The Bagpipe Society

The Brexit Rant

The repeated low C strikes as in bar 2 are intended to be done with the little finger of the left hand going from first right to left then from left to right and stroking the hole on the way past - similar to the Highland birl (assuming the left hand at the bottom - if your right hand is at the bottom then vice versa).

This movement reappears faster in bar 20 - if this slows you down too much then just play bars 20 and 21 as 12 and 13 but with the hight C#.
If you haven’t got a C# play the A instead (but try various fingerings and bag pressures before you give up!) The grace note cluster in bars 18 & 19 is a version of the Highland bubble note.
Try it, but again if it slows you down too much then play a simpler version.
The repeated F# strikes as in bar 11 are intended to be done with the index finger of the bottom hand as with the little finger in bar 2.
The different directions of the finger movements really do affect the sound.
These notes are not sacred.
Feel free to make your own version, play and share - I would be interested in hearing it.
Enjoy - and if you don’t then play something else (but do play!). For a video of us playing it, visit http://bit.ly/Chanter86