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Command Your Bagpipe # 9: Stretch Your Fingers! Improved technique with stretching - Bagpipe Lessons

Matt Willis Bagpiper

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Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE if you enjoyed this video! In this episode, Matt Willis Bagpiper shows you how to get a quick but thorough stretch with your fingers that can really improve your technique, especially with the birl.

Birl Video: The Birl and a bit about overcoming obstac...
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20 Comments

@joenelson3475 3 years ago

This was exactly what I've been looking for. Birls sound OK on pipes, but on PC, my ring finger is constantly coming off the hole, these stretches made a huge help.

@LifeOfKamden-e6n 3 years ago

I commented on another about rhythm being good coming from drums to pipes but this is another thing I can be grateful for because my school’s teachers for the drum corps make us do “finger yoga” to get them stretched and strong😁

@lddulcimer 3 years ago

Thanks for these! My pinky and the birl are locked in a death struggle right now. Hopefully this will help. Thanks again.

@traildogisla 4 years ago

Always love the little horse joke 😆 good ideas for hand stretches, and they can be done any time, at work etc, if your short on practice time

@gregoryalee2457 3 years ago

I like the whiskey glass method but read somewhere that you should take a sip after every few rotations of whichever finger you are exercising. Apparently if you take large enough sips, your coordination of your fingers improves dramatically with a couple of glasses.

@reallyaprilstarr 6 years ago

John asks if you can do tounging warm ups? It would help him with playing a reed and... other activities. 🤣🤣🤣

@tbwpiper189 6 years ago

What a GREAT instructional video for lazy fingers. Well done, Matt!

@ravensong9030 5 years ago

I found your channel looking for warm up exercises basically cos I have to learn a jig-like tune for my band with GDE's at a devilish speed. I had been practicing for weeks and I could only get at the bpm after (no kidding) 5-6 hours of practice, if I did, because some days my fingers got all cramped before. After less than one week of doing these warm-ups (and the paradiddle ones) I get there much faster...So, this was pure gold for me... THANK YOU!!

@dr.mauritius 6 years ago

I really felt the difference after these tips. Thank you very much Matt!

@ruaraidhmcdonald-walker9524 5 years ago (edited)

This is really useful!! Thank you! PS Creag is said Cregg in Gaelic not Creeg... ;) Love the tasting notes, excellent touch!

@MrZen42 6 years ago

I desesperately needed that exercise ! Thanks a lot Matt !

@headlesspiper936 5 years ago

I might use your Exercises thank you

@BM-pu1vt 2 years ago

Holy sh*t! I've been struggling with a throw on D getting muffled as my fingers have gotten tighter over time. 5 minutes of this and my throw on d is back crisp and clean. Birl obviously is better as well. And my fingers don't ache while playing now. Thank you!

@MichaelRosnitschek 6 years ago

Thank you very much for that exercises. I did it for the last two weeks and my strikes got much better. Yeah, I am struggling with them, after I broke two fingers 😅 thanks again ❤️

@MichaelRosnitschek 6 years ago

Thanks for your useful tips :D

@ian7583 4 years ago

Guess u due that whisky now m8. might need a straw after those exercise
Mind u don't drop it 😋

@YannickOllivier 6 years ago

Thanks Matt I'll try these exercises.
I'm just looking your desk and you know what ? We have exactly the same! The perfect size

@ricks4361 6 years ago

Love your videos. Very helpful. And we got free 'tasting notes' with this 'exercise' video! Might I add, do the circles first as warmups then do the stretches. Stretch gently at first and as you feel the tendons/ligaments relax, increase the stretch slightly. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Slainte!