Bringing Bagpipe Tuition to Everyone, Everywhere.

I have been teaching music for many years and always thought that there must be a better way of reaching more people who have a desire to learn a musical instrument but who have no idea of how to go about it.

People who live in remote areas. People who do not know of anyone who teaches their desired instrument in their area. People who might think that they may be thought of as "odd" for wishing to learn a particular instrument.

I teach bagpipes and have been a professional piper for many years as a competitor and as entertainer. Of course, I am Scottish! In between piping commitments, I have always taught young and old folks with a desire to learn properly. But, people are only willing to travel so far, for their weekly lesson and so we, as teachers are limited to the area that we can cover. A few years ago, I put together a tuition programme for the complete beginner that took all the jargon out of learning and explained it all in simple language.

I then created a tutorial book with all the techniques needed to play properly. And put all the cotent on cd.

I then recorded an audio cd to explain and demonstrate everything on the tutorial cd.

I then recorded a video cd, showing my hands in close-up so that the student could see exactly what was needed. Now I had the complete tuition course for the bagpipes. I advertised it on my website and sales have been very good with orders coming in from all over the world.

Still, I was not 100% happy. I was not reaching enough people. So I decided to try a new approach to teaching.

Live web conferencing or video conferencing where there can be many people online at any one time who, are all at the same stage of learning and can gain by watching and listening to the way others are progressing or are having a hard time. The competitive element really works. There can now be people interacting with me from all over the world. The play for me and I can tell them what they are doing right/wrong and can demonstrate how to do it properly.

The feedback I have had so far has been really positive with people willing to pay between $20 and $50 for a one hour lesson. I am hoping to start this type of tuition at the beginning of April and would welcome any comments or suggestions that might be of some benefit to me or my students.

Please join me on my website: www.learn2pipe.com

I can be contacted by e-mail at: enquiries@learn2pipe.com

Telephone : +44(0)1239 711868

Cellphone : 07751014474

Thank you for taking the time to read this short article.

Pipe Major Robert R. Pinkman.

Pipe Major Robert R. Pinkman Has been a professional piper since the age of 13. Innitially taught by members of the family, at the age of 12 he was tutored by Captain John McLellan at Edinburgh Castle, which also housed the British Army School of Bagpipe Music, famous for excellence the world over. Bobby, as he is known, is a successful solo-ist and Pipe Major having competed and entertained all over the world. He started teaching in his local area and was soon stuggling to keep up with demand so, he developed his website and tuition programme on a series of cd's, tutor book, audio & video. He then realised that people needed a personal touch and came up with the idea of video conferencing. Feedback has been great and the live tuition is due to start April 1st.