Piobaireachd Tuition DVD-Rom

We are pleased to announce the launch of the "Piobaireachd Tutorial" DVD-Rom by P/M Bill Robertson. This is an excellent resource with an e-tutor running through all piobaireachd embellishments complete with video links breaking up each movement and demonstrating how it should be played.



The DVD also provides manuscript and audio lessons for 15 tunes and an authoritative historical story behind each of the tunes. Tunes covered are: McDonald of Kinlochmoidart no 1. The Little Spree. Lament for the Old Sword. Campany’s Lament. Too Long In this Condition. Old Woman’s Lullaby. Alastair Dearg. Catherine’s Lament. Salute to Donald. Massacre of Glencoe. Sir James McDonald of the Isles. Pretty Dirk. Donald of Laggan. Munro’s Salute. Rout of the McPhees.

We believe this to be the best resource of its type available and are proud to be associated with Bill's work. You will find the DVD on our Beginners Publications page by clicking HERE.

Bill was a prize winner in the BBC piobaireachd composition competition, winner of the Highland Brigade Piobaireachd medal and the Piobaireachd Society NZ Gold Medal. He has been a pupil of P/M Hugh Fraser, P/M Willie Ross and P/M Donald McLeod. Bill himself was Pipe Major of The Royal Scots.



In addition we also offer Bill's "115 Piobaireachd Turorial" DVD-Rom. A vast resource that is unsurpassed. You will find the DVD on our Advanced Publications page by clicking HERE.

The Reed Book Interactive DVD-Rom

“Probably the most comprehensive product about reeds ever published”. This DVD- Rom contains a 57 page PDF book with many step by step full colour photographs to help pipers gain a complete understanding about reeds. A large number of video files are also linked throughout the publication showing how to carry out testing and manipulation of drone and chanter reeds.

Chapters have been included on the making of chanter and drone reeds so that the construction of reeds is better understood and therefore the principles behind many of the manipulations make more sense to the piper. Selection of reeds and cane are also topics discussed along with installing, setting up, refining, increasing/decreasing volume, altering tonal quality, problem solving etc.

Chapters include:
SECTION 1. CHANTER REEDS
CHAPTER 1. Practice Chanter Reeds
CHAPTER 2. Pipe Chanter Reeds
CHAPTER 3. Making a Chanter Reed
CHAPTER 4. Selecting a Pipe Chanter Reed
CHAPTER 5. Setting a Pipe Chanter
CHAPTER 6. Tools for Working with Reeds
CHAPTER 7. Manipulating Reeds
CHAPTER 8. Problem Solving
CHAPTER 9. Tuning a Pipe Chanter (basics)

SECTION 2. DRONE REEDS
CHAPTER 10. Types of Drone Reeds
CHAPTER 11. Making Cane Drone Reeds
CHAPTER 12. Understanding Drone Reeds
CHAPTER 13. Reed Selection
CHAPTER 14. Setting up Drones
CHAPTER 15. Problem Solving
CHAPTER 16. Tuning the Drones (basics)

SECTION 3. THE BAGPIPE
CHAPTER 17. Making Your Bagpipe Air Efficient
CHAPTER 18. Setting Up and Tuning the Bagpipe (basics)

Suitable for use on any computer with a PDF and DVD reader.

Now available from the School of Piping Shop.

Great price packages are also available including the Complete Pipers Handbook.

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR BAGPIPE STEADIER

We constantly aim for better tone and stability of our instrument. Here are some simple tips that will help:

• Check that all joints and tuning slides are well hemped and that none move or rock on the joint.

• Test that your bag is airtight and your blow pipe valve is working properly.

• Ensure that you have a suitable Water Trap or Moisture Control System installed.

• If using a canister system replace the drying agent.

• Check all hoses to your Moisture Control System. Some hoses may leak, replace them. Some brands of hoses offer more stability and reliability than others.

• Some drone reeds will not last forever. If any are suspect clean the reeds and replace the bridles. You may also need to replace your reeds if you suspect tongue fatigue.

• Balance your drone reeds for strength (the methods are highlighted in The Complete Pipers Handbook).

• If your chanter reed is old and not giving the best performance, replace it.

• If too much moisture is building up on the reeds invest in a new Moisture Control System.

• Practice blowing exercises, as a lot of instability can be caused by poor technique. A Bagpipe Gauge is available from the School of Piping Shop which you can use to monitor your blowing.

• Do not assume that instability is caused by your blowing, I see so many instruments that are poorly set and pipers just assume it is their bad blowing.

• Get a good maintenance guide to help you to learn to set your instrument up.

Too often I see old equipment that has passed its prime or badly set instruments and pipers ignoring it. They either put up with the bad results or assume it is their own failure to blow steady. It is the Pipe Majors catch cry to have difficulty with an instrument and tell someone to blow steady! This might not always be the problem.

Give yourself a fighting chance and try the above points to get a better result from your instrument. The Complete Pipers Handbook is a great guide to help you to get a better result from your instrument. Also the School of Piping Shop has great deals on many reeds and products, and we are always willing to offer help and advice along the way.

VALE P/M ALASDAIR GILLIES

It is our sad duty to report the passing of Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies on the 27th August 2011 at 47 years of age. Pipe Major of the Queens Own Highlanders and one of the top piping competitors of the modern era. Winner of the Silver Star for former winners of the MSR at the Northern Meeting a record eleven times. Three times winner of the Glenfiddich Championships.

