Get Your Chanter Reeds Under Control! Part 1: Least destructive methods to bring in your reeds!
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- Опубліковано 3 вер 2019
- Command Your Bagpipe Merch Store: bit.ly/mattpiper
Get your Chanter Reed under control! In part 1, Matt Willis Bagpiper uses a bit of water, a bit of squeezing, and a bit of poking to bring 4 brand new reeds into playing condition. And there are a few surprisings along the way!
Supplies in the video:
Ultimate Reed Poker
Standard Reed Poker
Pressure (wika) Gauge
Tuning Tape
PART 2 (using sanding and scraping to ease in reed): • Scraping & Sanding You...
PART 3 (tuning your chanter): • Tuning Your Pipe Chant...
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I remember reading all of the stuff on the Dunsire forums before getting my pipes and thinking, "The maintenance on all of this is going to be overwhelming." But, it really doesn't have to be. Videos like this are super helpful.
Right, it isn’t magic it’s a process.
Glad you're finding the videos useful! Like everything, it's just a process. In this case, just not a very well documented one!
You have a way about your speaking that makes this very frustrating process seem so much easier, you are a great instructor, I enjoy your enthusiasm and charisma. I appreciate that you showed a way to "bring them in" using a method that doesn't molest the reed, this is so important not to jump immediately into sanding, scraping or trimming right off the bat, patience is key and knowing what to do for each correction is key.
Thank you! I’m having a blast making these videos and am glad so many people are learning from them. 👍👍👍
Ah, chanter reeds.. Easily the most daunting aspect of this illustrious instrument. Thanks for cutting our learning curve in half!
You're welcome! The next one is the scary one, where I scrape and sand a few of these bad boys!
I really enjoyed your video thank you. I learned to play the Pipes when I was 10yrs old and am now 70. When I was in the Pipe Band, the Pipe Major would tune our Pipes so I never did learn any of the little tricks to keeping my Pipes (reeds etc) maintained. I have struggled along by myself as the Band folded around 1980 and the closest Pipers are 2 hrs away. I play a couple of times a year but thanks to your videos I now feel that I'm back on track and will be playing much more frequently - and hopefully a lot less trouble free. Thank you very much
You're welcome! Glad you are finding the channel helpful. 60 years is quite the history of piping!
@@MattWillisBagpiper Thank you. I am a petite 5'2" female too haha
Ah, not a sir at all! Corrected my previous statement. :) :)
You wouldn't happen to live in Southern New Mexico? Lol
@@rabidrooster6525 No, I live in New Zealand
Great videos Matt! Such a great contribution and resource for us all
Great video Matt. Cannot wait for the second one. Files & scrapers at hand!!
Again a great video.
What I particularly enjoyed was the feeling of sitting across you and having a personal lesson.
Thanks! I would like to hope I don't talk *quite* this much at a lesson (have to let the students get a word in occasionally!)
Your insight and experience have helped me immensely. After working with several new chanter reeds, i finally got the full set going and sounding half way decent!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
You're welcome! Glad these are helping you out.
My first venture into bagpipes. Haven’t bought anything yet, so your videos are very valuable research for me. I really like it that you get right to the point.
Have you considered looking for an instructor?
Very nice Matt. Interesting, clear, very clear.
Thanks for this video. It helped me see that im doing things right. I need to get a canter manometer i think it will help getting chanter in tune
Excellent video! I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
Many thanks!
Thank you so much. I’m a trumpet teacher and player. I love the pipes and have always wanted to learn. Some friends gave me an instrument and I’m very excited. Will definitely be calling on you for lessons.
Great to hear!
Excellent advice really enjoyed it look forward to more just as good thank you
I hope the next one is as good! Fingers crossed. And thank you! Share with any pipers you think could get some use out of it!
Once again Matt you have me on the right path. This was super.
Glad you found it helpful!
Excellent video
Thank you! Share it with any pipers you know who could get some value from it... Cheers!
Matt, you are a marvellous man. Fantastic video! Very helpful!
Glad you are enjoying the videos! Cheers!
Hi Matt,
Yes another great video. Reeds tend to be a taboo in some bands with the Pipe Major and delegated 'sound men' only permitted to make adjustments, often without explanation. Now it all makes sense. Much obliged.
You're welcome! I probably should have added, if you are in one of those bands that doesn't let the members touch their reeds, then don't use me as excuse as to why you broke the rule! Kidding aside, these are critical skills that all pipers need and I'm happy to share what I know. Cheers!
Lol... Never been in one that wasn't inclined that way, but now retired from banding a long while so do my own maintenance and setting up, but having the technicalities covered as you have been doing is great. All of this would make a great book manual, having it in one place, as opposed to being accross several sources and in your down to earth understandable terminology, or even better a collection of your videos on dvd. A project for the long dark nights perhaps?
