First, you must learn the grip.....again....maybe...

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WireHarp
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First, you must learn the grip.....again....maybe...

Post by WireHarp »

So I'm having a beast of a time incorporating regs. Granted I've only had a full working set since last October, but I can't seem to move about and hang onto the chanter at the same time. I've been playing for about ten years and started to re-examine my hand position. After looking at a lot of videos of other players it seems they almost universally hold their lower hands almost parallel to the floor. My hand has my fingers covering the holes BETWEEN the furst and second knuckles, putting the fingers and hand at about a forty five degree angle. Is the general concensus 1.) no no no the hand MUST be parallel..or 2.) as long as you're not using fingertips, do what's comfortable.
Many thanks in advance...
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MichaelLoos
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Re: First, you must learn the grip.....again....maybe...

Post by MichaelLoos »

If your hand is at a 45 degrees angle, it is very clear that the heel of your hand can never reach the regulator keys, because it is far too high. A position more or less parallel is indeed necessary to bring your wrist close to the keys so you can hit them, yet high enough that you don't hit them unintentionally.
A short time ago, there has been a discussion on another forum about using the first joint of the index finger, rather than the second - while most people said "never do", I said that I use it frequently when playing the regs, because that brings my hand into an angle which makes the keys more accessible - mind you, this is only the index finger, middle and ring finger still use the second joint, and little finger always uses the end joint - still not really the fingertip, as a flute player would do. And, this applies for me, being a short guy - a taller person will probably do differently.
If playing between first and second knuckles brings your hand into an 45 degrees angle, it probably means your index finger is bent - if you straighten it, this should bring your wrist down closer to the regulator keys, still covering the hole with the second joint of the index finger, and at the same time, giving the index finger more freedom of movement.
Hand position is only one point to think about, you should also look at bellows and bag positions and your playing posture - straightening your back will make a hell of a difference, same as the position of your right leg. Also, the length of your blowpipe/connector is much more crucial with a full set than it was with the half or practice set.
Humans vary in size much more than pipes do, so general consensus might not help you too much - do what's comfortable to you is a good point, but have yourself checked by an experienced piper as soon as possible to avoid faults that will obstruct your playing in the long run and are really hard to get rid of.
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