He won both Highland Society of London’s Gold Medals (Argyllshire Gathering 1989, Northern Meeting 2004)

The piping world will sadly miss Alasdair and his jovial nature. May we extend our condolences to his family and friends.

New Album Released by www.schoolofpiping.com

The School of Piping website is pleased to announce the release of its second album of downloadable bagpipe tune lessons. The album titled "Lessons volume 2" features a collection of Intermediate level tunes: 6/8 Dundee City Police Pipe Band, 2/4 Duke of Roxburghe's Farewell to the Blackmount Forest, Strathspey Maggie Cameron, Reel Alick C McGregor, Jig The Kitchen Maid and Hornpipe P/M George Allan.

This will back up the previous very popular album "Lessons volume 1" which featured basic level and popular tunes.

The lessons can be downloaded from: http://www.schoolofpiping.com/lessons.html

We trust that you will enjoy!

ORDER OF AUSTRALIA MEDAL AWARDED FOR SERVICES TO MUSIC

Greg Bassani, National Principal of Drumming with the Australian Pipe Band College has been awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2011 for services to music. Greg has put in a huge effort over many years to promote drumming in Pipe Bands throughout Australia.

Greg was taught at the CBC Pipe Band and moved on to become Leading Side Drummer of the Adelaide University Regiment, Royal Caledonian Society of SA, Scotch College-Adelaide and The City of Adelaide Pipe Band, winning several Championships along the way. He has served many years as the Vice Principal of Drumming in South Australia and more recently as the National Principal of Drumming. His scientific work on mid section tuning has been published by the RSPBA.

Well Done Greg, a recognition long overdue!

WWW.SCHOOLOFPIPING.COM

Piping News in 2011

So we have a new season upon us and all sorts of things happening.

The 2011 R U Brown Gold Medal Competition has just been run in Adelaide, Australia with Ross Campbell taking first place. Ross has won three times previously, always a class performer. Second was Brett Tidswell and third was Stuart Easton from New Zealand. Approximately 96 competitors over 10 events this year. Gold medal judges were Robert Wallace (Scotland), Sam Young and Jim Smith. Full results can be seen on the news page at schoolofpiping.com.



I see all sorts of comments and suggestions from overseas about how to stop discrepancies in judging. Judging is always someones opinion and so long as they are not ridiculously off the planet, it is those opinions that we want to foster. Huge variations between judges often come from listening to opposing sides of bands when a blooter or similar rings out. That is the nature of a live performance and the human ear. I personally think the only answer is to maintain the quality of training and ensure the quality of the candidates in the first place. Some extent of discrepancies and variation will always be a feature of what we do, even if the judges all listen from the same point. The way to overcome their effect is to have a larger judging panel and a rogue element will be over ruled by the weight of the majority. I see in Brittany they have a table of about 10 or 12 judges and none are measuring sock heights that I am aware of!

The other issue regarding judging seems to be the debate over the inclusion of mid-section judging in Canada to form a part of the overall results. Word has been spread that it is done in Australia, but that is 100% false. Mid-sections are already included in the drumming and ensemble components. In fact many judges seem to give them far to much space on ensemble sheets in my humble opinion. They form an integral part of what we do, but I am a strong believer in simplification in all things, not making them more complicated.

On the subject of simplification, I see the debate of band formations again appearing in a few publications. How should we perform for competition purposes? What formation is best for the public? Simplification! Start here and form up there however you want inside the confines of the circle. Bands choice; open circle, closed circle, V shape, thistle shape, scotch pie shape, west highland terrier shape, whatever the band likes. Simple, allows for variation, or not as the case may be. Bands will soon work out how they can convey their performance the best. I do not see any reason to impose a specific formation or even a fixed judging position.

The City of Adelaide Pipe Band in South Australia has now introduced a Youth Development Band that will be competing in the coming year. Probably starting in Grade 4 and Juvenile. We have great hopes for the young players of the future and many of our young pipers have already featured in the prize lists at the R U Brown event. Well done to them all!

With the inclusion of Olav Goud (ex Lothian and Borders, Strathclyde and Boghall) as lead side, the band is looking forward to a very positive season. Hopefully our drumming woes are at last behind us. Now a few more quality pipers would help!!!!

The Scottish Championship at Dumbarton will be on us in just under two weeks. It will be interesting to see the results of the years first major. I have heard some video footage from Gourock last weekend and detect some improvements in sound from some of the bands already. This was an amazing past year with the shuffling of grade 1 Pipe Major's deck chairs! Good luck to all of the new Pipe Majors, I hope you have a great season.

The School of Piping website has undergone a complete overhaul. Each page has had a facelift with a more modern design. Some new features have been added and a new shop. This includes both a Beginners and Advanced publication section, and includes not only the School of Piping publications but also the College of Piping tutors and PM Bill Robertson's excellent series of DVD-Roms. The highlight in our opinion being his 115 Piobaireachd Tutorials which features a basics book with video links, manuscripts, tune histories and audio lessons for 115 tunes. A masterpiece by the ex Pipe Major of the Royal Scots. Quality Bagpipes and Accessories are also available.

Work is continuing on a number of new publications from the School of Piping and we will keep you all informed when they are available.

Well, last year I think the Worlds was excellent. The bands were all able to be viewed from the mound beside the grade 1 arena, and as a competitor it was a delight to be able to actually see some of the bands playing. The big screen is certainly amazing too (except when you are facing it whilst competing). I wish you all the best for the coming season and look forward to hearing some great performances.