How’s it done? My way is not so much a slide as a clunk.
There are three movements required, as I understand it. Sliding the first finger off the B hole, removing the second finger of the lower hand from the F hole and replacing the middle and ring finger on the A and G holes.
A prod in the right direction from the masters here would be greatly appreciated.
What I do is what Pat Mitchell described in the introduction of DMWC: ‘uncurling’ the left indexfinger (basically stretching the finger from the middle joint) from the chanter while keeping it in contact with the side of the hole (to control pitch) while taking the chanter off the knee, What your right hand does depends a bit on how your chanter likes its c, on my chanters first choice would be to take the bottom hand index finger off and depending on the desired pitch/sound middle finger or ringfinger.
I have a photo of Séamus Ennis demonstrating his C natural, he did pretty much the same as described above. As I remember it an Ozzie guy, Christy Dunne, asked him about the C and he showed how to do it.
Unfortunately a mould infection is eating the negative.
I put the middle and ring fingers of the upper hand back down while moving into the C. Took me a while to figure that out, Pat’s description didn’t mention that at all, leading me astray for a while.
That’s a fantastic photo! So cool to capture the C-gliss in action.
I suppose others are different, but I usually put a thumb-cut on it. (I’m certainly no “master” but I’ve successfully taught the movement to many beginners over the years.)
For beginners there’s an overwhelming number of things going on at once, because during the thumb-cut my fingers switch from fingering (for example) B to fingering C natural but with the upperhand index finger as shown in that photo above (the pitch coming out of the chanter still being B more or less).
That C hole has to be cracked open just the right amount, because if it’s too open you won’t be able to do the whole B to C gliss because you’re starting too sharp (too close to the pitch of C) and if the hole isn’t cracked open enough the chanter can squeal.
There are commercial recordings of Liam O Flynn where he gets the squeal going to that gliss-C natural. I think the chanter is playing High D, sort of, when it squeals.
Here’s the way I finger it, from B to C natural:
x xoo xxxx (B)
o xoo xxxx (beginning of thumb cut, fingers still fingering B)
o pxx xoxx (later during thumb cut, fingers have switched to C natural but with the index finger still in contact with the chanter, the hole cracked open around a quarter)
x pxx xoxx (thumb has returned to the chanter, the C hole is only open around a quarter, the pitch is around B)
x oxx xoxx (the index finger gradually uncurls, the pitch glissing from B up to C natural; my finger remains in contact with the chanter off to the side of the hole which colours the note)
A beginner can practice it without the thumb-cut to keep it more manageable. (Learn one thing at a time.)
I have them practice going back and forth between these two fingerings
x xoo xxxx
x pxx xoxx
keeping the pitch at B the whole time. Once you hit the second fingering, you can gliss up to C at your leisure, as quickly or slowly as the context requires. The trick is being able to get quickly and smoothly to that second fingering. The thumb-cut helps hide the transition.
I usually put a thumb-cut on it
Yes, ditto. On beat or ‘delayed’. Or a roll, if the C is long.
Another common thing (well I’ve heard it often, anyhow) is approaching the gliss-C natural from Back D.
So, you play Back D, close it, then open it again to get the thumb-cut, and play C natural as described above.
It takes quick thumb action but it sounds really cool.
I’ll get to work on Pancelticpiper’s stepped explanation. I know it’s not the kind of thing that can be easily learned by written instruction and when next I encounter a piper, which is unfortunately rare, I’ll ask for a demonstration.
Much obliged for all advice and I’ll let ye know when I’ve got the hang of it.
when next I encounter a piper, which is unfortunately rare
Yes miserable lot those Clare pipers. You never see them play out.
You don’t encounter pipers much and you’re in Clare? I’ve heard it all. 
Not that they’re necessarily playing on every street corner 24/7 but you could ring up NPU or the local CCE branch and find one you could hook up with for tips or lessons.
Cutting with the thumb is optional, too. It’s a hallmark of those who’ve taken up the Irish pipes after playing the Scottish instrument, or, as Andy Conroy called it, “The Mark of the Beast.” Ennis/Rowsome/Reck/Dorans didn’t do that much at all, Touhey and Clancy did though. Jerry O’Sullivan’s a well known and quite skillful modern piper who uses it all the time. It’s harsh sounding to my ears, but I like listening to Jerry and others who do use that cut - just realize it flavors the music in a big way.
Many musical pubs in Clare are now Sky Sports pubs, including all those in my village.
So no music, just everybody watching sports on TV?
It’s happened here in the USA, with our NFL (which was originally confined to Sunday early afternoon) spreading to more days and times. So now there’s a Sunday late game, which ruins many sessions, a Monday night game, and now a Thursday night game!
Sessions are often impossible during these times, with drunk people yelling at the TVs and so forth.
During the summer tourist season pubs may have performance-style sessions which are advertised on chalk-boards outside. These usually involve a celebrity player and his or her group but the old-style session where the players sat in a circle and played largely for their own entertainment is hard to find.
The new and safer attitude to drink may also be a contributory factor in the decline of the pub session. I occasionally see signs for ‘early sessions’ (around tea-time - that’s about six o’clock) and these may have more community-style music than the performance sessions.
Maybe it will be possible to bring back the house session or a gathering in the community hall.
Anyway, I’m way off the thread. Thanks again for the help and must get back to some sliding.
So play louder!!!
I imagine this is why the Highland Pipes were invented.