The Saturday Sessions

for Students and Teachers

Welcome to the newest classroom ! This is the home of the Saturday novice's session. It is here that you will start a program from scale exercises to grace noting to doublings that will guide you to a higher level of playing. As in the other rooms of the school house, we rely heavily on your input, so please contact the Captain for lessons specific to your stage of development.

A brief Menu will help to see where we are going:

The Scale
The Scale exercises
The Scale with G grace note only
Exercises with G grace note
A first tune to build strength - Farewell to Lewis
The G and D grace notes
The Doublings
The Tachum
Tunes for G and D grace notes only
The birl
The Metronome
Playing in time
The Rhythms
Slow integration to band playing
Use of the ear and the mental part of learning
Proper place for sight reading
Sight reading techniques
When is it time for the pipes
First pipe lesson
Special pipe technique
focus on blowing
Focus on playing
The next level

All lessons will be introduced with symbols that you click on

or

First Lesson March 27, 2006

The Scale - Plain and Simple - plus the necessary arpeggios needed to understand the chord progression in the tunes. When successful with this exercise, download the Arpeggio exercise from the Classroom or the Archives.

Audio 1 Audio 2 The Music

Second Lesson - April 4, 2006

The Scale - All Notes from All Notes - 4/4

Exercises to improve command of finger technique and arpeggios at all tempos. Playing in time with a metronome is essential.

Audio 1 Audio 2 The Music

Third Lesson - April 11, 2006

The Scale - Simple time Signature Rhythms

Exercises to practice simple time signatures in 4/4 and 2/4 . All exercises will help you to identify the beat and start playing with a metronome.

Audio 1 The Music

Fourth Lesson - April 25, 2006

The G Grace Note - its use and importance



                Audio                         The Music            Read Me 1        Read Me 2
Fifth Lesson - May 1, 2006

The Scale - Simple time Signature Rhythms with G Grace Note

Audio Music

Fifth Lesson - May 8, 2006

Finally your first tune - chosen to use the G grace note with the top hand. The tune is a slow air in 6/8 time. You will need your metronome set at 40 BPM.

Audio Music

Sixth Lesson - June 5, 2006

The D Grace Note

The importance of the G grace note cannot be overlooked. It is used to move you to almost every downbeat. But closely following is the D grace note, used usually in conjunction with the G. The D grace note opens and closes notes on the bottom hand.

                  Audio             Music

Seventh Lesson - June 19, 2006

Another Tune

To further improve the technique with the G and D grace notes, we will learn the first part of the Dark Island, a lovely folk tune. I have rewritten it with the exercise in mind. Work on this for the next week or so.



                  Audio             Music

The Saturday Sessions

for Students and Teachers

A brief Menu will help to see where we are going:

First Lesson March 27, 2006

Audio 1 Audio 2 The Music

Second Lesson - April 4, 2006

The Scale - All Notes from All Notes - 4/4

Exercises to improve command of finger technique and arpeggios at all tempos. Playing in time with a metronome is essential.

Audio 1 Audio 2 The Music

Third Lesson - April 11, 2006

The Scale - Simple time Signature Rhythms

Exercises to practice simple time signatures in 4/4 and 2/4 . All exercises will help you to identify the beat and start playing with a metronome.

Audio 1 The Music

The Scale - Simple time Signature Rhythms with G Grace Note

Audio Music

Fifth Lesson - May 8, 2006

Finally your first tune - chosen to use the G grace note with the top hand. The tune is a slow air in 6/8 time. You will need your metronome set at 40 BPM.

Audio Music

Sixth Lesson - June 5, 2006

The D Grace Note

Audio Music