Tommy Breckons (1928–2009) lived all his life on his family's Foundry Farm, Bellingham, central Northumberland.
They consisted of scales and arpeggios - the pupil would have to start slowly, and increase speed till mistakes happened.
Another group of exercises, based on variation sets, are all found in the four tunes Fenwick of Bywell, Jacky Layton, Felton Lonnen and Oh dear, what can the matter be.
[4] Significantly, Tommy related that both Tom Clough and Billy Pigg played covering the holes with the pads, rather than the ends, of their fingers.
He also set great store by rhythmic precision - his background in Highland piping gave good training for this.