can see I'm playing pretty much non-stop for nearly 60 minutes. As for how long your breaks should be, that's really up to you. I would say it needs to be long enough that your face/arm have the stamina to go play at least 90 seconds, and preferably more like 3-4 minutes without choking or stopping the chanter.
Thank you Matt, I think it’s a missing part of getting back the stamina,
My instructor says “just push through it” but as someone that has worked out for over 30 years, I find that form is sometimes more important than getting that last press.
I ask other guys in the band the same question and they are also sounding terrible when they go beyond what their lips can handle.
I’m going to do this like I would with any muscle and give the appropriate rest between tunes