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THE

Highland

Bagpipe

Academy

 

Learn Highland Bagpipes 
Online the Right Way

 

Go from complete beginner to playing real bagpipe tunes with confidence —
even if you’ve never played before, using a proven step-by-step system.

Start Learning Today
Start Free Beginner Course

✔ No experience needed   •   ✔ Learn at your own pace   •   ✔ 30-day guarantee

A Complete Step-by-Step System for Learning Bagpipes

Learn the Bagpipes the Right Way — Step-by-Step From a Touring Professional

Stop guessing your way through the bagpipes. This course shows you exactly what to practice, step-by-step — from your first notes to playing full tunes with confidence.

Built from 20+ years of performing and teaching — including 100+ shows a year with Gaelic Storm — this is the fastest path to real progress without confusion or wasted time.

 

 

What You’ll Learn Inside

  • ✔ Step-by-step video lessons from complete beginner to advenaced
  • ✔ Simple, clear instruction (no confusing music theory)
  • ✔ A structured practice system so you actually improve
  • ✔ Real tunes, exercises, and technique training with interactive sheet music
  • ✔ Learn at your own pace with lifetime access

Learn From a Proven Professional

  • ✔ 25+ years as a professional bagpiper
  • ✔ 100+ live shows per year with Gaelic Storm
  • ✔ Thousands of students taught online
  • ✔ Proven system that works for complete beginners
  • ✔ Trusted by students in over 10 countries worldwide

Who This Is For

  • ✔ You’ve never played before and want to start the right way
  • ✔ You feel stuck and not improving
  • ✔ You want a clear, structured path instead of guessing
  • ✔ You’re serious about learning and getting results
  • ✔ You want to learn properly instead of picking up bad habits

 

Start your first lesson today - risk free.

Start Learning Today

The Learning Path

A Simple, Step-by-Step Path
to Playing the Bagpipes

Most beginners get stuck because they practice the wrong things in the wrong order. This system fixes that.

Follow a proven system that builds your skills in the right order — without confusion or wasted time.

Stage 1

Build a Strong Foundation

Start strong with the essentials.

  • ✔ Learn proper finger placement
  • ✔ Understand timing and rhythm
  • ✔ Start your first notes the right way

Stage 2

Develop Control & Confidence

Build control, consistency, and confidence.

  • ✔ Master essential movements and control
  • ✔ Learn bagpipe maintenance and tuning basics
  • ✔ Eliminate common beginner mistakes

Stage 3

Play Real Bagpipe Tunes

Put your skills into music.

  • ✔ Learn full bagpipe tunes step-by-step
  • ✔ Improve timing, flow, and musicality
  • ✔ Start sounding like a real player
Explore the Full Course Breakdown

Who This Course Is For

Is This Right for You?

This course works best for people who are ready to follow a proven system and put in consistent practice.

This Course Is For You If...

  • ✔ You’re a complete beginner and want a clear starting point
  • ✔ You’ve tried learning before but felt stuck or confused
  • ✔ You want a structured, step-by-step system
  • ✔ You want to learn properly without bad habits
  • ✔ You’re ready to practice consistently and improve
  • ✔ You want to learn at your own pace

This Course Is Not For You If...

  • ✕ You’re looking for shortcuts without putting in the work
  • ✕ You’re not willing to follow a structured system
  • ✕ You expect instant results without consistent practice
  • ✕ You prefer random free tips over a proven method
  • ✕ You’re already advanced and looking for elite-level refinement


If this sounds like you, you’re exactly who this course was built for.

Starter

$39/month

  • ✔ Access 25+ hours of high-quality video lessons
  • ✔ Track your progress as you move through the course
  • ✔ Learn from 50+ video tune tutorials
  • ✔ Use interactive sheet music to follow along more easily
  • ✔ Download printable sheet music for practice offline
  • ✔ 30-day money-back guarantee
  • ✔Cancel anytime with no long-term commitment
  • ✔ Email support when you need help

Perfect if you want to get started risk-free.

