Frustrated

I meant to play today, then got caught up in the usual Sunday routine of chores, and in the end found just 20 minutes or so before getting dinner ready.

Feel a little frustrated. The King of Laoise not as good as it might be. I actually do better on my practice chanter: gracing is better, cleaner, faster, my hands are more relaxed. As it's about the same size as the pipe chanter I'm not sure why it's different. The practice chanter perhaps lighter, but then I have to support it entirely while the pipes chanter is supported by the bag. I suppose it's that rest of everything: like a learner drive who can happily park up, depress clutch and run through the gears, but ask me to change gear, mirror, signal, manoeuvre all at the same time and it suddenly feels very complicated, and very tense.

The thing is I feel I ought not be be such a beginner. I've been playing these damned pipes for over a year. Surely I should not still be grappling with my thumb tensing, too much bellows action, lack of pressure on the bag. Surely I should just be working on speed, timing, gracing and memorising this tune.

I did think my recent bout of numptiness (tensing, bellows etc) was down to not playing for a while. But I've played a lot recently, and still like an A grade numpty. As I said, it's frustrating.

PS - according to the Urban Dictionary numpty is a Scottish term, which is appropriate, I suppose.