Place your hands on the
chanter left above right (reverse if you are left handed),
knuckles in line with the front of the chanter and fingers straight. Your
left thumb covers the hole at the back and your little finger on that hand rests
away from the chanter. Place your
right thumb on the back of the chanter between your index and middle fingers.
Your wrists must be straight to ensure that you play with your fingers,
not your arms.
With the exception of your
little finger and thumb (called by their own names),
the fingers are named after the note they sound when lifted off the
chanter. The first finger on your
top (left) hand is called your ‘G’ finger,
middle finger is ‘F’ and so on.
In all of the diagrams that
follow, “X” represents a closed
hole and “O” represents an open one.
|
XX |
XX |
XX |
XX |
XX |
XX |
XX |
XO |
OO |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
O |
O |
X |
X |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LOW G |
LOW
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
HIGH
G |
HIGH
A |
NOTE
NAMES LOW
G, LOW A, B,
C, D,
E,
F, HIGH G,
HIGH A
Please, follow the note names up in sequence as different browsers and screen settings may display the note names in different positions.
HINTS:
1.
When changing from one note to the next, ALWAYS
MAKE THE NEXT NOTE BEFORE YOU CLOSE THE ONE YOU ARE PLAYING.
This avoids mistakes known as “crossing sounds” - extra notes
that are not intended. Another way
to think of its is when changing from a higher note to a lower, change from the
bottom up, and when going from a
lower note to a higher, change from
the top down.
2.
Try to feel and memorise the position of all of your fingers when playing
each note. This helps your
co-ordination to develop.
