The Clarke tutor recommends practising keeping steady air while pumping the bellows by detaching the chanter, partially blocking the the hole int he stock, and trying to keep the stream of air steady.
This is, I can confidently assert, impossible.
Should I practise this until I can do it more or less, or should I just stick the chanter in and have a go, relying on my ears to tell me when I’m not giving it steady air?
Its not impossible but ye can try this as well…Play a steady a in 1st octave .If ye hear it wavering ye are probably jerking your bellows and not using your bag.Most beginners do this.Fully inflate bellows,deflate bellows filling bag,keep pressure steady on bag,gently open bellows fully and gently deflate bellows ,listen for any variation in the note,keep at it until ye have the note absolutely steady.
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam
As Uilliam has noted, you are looking to learn how to control the pressure on the chanter with the bag, not the bellows. I agree with him that it is easier to learn this by just playing one steady note than using the method in Clark’s.
Another thing to watch for is that you don’t keep pumping the bellows constantly, or use the bellows to control pressure to the chanter. Pump once and use the bag to keep the pressure steady on the note you’re playing. Pay attention to what it feels like when the bag is running out of air. Don’t attempt to play any music. You are teaching yourself to feel the the state of the bag, so that over time you will keep the bag sufficiently pumped up without having to think about it. This just takes time and repetition.
djm
Hmmm… djm
Why are you suddenly giving valuable advice. You feeling OK?
