Bagpipe Lesson
  • Members Login
  • Beginner
    • Lesson 1: Introduction, Tips and Bagpipe History
    • Lesson 2: The Practice Chanter
    • Lesson 3: Practice Chanter Technique, Posture, and Blowing
    • Lesson 4: Beginner Music Theory
    • Lesson 5: Beginner Rhythm Exercises
    • Lesson 6: Low Hand Notes & Exercises >
      • Low Hand Exercises
    • Lesson 7: High Hand Notes >
      • High Hand Exercises
    • Lesson 8: The Scale >
      • Scale Exercises
    • Lesson 9: Crossing Noises >
      • Crossing Noises Exercises
    • Lesson 10: Easy Tunes
  • Novice
    • Lesson 1: Time Signatures and Note Values in Bagpipe Music
    • Lesson 2: Dots, Cuts & Ties
    • Lesson 3: How to Practice
    • Lesson 4: Why we use Embellishments
    • Lesson 5: Bagpipe Grace Notes >
      • Bagpipe High G Grace Note
      • Bagpipe D Grace Note
      • Bagpipe E Grace Note
      • Grace Note Exercises
      • Songs With Grace Notes
    • Lesson 6: Strikes >
      • How to Play a B Strike
      • How to Play a C Strike
      • How to Play a D Strike
      • How to Play a D Strike with C
      • How to Play an E Strike
      • How to Play an F Strike
      • How to Play a High G Strike
      • How to Play a High A Strike
      • Strike Exercises
    • Lesson 7: Doublings >
      • How to Play a Low G Doubling
      • How to Play a Low A Doubling
      • How to Play a B Doubling
      • How to Play a C Doubling
      • How to Play a D Doubling
      • How to Play an E Doubling
      • How to Play an F Doubling
      • How to Play a High G Doubling
      • How to Play a High A Doubling
      • 7 Doubling Exercise
    • Lesson 8: Grips
    • Lesson 9: Taorluath
    • Lesson 10: Bagpipe D Throw
    • Lesson 11: How to Learn a Bagpipe Tune >
      • First and Second Time Bars
      • Introductory Notes
      • How to Memorize a Tune
    • Lesson 12: The Practice Goose
  • Intermediate
    • Lesson 1: How to Buy a Set of Bagpipes
    • Lesson 2: Birls >
      • Regular Birl
      • Low A Birl
      • High G Birl
    • Lesson 3: The Triplet
    • Lesson 4: Intermediate Rhythm Exercises
    • Lesson 5: Low G Grace Note
    • Lesson 6: Light D Throw
    • Lesson 7: High A Grace Note
    • Lesson 8: Half Doublings >
      • How to Play a Low G Half Doubling
      • How to Play a Low A Half Doubling
      • How to Play a B Half Doubling
      • How to Play a C Half Doubling
      • How to Play a D Half Doubling
      • How to Play an E Half Doubling
      • How to Play an F Half Doubling
      • 7 Half Doubling Exercise
    • Lesson 9: High G Strikes >
      • How to Play a High G B Strike
      • How to Play a High G C Strike
      • How to Play a High G D Strike
      • How to Play a High G Open D Strike
      • 4 High G Strike Exercise
    • Lesson 10: The Tachum
    • Lesson 11: How to Practice Efficiently
    • Lesson 12: Pipe Band Terminology
  • Advanced
    • Lesson 1: Doubling Strikes >
      • How to Play a B Doubling Strike
      • How to Play a C Doubling Strike
      • How to Play a D Doubling Strike
      • How to Play an Open D Doubling Strike
    • Lesson 2: G-D-E Grace Note Movement
