I finally recieved the heather clarke (new approach to Ups) and I must say its a nice tutor, but not overwhelmingly impressive. So I am wondering how the NPU Vol.1 compares to the Clarke tutor.
So if you would please share your opinion.
Thanks
Both are good. My suggestion - complete one before starting the other. Maybe the video first to get a visual idea and learn to play the toons in the booklet, then do the HC one after that. It’s a good idea not to jump from onte tutor to the other although it doesn’t hurt to glance over one while seriously studying the other.
Cheers,
DavidG
What do ye mean by the above?
Get both
Slán Agat
Uilliam
Gotta agree with Liam, get both.
KD,
I’m going to disagree with Liam and Pat and suggest that you stick with Clarke. At least for the time being.
One of the pitfalls to be avoided when learning (which I failed to avoid) is thinking that there is one magic tutor which will somehow be easier than all the other and which will teach you to play easier. There’s no substitute for knuckling down and learning.
I have a handful of tutors (Clarke, Armagh Pipers Club, Spillane & Ennis). It was years before I put the others aside and devoted all my time to the Clarke tutor. I quickly felt I was making progress, not necessarily because the Clarke tutor was any better than the others (although it is IMHO), but because I got serious about learning.
I say both because the video gives excellent visual models of proper grip, fingering, bag position, bellows work, and other fundamentals of controlling the bag, bellows, and chanter. It not only teaches tunes, it SHOWS how someone might play them as well. This can be of help to an isolated student. It also talks about simple maintenance issues that plagues all beginners: airtightness and minor reed adjustments. Of course it is no substitute for face-to-face instruction, but neither is the Clarke tutor.
I say get the Video/DVD, although I play some of the tunes from the Clarke tutor… AHHHH 
hell get both…
Ulliam asked
What do ye mean by the above?
Well the tutor in my humble opinion is sometimes hard to understand and confusing as you know it starts out quite simple and then rapidly moves to a quicker and more complicated pace expecially for a beginner such as myself.
I don’t mean any disrespect at all inn regards to this tutor, but only wanted to ask the question on which most prefer the Clarke or NPU…for the most part now I know.
I thanks you all…good day!
Pat,
I agree that the best source is another piper. I just wanted to highlight something I think is important.
Also you will find that you get to a certain point in the H. Clark tutor and it seems to jump very quickly in difficulty. It seems to go from simple easy stuff to harder tunes in a big step. This was frustrating and stalled my progress a bit. I found that the NPU video helped me with that jump point. But nothing is as good as face time with a real teacher (thanks, Mr. D’Arcy) !
Keith,
If you’re just beginning with the pipes, the change in pace in Clarke’s tutor won’t bother you for at least a couple of months - if you get to lesson 13 of Heather Clarke’s tutor before then, you’re either a protégé or you haven’t done the first 12 lessons correctly. 
Give it time. Rome wasn’t built in a day. 
Exactly. Being isolated, or at some distance from another experienced piper, the visuals in the video go a long way toward starting off on the right foot. My vote would be for both.
I don’t see any problem in using both in parallel, in fact I think it would be very helpful to have the visual feedback while working through the Clarke tutor.
I think the main problem is thinking that you can work through the Clarke tutor in a few weeks; it may take weeks to get each lesson right. There’s enough material in either tutor to keep you busy for well over a year IMO.
Bill
I would say to get both also. I got the NPU tape a year and a half ago. It is very helpful. I got the Heather Clarke tutor about two months ago. I have just started with it, but it goes over very different material and methods to help you play and keep time. It is more in depth. Definitely get both.
I don’t know why folks complain about the sudden jump in difficulty in the tutor which has been gone over before.There isnae anything sudden at all about.If ye look at page 9 and look at the programme ye will be told in advance what to expect.Quite clearly if ye are a novice it says leave out the ornamentation until ye reach lesson 15 then go back to lesson 9.
I suspect that some o ye havnae bothered to read this or may have skipped the paragraph referring to the complete novice because ye think it doesnae apply to ye when in fact it does cos ye don’t think ye are a complete novice as ye already have music.Well go back and read it and then take it one lesson at a time nice and easy. At no stage is Heather saying to those beginning on the pipes right belt along this section and then have a good old moan when it gets hard!! 
No she quite sensibly says “Learn every tune by heart and play all dance tunes slowly until you have thoroughly mastered them.Do not worry if it takes some time:you cannot expect to learn any instrument overnight” Sound advice to those prepared to listen.
Lessons 1 to 15 primarily for the beginner is to take ye through the fingering and some tunes.When ye have mastered that ye should as advised by her go back to lesson 9 and start the ornaments.This makes perfect sense as ye will have learned the tunes without ornaments and then put ornaments in,which is how ye will be playing eventually .ye should never over ornament a piece to the detriment o the melody..
Slán Agat
Uilliam
Never seemed to bother me, not that I can recall. Sure, there was a probably a sudden increase in difficulty, but I just assumed we’d covered the easy stuff, nothing more to do there, now let’s get serious. That it ‘stalled’ my progress, I don’t think so, just slowed me down, which was probably a good thing. So I say, don’t let that little issue bother you.
Cheers,
DavidG
There is no substitute to tionol hopping and real lessons.
I prefer the video but the tutor is nice. Armagh Pipers Club tutor book and tape is nice as well. Someone ought to do a CD to accompany the Ennis tutor. These learning tools are all useful for IP’s…isolated pipers…of which Keith qualifies. He is smack between Nashville and St. Louis. Blevins? Martin? Easy choice…go see Tommy Martin! Still…call me whenver you want to come for a lesson.
Lewis
call me whenver you want to come for a lesson.
As soon as I can get my little boy straightened out you can see me as much as you like… 
Until then I will be in my sunroom and taking baby steps into musical bliss. Guys I really am enjoying them (UPs) more and more.
I have the Clarke tutor and I am also waiting on my package from Seth. 30 minutes every other day I say!!!
I am planning on purchasing the NPU Vol I for beginner pipers.
I’m using both the Clarke tutor and NPU Video 1. I think they go well together. The NPU video is much more like being at a lesson.
Andrew
Ok I got the picture…thanks so much for the feedback.