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Educational Materials Bagpipe Solutions by John Cairns has written and developed a new and innovative bagpipe educational curriculum. This curriculum has been produced in a series of 18 progressive volumes or levels. There are 12 volumes for Light Music and 6 volumes for Piobaireachd. What do the books contain? These tutor books contain detailed material, information and instructions on all of the subject matter that is needed to play a bagpipe, either as a soloist or in a pipe band. The emphasis is on providing every student with a complete bagpipe education, which includes studying: Bagpipe and Pipe Band Drill Bagpipe Maintenance Time and Rhythm Playing Technique Ear Training Music Theory Highland Dress Tone Tuning Pipe Band Training Bagpipe History Every volume comes complete with over 100 pages of instructions, photos, diagrams, music, manuscript paper and progress checklists. The material contained in each of the tutor books has been written in lesson format, so that the student can work through the material in a progressive manner, and understand each aspect clearly. What do the lessons contain? Every lesson contains information on why the student needs to learn each topic, how to study or practice what is contained in the lesson and how to apply this information or skill when playing a bagpipe. Every lesson will also identify specific performance indicators that must be completed or achieved before moving on to the next lesson. What level should I begin at? The beginning of each tutor book has a list of skill requirements needed for the student to begin that level. If a student is confident they have the requirements listed, they can begin on that level. If they do not have the requirements, they would be advised to begin at the level that meets their skill set, even if it means going back to Level 1 of the series. All the volumes hold a wealth of information that will continue to be a source of reference for many years to come. How can I track my progress? There is a Progress Checklist located at the back of every tutor book. This checklist is a working document designed to help the student (and their teacher if applicable) monitor the student’s progress as they work through each tutor. Before moving onto the next tutor book, the student must complete all of the requirements specified on the checklist. What music will I be able to play? Music has been selected for each level of proficiency that will challenge the student to play at that level. There is a great emphasis on learning how to read music, and these tutor books work under the premise that once you are able to play the music designated for that level, you will then be able to play any other piece of music at an equal or lower level of difficulty. To that end, we have included in each tutor some optional pieces of music that the student can easily learn, as they match the standard of proficiency for each applicable tutor. Can you explain the requirements and levels? The requirements for the first six levels of proficiency have been designed to teach the piper everything he/she needs to know to be able to play in a street band and for the massed bands, using the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario (PPBSO) massed band tune requirements as the bench mark. The requirements for proficiency levels seven to twelve have been devised to coincide with the PPBSO solo and pipe band grade levels. Once a student has completed all of the material and tune requirements for one of these levels, they will be capable of performing at the applicable grade, either in a pipe band or as a soloist. What will I learn? Each tutor book will have a paragraph included in the preliminary pages that explains the goals for that specific level and an understanding of what they can expect to be able to do and what they should know when they complete that level. Do I need to have a teacher? This curriculum is the only system that will enable a student, anywhere in the world, to successfully progress through all eighteen levels of proficiency regardless of the availability of a local piping instructor. Where can I make notes or write music? Included in the back of each tutor book, are pages of blank writing and manuscript paper to use. We recommend that the pages of each tutor book be kept in good condition, as they will serve as an excellent source of future reference. What do I need to begin my training? Each tutor book will have a paragraph included in the preliminary pages that identifies what items you will need to complete that particular level. How long does each tutor book take to finish and how long should I practice? Each tutor book will identify how much time (on average): The student should dedicate for both the study and practice of each lesson, It should take the student to work their way through the content of each lesson, and We estimate that each student should take to complete all of the requirements contained in the tutor book. Will I need to buy the CD that corresponds with the tutor book? The instructional CD that corresponds with each tutor book contains audio examples of all of the practical requirements. The exercises and tunes have been recorded at varying tempos and include an example at the specific tempo designated to achieve the standard for this level. As a training aid, it is recommended that every student purchase the accompanying CD, as it will: Provide audio assistance and support in helping them to understand all of the practical aspects that are being taught, and Give them a measurement tool to determine when they are playing the designated exercises or tunes at the expected standard. You will find a symbol throughout each tutor book that identifies those aspects that have an audio example (or track) of the material being covered. A track number will be written inside the symbol so you will know which track to listen to on the CD.