    • Lesson 3: The Strathspey Movement
    • Lesson 4: Bagpipe Music Categories and Tempo Guide
  • Maintenance/Tuning
    • Bagpipe Anatomy
    • Practice Chanter Maintenance and Tuning
    • Hemping Your Bagpipe
    • The Pipe Bag
    • The Blow Stick
    • The Drones >
      • Drone Reeds
      • Drone Tuning
      • Drone Chords
      • Drone Problems, Solutions & Terminology
    • The Pipe Chanter >
      • Pipe Chanter Reed
      • Chanter Reed Selection
      • Preparing your Chanter Reed
      • Making Reed Easier to Blow
      • Fix a Double Toning F
      • Taping a Pipe Chanter to Flatten a Note
      • Cutting a Hole to Sharpen a Note
      • Pipe Chanter Pitch
      • Protecting Your Pipe Chanter Reed
      • Pitching Your Pipe Chanter
    • The Bagpipe Case
    • Bagpipe Pitch and Tuning
    • Moisture Control
    • Stretching
  • Tunes
    • 2/4 Marches >
      • Mairi's Wedding
      • Brown Haired Maiden
      • Teribus
      • The Barren Rocks of Aden
      • High Road to Gairloch
      • Highland Laddie
      • The Earl of Mansfield
      • The 79th Farwell to Gibraltar
      • 42nd Highland Division
      • Sweet Maid of Glendaruel
      • 72nd's Farewell to Aberdeen
      • Liberton Boys Polka
    • 3/4 Marches >
      • Balmoral
      • Castle Dangerous
      • Green Hills of Tyrol
      • When the Battles Over
      • Colins Cattle
      • Bloody Fields of Flanders
      • Lochanside
      • Dream Valley of Glendaruel
    • 4/4 Marches >
      • Robin Adair
      • Scots Wha Hae
      • Scotland the Brave
      • Rowan Tree
      • Wings
      • Blue Bells of Scotland
      • Minstrel Boy
      • Were No Awa Tae Bide Awa
      • Lord Lovat's Lament
    • 6/8 Marches >
      • A Hundred Pipers
      • Bonnie Dundee
      • Steam Boat
      • Glendaruel Highlanders
      • Mucking of Georgie's Byre
      • Atholl Highlanders
    • Airs >
      • Amazing Grace
      • Mist Covered Mountains
      • Skye Boat Song
      • Going Home
      • Suo Gan
      • MacPhersons Lament
      • The Mingulay Boat Song
      • Road to the Isles
      • Loch Rannoch
    • Jigs >
      • Hag at the Churn
      • Rocking the Baby
      • Kesh Jig
      • Tripping up the Stairs
      • Old Hag at the Kiln
      • Paddy's Leather Breeches
      • Galician Jig
      • Paddy be Easy
      • Old Wife of Mill Dust
      • Floating the Flambeau
    • Reels >
      • Piper of Drummond
      • Sleepy Maggie
      • High Road to Linton
      • Gravel Walk
      • Jenny Dang the Weaver
      • The Owl
      • Itchy Fingers
      • Willie Davie
      • Crooked Bridge
      • The Wise Maid
      • Olive Branch
    • Strathspeys >
      • Loudons Bonnie Woods and Braes
      • Orange and Blue
      • A.A Cameron
      • Captain Horn
      • The Campbeltown Kiltie Band
    • Hornpipes >
      • Jolly Beggerman
      • Paddy MacGinty's Goat
      • Moving Cloud
      • The Boys of Blue Hill
    • Songs >
      • Auld Lang Syne
      • London Bridges Falling Down
      • Happy Birthday
      • Yankee Doodle
      • Flower of Scotland
      • America the Beautiful
      • Bridal March
      • O' Danny Boy
  • Contact