Great video that will make it a lot easier to get the chanter reeds for my Gaita to work properly!
Oh wow! I don't know anything about the gaita... Are the reeds similar? Glad this video could be of assistance!
It's a similar reed but slightly smaller than the one for the highland pipes.
Outstanding, very good with the basics that are needed.
Glad you found it useful!
very cool would love to see a review on the tunning software
Noted! Tuning videos are hard to make... Hopefully I can get one up soon. Cheers!
After comparing my current reed (which I dropped a couple of times) to a new one, I've decided to switch to the new one and start all over on breaking it in.
Dunk is the perfect word for it.
My dog left the room!
i like your vids ... the two fellas Im teaching have learned allot from you!
shape the venturie going into the reed and you can control the tone... on your spare chanter you can use baby powder and a black light to see the wind spiral. you can take elmers glue in small lines and make flutes to tighten the spiral..
They can sign up as patrons!
@@MattWillisBagpiper what I mean is they are starting to see results instead of just blowing ...now they are talking tune and sound!! coolness txs!
@@MattWillisBagpiper BTE i put gravel in my bag to make it sound better!.....lol
Thanks , this is deadly
Appreciated! Hope to get the next few chanter reed videos out soon!
Fascinating video. So many clear explanations and demos. Great learning. Are all reeds so variable in a single batch? Or are there better brands that have tighter quality control?
Really depends, but there’s always some variance.
Pretty much all the great pipers in my area use the BRAW tuner if they dont have one of those fancy chesney tuners, I use it as well, very nice app
The Braw tuner is very nice for the chanter. I find it a bit squirrelly for the drones though. But it's now my preferred chanter tuning app.
@@MattWillisBagpiper I'm the same way, I've been using my old yet reliable Korg tuner for my drones, BRAW to check notes on the chanter
Hi Matt, thanks a lot for all the videos you are making, I find them very useful. From others of your videos I got you like to play easy reeds, I wonder if you have any idea about the strenght of the reeds you play in terms of inches of water, please
I play 28-30 reeds. Easy, but not super easy. Below 28 I can’t really “lean” into the bag with arm. I used to play 32, but never got my breath capacity back after my first bout of Covid back in 2020.
@@MattWillisBagpiper Thank you!
Could you do two things, explain the difference between ridge-cut, and regular cut reeds, and a tutorial on tuning with the strobe tuner ?
Good topics to discuss! Seems like I may never run out of future bagpipe related topics. Stay tuned!
Love your videos, they are very helpful! Just where you got your pressure gauge from?
Glad you're enjoying the videos! I got that pressure gauge years ago from Chris Apps.
Very nice tutorial👍
I have problem in instrument chanter the air is lickeage and give voice.
Which are the top makers who makes the bagpipe Reeds the chanter Reeds I mean
Hey could you possibly do a video on setting up drone reeds?
Hello! There will definitely a video (or video series) on drone reeds in the future. Stay tuned! And hope you've subscribed!
how do I rewrap chanter reeds? I don't know if that is why my chanter is a high pitch . used to hit the low g. Now at a higher pitch.
Hi Matt... thank you for all your help... can you tell me where I can locate the Pressure Gauge used in this video ?
I bought it from Chris Apps many years ago.
Can you or anyone tell me how to use the bagpipes chanter adjustment kit/tools? There are 3 tools.
What’s your thoughts on McCallum bagpipes David Nail pipes? I heard nail pipes used to be. Thank you
Both are excellent bagpipes that will serve you well your whole career.
What chanter reeds are better, ridge cut, molded, or straight-sided reeds? Easy to adjust and work with?
I think ridge cut reeds are the easiest to work on. Less fragile, more cane to work with.
Can you suggest a vendor or two for your reed pokers? I've got a cut-rate approximation (literally a ground-down screwdriver), so maybe it's time I upgraded.
I use the ultimate reed poker from Jori Chisholm at bagpipelessons.com
My drones are cutting out even before any sounds comes out of the chanter. I only hear air coming out, also in the drones. The set I bought second hand from a well seasoned piper, and so far I didnt dare change her settings (bridles on eezydrone reeds left where they are) as I didnt want to mess things up. I used to own a slightly smaller pipe, this one seems to larger (its a medium size ballantine hide bag with zipper and anti moisture thingys inside:)) and I had no trouble getting some proper sound from the chanter, but with this one all Iget is a squeak when I give the fully inflated bag a good "kick" with the elbow, and that's all....frustrated!!!
Have you tried going step-by-step through this video? ua-cam.com/video/lBotVgTWIPs/v-deo.html
Newby question, so crowing on high A, etc. is desirable? Also, any chance on a video with tips on transitioning from practice chanter to pipes?