 

Start Today

Lifetime Access

$597/one time payment

 

BEST VALUE MOST POPULAR

  •  
  •  
  • ✔ Lifetime access to everything
  • ✔Access 25+ hours of high-quality video lessons
  • ✔Track your progress as you move through the course
  • ✔Learn from 50+ video tune tutorials
  • ✔Use interactive sheet music to follow along more easily
  • ✔Download printable sheet music for practice offline
  • ✔30-day money-back guarantee
  • ✔Cancel anytime with no long-term commitment
  • ✔Email support when you need help
  •  

Included Bonuses:

  • ✔ 50 Essential Tune Book
  • ✔ Gaelic Storm Tune Book
  • ✔ Christmas Collection
  • ✔ Personalized Video and Audio Feedback 

  • One-time payment — all future updates included at no extra cost.
  •  
Get Lifetime Access

Annual

$279/year

  • ✔ Access 25+ hours of high-quality video lessons
  • ✔ Track your progress as you move through the course
  • ✔ Learn from 50+ video tune tutorials
  • ✔ Use interactive sheet music to follow along more easily
  • ✔ Download printable sheet music for practice offline
  • ✔ 50 Essential Tunes Book included
  • ✔ 30-day money-back guarantee
  • ✔ Cancel anytime with no long-term commitment
  • ✔ Email support when you need help

Best for committed learners who want to save and stay consistent.

 

Start Annual Plan
✓

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Try the Course Risk-Free

Join with confidence knowing you’re fully protected. Take a look through the lessons, explore the course, and make sure it feels like the right fit for you.

If you decide it’s not right for you within the first 30 days, just reach out and you’ll get a full refund.

A Proven System That Takes You From Beginner to Real Tunes

Learn in the right order with a structured path that builds real skill — not confusion, not guesswork.

No random lessons. No wasted time. Just a clear path that shows you exactly what to practice at every stage.

180+ Lessons
Step-by-step training
30+ Hours
In-depth video
Structured Path
No guesswork

Inside the Full Learning System

  1. The Practice Chanter

    8 lessons
    1. Parts of a Practice Chanter
    2. Buying a Practice Chanter
    3. Holding a Practice Chanter
    4. Blowing a Practice Chanter
    5. Practice Chanter Reed
    6. Practice Chanter Maintenance
    7. Tuning a Practice Chanter
    8. Practice Chanter Quiz

  2. Beginner Bagpipe Music Theory

    6 lessons
    1. Music Terminology
    2. Time Signatures
    3. Dots and Cuts
    4. Tied Notes
    5. Note Values
    6. Bagpipe Music Theory Quiz

  3. Notes

    10 lessons
    1. Low G
    2. Low A
    3. B
    4. C
    5. D
    6. E
    7. F
    8. High G
    9. High A
    10. She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain

  4. Crossing Noises

    1 lesson
    1. Crossing Noises

  5. Strikes

    9 lessons
    1. B Strike
    2. C Strike
    3. D Strike
    4. Open D Strike
    5. E Strike
    6. F Strike
    7. High G Strike
    8. High A Strike
    9. Old MacDonald Had A Farm

  6. Grace Notes

    10 lessons
    1. High G Grace Note
    2. Ascending High G Grace Note
    3. Descending High G Grace Note
    4. D Grace Note
    5. Ascending D Grace Note
    6. Descending D Grace Note
    7. E Grace Note
    8. Ascending E Grace Note
    9. Descending E Grace Note
    10. When the Saints Go Marching In

  7. Doublings

    10 lessons
    1. Low G Doubling
    2. Low A Doubling
    3. B Doubling
    4. C Doubling
    5. D Doubling
    6. E Doubling
    7. F Doubling
    8. High G Doubling
    9. High A Doubling
    10. My Land

  8. Throws

    3 lessons
    1. Heavy D Throw
    2. Light D Throw
    3. Scots Wha Hae

  9. Grips

    2 lessons
    1. Grip
    2. Colin's Cattle

  10. More Grace Notes

    5 lessons
    1. Low G Grace Note
    2. High A Grace Note
    3. Ascending High A Grace Note
    4. Descending High A Grace Note
    5. Minstrel Boy

  11. Taorluath

    2 lessons
    1. Taorluath
    2. Scotland the Brave

  12. High G Strikes

    5 lessons
    1. High G Strike on B
    2. High G Strike on C
    3. High G Strike on D
    4. Open High G Strike on D
    5. Brown Haired Maiden

  13. Birls

    5 lessons
    1. 4 Types of Birls
    2. Regular Birl
    3. Low A Birl
    4. High G Birl
    5. Barren Rocks of Aden

  14. Tachums

    2 lessons
    1. Tachums
    2. Loudon's Bonnie Woods and Braes

  15. Strathspey Movement

    2 lessons
    1. Strathspey Movement
    2. Gille Callum

  16. G-D-E Movement

    2 lessons
    1. G-D-E Movement
    2. Kesh Jig

  17. Half Doublings

    8 lessons
    1. Low G Half Doubling
    2. Low A Half Doubling
    3. B Half Doubling
    4. C Half Doubling
    5. D Half Doubling
    6. E Half Doubling
    7. F Half Doubling
    8. Wings

