Just to recap, we talked about the need to maintain steady pressure within the bag whether you’re blowing or taking a breath (I hate the term “squeezing” as the action is more subtle than “squeezing”). We also talked about the need to listen. The sounds you hear on your shoulder are most revealing, if you get inside of them. Don’t be a spectator. Be an active participant in producing the best sound possible.

You can’t do this unless your bagpipe is in 100% top-notch order. Everything has to be perfect. Bag is doing what it’s supposed to be doing. Everything hemped correctly. Reeds all set properly. Chanter reed broken-in and settled. So now what?

To get a sense of how you’re sounding and playing, I recommend recording yourself. Then listen back objectively and critically. This has so many benefits and will expose so much to those willing to invest the time, effort, and energy. Don’t be taken with the brilliance of your own playing. Look for ways to improve, whether it’s tone, timing, tempo, or phrasing. Sit down with pen and paper and critique your own playing. Then make adjustments in what you’re doing.

Here’s something new for you today. Back in the 1990’s I became aware of a procedure being performed on bagpipes by John Kidd. I didn’t totally understand exactly what was done, however many credible pipers raved about the results in both sound and steadiness. Ed Neigh was a significant proponent.

Last week I received a set of 1951 Sinclair bagpipes that had undergone “Kidd modifications” in 2008. I’ll be playing them and reporting further sometime in the next couple of weeks. The picture at the top of this blog shows specific modifications to the ends of the tuning pin bores. I’d appreciate hearing from others who might have experience in this.