Bagpipe Lessons: G D & E Triplets

Series Summary

Bagpipes are in a class of musical instrument called aerophones, and use enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The term bagpipes or bagpipe is equally correct, although pipers usually refer to "pipes" and "the bagpipe." A bagpipe must at least consist of an air supply, a bag, a chanter, and usually a drone. Dozens of types of bagpipes are widely spread across Europe and the Middle East today, as well as through much of the former British Empire. The name bagpipe has essentially become synonymous with its most well-known form, the Great Highland Bagpipe.

In modern music, bagpipes are scarcely used, but remain a recognizable instrument because of their unique look and sound. However, bagpipe lessons can be hard to arrange because of their lack of general popularity. With that in mind, you can learn from a bagpipe teacher's video instructions and have your first lesson in learning to play bagpipes. From doubling to bending and learning grace notes, a lot of the bagpipe basics and techniques are taught in this free video. If you want to learn how to play this unique instrument, you have to start somewhere, and now you don't have to go to the Scottish Highlands to do it!

Video Transcript

"I'm going to show you now how to do G, D, E triplets and that is a G grace note, a D grace note and an E grace note on any note below D on the chanter. You can't play this on any note above D. So the fingers that move are the first, the left index finger up and down, the right index finger up and down and the ring finger on the left hand up and down. First I'll play them slowly so that you can see which fingers are going where when. These are the basis for most jigs that are in 6/8 time and so played more up to tempo, it would sound like."