Lesson 2: The Practice Chanter​


​​Learn all about the practice chanter of the bagpipes and the chanter reed.  You will also learn all the parts and how to select and purchase your first practice chanter.
​

The Practice Chanter​

​The practice chanter is used to learn and practice the bagpipes. In-fact you will probably play the practice chanter as much or more than you play the actual bagpipes because it is quitter than the pipes and is more effective and practical for practicing. 
​

How does a Practice Chanter Work?

 
Picture
Picture

Buying a Practice Chanter

Picture

​If you have already bought a practice chanter I hope it doesn't look like the one to my right. This is the worst practice chanter you can buy and many players start out with this chanter because they don't know any better.  These chanters are made in Pakistan and are of very poor quality, but because they are cheap people keep buying them. Do yourself a favour and spend the extra money and follow my suggestions below to better equip yourself for the long journey ahead.





Step 1: Short chanter or a long chanter?
Picture


Step 2: African black wood or plastic?
Picture


Step 3: What brand would you like?

There are many well made brands of practice chanters in the market today. Below are the ones I recommend.

For the beginner child: McCallum Plastic Practice Chanter - Standard
For the beginner adult: McCallum Plastic Practice Chanter - Long
For the experienced player: David Naill - African Blackwood Practice Chanter with Sole - Long



Step 4: What reed?

There are many good reeds out there. However, I suggest 
WALSH REEDS.

Step 5: Where to order?

The store I suggest is LOTHIAN BAGPIPE SUPPLIES. These guys have a great selection and very competitive prices. Also, there staff are experienced pipers and very knowledgeable. On top of this they also offer my students 5% off. 

Enter the Promo Code – BagpipeLessonStudent for a 5% discount on anything at the store.

                       
* When you buy your chanter also buy a roll of WAXED HEMP. You will need it later on.

If you have any further questions about which chanter or reed to order send me an email. 
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Copyright BagpipeLesson.com

