Assemble the bag, blowpipe, chanter, and drones
Check that all reeds are properly seated
Inflate the bag with steady breaths through the blowpipe
Maintain constant pressure on the bag with your arm
Keep the drones tuned and sounding continuously
Cover and uncover the chanter holes to play notes
Practice finger placement for clean note changes
Coordinate blowing and squeezing to keep the sound steady
Start with simple scales and exercises
Learn embellishments such as grace notes and doublings
Practice maintaining pitch and rhythm with a metronome
Tune the drones to the chanter before playing
Play tunes slowly at first, then increase speed
Clean and dry the instrument after playing
Store the reeds and bag properly when not in use