  18. Doubling Strikes

    4 lessons
    1. B Doubling Strike
    2. C Doubling Strike
    3. D Doubling Strike
    4. Open D Doubling Strike

  19. Rodin

    2 lessons
    1. Rodin
    2. Castle Dangerous

  20. Darado "Bubbly Note"

    2 lessons
    1. Darado "Bubbly Note"
    2. Devil in the Kitchen

  21. Introduction to Piobaireachd (Coming Summer 2026)

    1 lesson
    1. Introduction to Piobaireachd

  22. Slides and Slurs

    2 lessons
    1. Slides and Slurs
    2. Suo Gan

  23. Tuning and Maintenance

    33 lessons

    1. Pipe Bag

      1. Selecting the perfect pipe bag
      2. Bag Covers and Cords
      3. Checking the bag is airtight
      4. Seasoning a Pipe Bag

    2. Drones

      1. Drone Basics
      2. Types of Drone Reeds
      3. Fitting Drone Reeds in Pipes
      4. Drone Reed Adjustments
      5. Drone Tuning Position

    3. Pipe Chanter

      1. Pipe Chanter Reed Basics
      2. Handling a Pipe Chanter Reed
      3. Selecting a Pipe Chanter Reed
      4. Pipe Chanter Reed Strength
      5. Chanter Tape
      6. Raising and Lowering Chanter Pitch
      7. Reed is too Easy
      8. Reed is too Hard
      9. Reed is too Flat or Sharp
      10. Double Toning F
      11. Sharp High G and High A

    4. Playing Bagpipes

      1. Playing a Goose
      2. Playing 1 Drone
      3. Playing 2 Drones
      4. Playing 3 Drones
      5. Striking in
      6. Tuning Chanter
      7. Blowing Steady

    5. Bagpipe Maintenance

      1. Checking the Wood for Cracks
      2. Hemping properly
      3. Bagpipe Cases
      4. Oiling your pipes
      5. Waxing Your Drones
      6. Cleaning Water Trap

  24. Tunes

    49 lesson
    1. Free Tune Books

    1. 2/4 Marches

      1. Mairi's Wedding
      2. Brown Haired Maiden
      3. The Barren Rocks of Aden
      4. High Road to Gairloch
      5. Teribus
      6. Highland Laddie
      7. 79th Farewell to Gibraltar

    2. 3/4 Marches

      1. Green Hills of Tyrol
      2. When the Battle's Over
      3. Collin's Cattle
      4. My Land
      5. Balmoral
      6. Castle Dangerous

    3. 4/4 Marches

      1. Scots Wha Hae
      2. Scotland the Brave
      3. Minstrel Boy
      4. Rowan Tree
      5. Wings
      6. Auld Lang Syne
      7. Robin Adair
      8. Blue Bells of Scotland
      9. We're No Awa' Tae Bide Awa'

    4. 6/8 Marches

      1. Bonnie Dundee
      2. Steam Boat
      3. Hundred Pipers
      4. Glendaruel Highlanders

    5. Jigs

      1. Rocking the Baby
      2. Kesh Jig
      3. Hag at the Churn
      4. Old Hag at the Kiln

    6. Reels

      1. Piper of Drummond
      2. Sleepy Maggie
      3. Jenny Dang the Weaver
      4. High Road to Linton

    7. Strathspeys

      1. Captain Horn
      2. Loudon's Bonnie Woods and Braes
      3. Gille Callum
      4. Orange and Blue
      5. Devil in the Kitchen

    8. Slow Marches/Airs

      1. Amazing Grace
      2. Skye Boat Song
      3. Suo Gan
      4. Dawn of the Day
      5. Danny Boy
      6. Going Home
      7. Flower of Scotland

    9. Hornpipes

      1. Jolly Beggarman
      2. Boys of Bluehill
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About Your Instructor

Learn from a Professional
Bagpiper Trusted by
Thousands

I’ve spent years performing, teaching, and helping students go from complete beginners to confident players. Through my work with Gaelic Storm, numerous pipe bands and thousands of online students, I’ve developed a simple, structured system that removes confusion and gets real results.

🎓

2,000+ Students

taught worldwide

★

30+ Years

of experience playing and teaching

♪

Touring Member of Gaelic Storm

performing on stages worldwide

🛡

Proven Step-by-Step System

designed for real results

Frequently Asked Questions

 

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