How to Master Dot-Cuts in Every Tune: A Fluidity Exercise for Bagpipes

by Jori Chisholm, Founder of BagpipeLessons.com
Last Updated: April 9, 2024

Today I will share a unique exercise I came up with that focuses on a core skill for pipers that I’ve never seen with any other exercise anywhere. It’s one of the most important aspects of bagpipe music, and one of the most challenging to execute cleanly and consistently: the dot-cut. I’ll help you master this cornerstone rhythmic pattern so you can play your dot-cuts with control, confidence and smoothness in all of your tunes from 3/4 marches to the most challenging MSRs.

The exercise is from my popular series of power exercises. Download the free Power Dot-Cut Fluidity exercise from our website and join our Inner Circle membership for exclusive access to hundreds of lessons, tunes, videos, and live classes designed to elevate your piping to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience, this video will incrementally challenge and refine your execution of the dot-cut rhythm. Let’s do this!

Watch the video and scroll down to read the full video script.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScHw41tJAeg

Video Transcript:

Welcome back! Today I want to talk about one of the most important aspects of bagpipe music. It’s the most dominant rhythmic pattern in all of pipe music and one of the most challenging to execute cleanly and consistently. And that is the Dot-Cut. I’m going to share with you an exercise I created that will help you master this cornerstone rhythmic pattern so you can play your dot-cuts with control, consistency, and smoothness in all of your tunes from 3/4 marches all the way up to the most challenging MSRs.

I’ve created many exercises over the years to help improve my own technique and to help my students improve theirs. This is probably the most important and most unique exercise I’ve ever come up with because it focuses on a core skill for pipers that I’ve never seen with any other exercise anywhere. This exercise is called Power Dot-Cut Fluidity. It will help you focus on the timing of your dot-cuts and help you perfect your finger technique so that you can play your dot-cuts with ease and speed. I guarantee if you master this exercise, you will be able to master your dot-cuts in any tune.

Download the Power Dot-Cut Exercise

This exercise is a part of the Power Exercises series I’ve created to refine your fingering and ensure your gracenotes are executed flawlessly. The series, which includes exercises like Power GDEs, Power Doublings, Power Strathspey Triplets, and more, is available exclusively to members of my BagpipeLessons.com Inner Circle. Membership grants you access to weekly live classes, an extensive lesson library, and personalized support. Learn more at BagpipeLessons.com/membership.

The Power Dot-Cut Fluidity exercise unfolds in four stages, each designed to incrementally challenge and refine your execution of the dot-cut rhythm. We begin with basic, plain notes to establish the foundational rhythm. The exercise then escalates in complexity, introducing grace notes in the second part, doublings in the third, and concluding with grips, taorluaths, and more in the fourth. With each progression, there’s a natural inclination to elongate the short notes. It’s vital to counteract this by striving for brevity and fluidity in the short notes, even as the technical demands increase.

Here are key points to guide you through this exercise:

Maintain a slow tempo. The aim is to accentuate the dot-cut rhythm, allowing the dotted note to consume 90% or more of the beat while keeping the cut note exceptionally short and smooth. The term “Fluidity” is deliberate, emphasizing the need for quickness and ease in transition.

Playing with proper form is crucial, especially for this exercise. Keep your hands relaxed and your fingers close to the chanter. The primary challenge lies in maintaining hand relaxation throughout the exercise, particularly as you navigate the long and short notes. If shortening the cut note proves difficult, the solution lies in reducing tension and adopting a lighter, more fluid approach.

Consider pausing the video to focus on mastering one note combination at a time. Observe any variations in timing between different note combinations; the goal is absolute consistency. Whether ascending (e.g., G A B) or descending (e.g., B A G), each dot-cut pair should mirror the others: markedly elongated on the dotted note and exceedingly brief on the cut note.

Be attentive to any differences in how your fingers feel during the exercise. Ascending scales may feel different from descending ones, so listen for any timing discrepancies and be sensitive to variations in finger sensation. The key to success in the Power Dot-Cut Fluidity exercise is achieving lightness and looseness—never allowing tension or rigidity to creep in. Aim for smoothness and fluidity throughout.

Using a metronome, such as the Piper’s Metronome™ that I created, is essential for maintaining a steady rhythm and improving your overall timing. There’s a dot-cut preset built in to the app that will help you with this exercises and all of your tunes that have the dot-cut pattern. You can download the app free for both Apple or Android at https://pipersmetronome.com/

If this video moves too fast for you, slow it down. Hit the gear icon, choose ‘Playback Speed,’ and find a pace that fits. Start slow. Control first, speed later.

Now, with your practice chanter or pipes ready, let’s play Power Dot-Cut Fluidity!

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Questions or stories about your piping journey? Drop them in the comments. Need help with a tune or a piping technique? I’ve got you covered. Enjoyed the exercise? Dive deeper with the BagpipeLessons.com Inner Circle, where you’ll find weekly live classes, an extensive lesson archive, and personal support from me. Discover more at https://bagpipelessons.com/membership/.

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Thanks and Happy piping!