  • Members Login
  • Beginner
    • Lesson 1: Introduction, Tips and Bagpipe History
    • Lesson 2: The Practice Chanter
    • Lesson 3: Practice Chanter Technique, Posture, and Blowing
    • Lesson 4: Beginner Music Theory
    • Lesson 5: Beginner Rhythm Exercises
    • Lesson 6: Low Hand Notes & Exercises >
      • Low Hand Exercises
    • Lesson 7: High Hand Notes >
      • High Hand Exercises
    • Lesson 8: The Scale >
      • Scale Exercises
    • Lesson 9: Crossing Noises >
      • Crossing Noises Exercises
    • Lesson 10: Easy Tunes
  • Novice
    • Lesson 1: Time Signatures and Note Values in Bagpipe Music
    • Lesson 2: Dots, Cuts & Ties
    • Lesson 3: How to Practice
    • Lesson 4: Why we use Embellishments
    • Lesson 5: Bagpipe Grace Notes >
      • Bagpipe High G Grace Note
      • Bagpipe D Grace Note
      • Bagpipe E Grace Note
      • Grace Note Exercises
      • Songs With Grace Notes
    • Lesson 6: Strikes >
      • How to Play a B Strike
      • How to Play a C Strike
      • How to Play a D Strike
      • How to Play a D Strike with C
      • How to Play an E Strike
      • How to Play an F Strike
      • How to Play a High G Strike
      • How to Play a High A Strike
      • Strike Exercises
    • Lesson 7: Doublings >
      • How to Play a Low G Doubling
      • How to Play a Low A Doubling
      • How to Play a B Doubling
      • How to Play a C Doubling
      • How to Play a D Doubling
      • How to Play an E Doubling
      • How to Play an F Doubling
      • How to Play a High G Doubling
      • How to Play a High A Doubling
      • 7 Doubling Exercise
    • Lesson 8: Grips
    • Lesson 9: Taorluath
    • Lesson 10: Bagpipe D Throw
    • Lesson 11: How to Learn a Bagpipe Tune >
      • First and Second Time Bars
      • Introductory Notes
      • How to Memorize a Tune
    • Lesson 12: The Practice Goose
  • Intermediate
    • Lesson 1: How to Buy a Set of Bagpipes
    • Lesson 2: Birls >
      • Regular Birl
      • Low A Birl
      • High G Birl
    • Lesson 3: The Triplet
    • Lesson 4: Intermediate Rhythm Exercises
    • Lesson 5: Low G Grace Note
    • Lesson 6: Light D Throw
    • Lesson 7: High A Grace Note
    • Lesson 8: Half Doublings >
      • How to Play a Low G Half Doubling
      • How to Play a Low A Half Doubling
      • How to Play a B Half Doubling
      • How to Play a C Half Doubling
      • How to Play a D Half Doubling
      • How to Play an E Half Doubling
      • How to Play an F Half Doubling
      • 7 Half Doubling Exercise
    • Lesson 9: High G Strikes >
      • How to Play a High G B Strike
      • How to Play a High G C Strike
      • How to Play a High G D Strike
      • How to Play a High G Open D Strike
      • 4 High G Strike Exercise
    • Lesson 10: The Tachum
    • Lesson 11: How to Practice Efficiently
    • Lesson 12: Pipe Band Terminology
  • Advanced
    • Lesson 1: Doubling Strikes >
      • How to Play a B Doubling Strike
      • How to Play a C Doubling Strike
      • How to Play a D Doubling Strike
      • How to Play an Open D Doubling Strike
    • Lesson 2: G-D-E Grace Note Movement
    • Lesson 3: The Strathspey Movement
    • Lesson 4: Bagpipe Music Categories and Tempo Guide
  • Maintenance/Tuning
    • Bagpipe Anatomy
    • Practice Chanter Maintenance and Tuning
    • Hemping Your Bagpipe
    • The Pipe Bag
    • The Blow Stick
    • The Drones >
      • Drone Reeds
      • Drone Tuning
      • Drone Chords
      • Drone Problems, Solutions & Terminology
    • The Pipe Chanter >
      • Pipe Chanter Reed
      • Chanter Reed Selection
      • Preparing your Chanter Reed
      • Making Reed Easier to Blow
      • Fix a Double Toning F
      • Taping a Pipe Chanter to Flatten a Note
      • Cutting a Hole to Sharpen a Note
      • Pipe Chanter Pitch
      • Protecting Your Pipe Chanter Reed
      • Pitching Your Pipe Chanter
    • The Bagpipe Case
    • Bagpipe Pitch and Tuning
    • Moisture Control
    • Stretching
  • Tunes
    • 2/4 Marches >
      • Mairi's Wedding
      • Brown Haired Maiden
      • Teribus
      • The Barren Rocks of Aden
      • High Road to Gairloch
      • Highland Laddie
      • The Earl of Mansfield
      • The 79th Farwell to Gibraltar
      • 42nd Highland Division
      • Sweet Maid of Glendaruel
      • 72nd's Farewell to Aberdeen
      • Liberton Boys Polka
    • 3/4 Marches >
      • Balmoral
      • Castle Dangerous
      • Green Hills of Tyrol
      • When the Battles Over
      • Colins Cattle
      • Bloody Fields of Flanders
      • Lochanside
      • Dream Valley of Glendaruel
    • 4/4 Marches >
      • Robin Adair
      • Scots Wha Hae
      • Scotland the Brave
      • Rowan Tree
      • Wings
      • Blue Bells of Scotland
      • Minstrel Boy
      • Were No Awa Tae Bide Awa
      • Lord Lovat's Lament
    • 6/8 Marches >
      • A Hundred Pipers
      • Bonnie Dundee
      • Steam Boat
      • Glendaruel Highlanders
      • Mucking of Georgie's Byre
      • Atholl Highlanders
    • Airs >
      • Amazing Grace
      • Mist Covered Mountains
      • Skye Boat Song
      • Going Home
      • Suo Gan
      • MacPhersons Lament
      • The Mingulay Boat Song
      • Road to the Isles
      • Loch Rannoch
    • Jigs >
      • Hag at the Churn
      • Rocking the Baby
      • Kesh Jig
      • Tripping up the Stairs
      • Old Hag at the Kiln
      • Paddy's Leather Breeches
      • Galician Jig
      • Paddy be Easy
      • Old Wife of Mill Dust
      • Floating the Flambeau
    • Reels >
      • Piper of Drummond
      • Sleepy Maggie
      • High Road to Linton
      • Gravel Walk
      • Jenny Dang the Weaver
      • The Owl
      • Itchy Fingers
      • Willie Davie
      • Crooked Bridge
      • The Wise Maid
      • Olive Branch
    • Strathspeys >
      • Loudons Bonnie Woods and Braes
      • Orange and Blue
      • A.A Cameron
      • Captain Horn
      • The Campbeltown Kiltie Band
    • Hornpipes >
      • Jolly Beggerman
      • Paddy MacGinty's Goat
      • Moving Cloud
      • The Boys of Blue Hill
    • Songs >
      • Auld Lang Syne
      • London Bridges Falling Down
      • Happy Birthday
      • Yankee Doodle
      • Flower of Scotland
      • America the Beautiful
      • Bridal March
      • O' Danny Boy
  • Contact
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