Great question! I am going to go into this more fully in the next two videos, but briefly, if there is no crow on high A when under-blown, it could mean that your gracenotes are going to not have the "crack" you might want. In modern piping, folks tend to blow through the crow to a clear High A, but there are lots of recordings of older pipers with quite strong crowing High A's, so it seems to come in and out of fashion...
There's actually good audio on Spotify of Stuart Liddell having a crow on his high A playing Fair Maid of Barra. Every example on UA-cam, though, is a clear high A. I prefer the clearer version.
@@molasses4masses Agreed. Crowing drives me bonkers like fingers down a chalkboard. A nice clean, slightly disappearing high A for me personally.
i REALLY want to learn the chanter, any tips, getting started?
Standard/long?
what i should get to get started?
What should i expect? thingsa like that
tips would be awesome!
as well as recomended chanters lol the Maverick ones are SO PRETTY but also pricey sooooo idk :P
Standard and long are pretty much the same these days. The long has extra length below the low G hole, and occasionally slightly wider finger spacing (but not always). Maverick makes a very good chanter indeed, but yes, not cheap. Any polypenco/plastic chanter from any of the major manufacturers is a good instrument to get started with...
I recommend a teacher, Skype or zoom if you have to, I know it's expensive, but if you go it alone with a tutor book and even UA-cam vids, you will develop bad habits without knowing it. Pros will hear/see things that you won't know you are doing. Wish I had proper instruction when i started around 20 years ago. Now I do Skype lessons and my instructor corrects me on things I'm not even aware of.
Any suggestions for a sturdy practice chanter. I am a truck driver and am wondering if I should just go cheap just in case it breaks or do they have a heavy duty type
I think the R.G. Hardie twist-trap long practice chanters are the best for sturdiness and keeping the reed dry. They also tend to have slightly better D and high G's. Definitely a long. The short chanters have more intonation issues, it seems.
As you said in this video, the reed tends to become easier over time. How much should I wait before saying "ok, this is still too hard for me, I need scraping/sanding"?
Good question, and there's no one answer... I'd say if it's still too hard to play after 3-4 attempts (of a few minutes each), I'd start trying to ease it a bit. Just remember you can't put cane back on the reed once removed... So less is better when you do start sanding/scraping.
Hey Matt, I got my first set of pipes and having a real time playing any longer then a minute or so before I’m out of breath. Any suggestions on what I can do ? I got the drones plugged just working on the chanter
Setting up new bagpipes can be daunting, even for an experienced player. Is there anyone in your area that can help you? It’s difficult to determine if you or the instrument is at fault without actually playing it... have you tested to make sure the bag is airtight?
Wish you'd go over the practice chanter that comes with the Twist Trap practice pipes from R.G. Hardie & Co. I love them so far but have a few questions. I know you did an unboxing and watched it several times. 1. What are the two holes in the bottom sides of the chanter? 2. Can you ream the holes a bit "top only" to give a small impression as to be able to find the holes better? 3. Can you buy another 'better chanter to use with the Twist Trap, such as the ones you use in this video? Thanks in advance.
1. The bottom two holes are the tone holes for low G.
2. I would alter the holes. Give it time and keep practicing and you’ll start feeling the holes. 👍
3. The chanter in this video is a full pipe chanter, not a practice chanter bottom, like the chanter portion of the twist trap. A real pipe chanter would not work with the twist trap practice pipes.
@@MattWillisBagpiper Thank you Matt!
I'm new to your videos. What is the reed difficulty number you keep referring to? I usually track my reed pressures in psi which of course yields numbers like 1 - 1.5. What are the units of the 30- something numbers you're using?
Great question! Inches of water displaced. Much more info here! bagpipejourney.com/articles/manometer.shtml
Glad you found the channel! Hope you subscribed!
Fantastic, thank you. Is that mouthpiece with the gauge commercially available, or did you make that?
It is available! I'd direct link it, but that affects the monetization (aka, I make less money, since it takes you to an online store), but you can go to The Piper's Hut and look up "Chanter Reed Pressure Guage" (and yes, it's listed misspelled) and you'll find it. $110 USD at the moment.
Do you have a link to the chanter pressure gauge you use in this video. Ive been looking online for them but cant see them anywhere would appreciatebif you coukd help
appsreeds.com/products/reed-pressure-gauge
I first watched these videos for a practice chanter, got my pipes and forgot this part lol duh
What should you do if a new reed is too hard for you to break in and it's already an easy one? Asking for a friend (not me; I play extra hard reeds where the bamboo still has roots and leaves).
It depends on how easy the reed is already. At a certain point, you'll ease up the reed to the point where you cannot maintain both a high A and low G at the same pressure. At that point, you simply need to be stronger. There is a minimum amount of blowing strength needed to play the pipes, and some folks need to add some cardio and strength training to their daily routine to get the masic fitness up to a level they can successfully play the pipes...
Ty
Do you make your own pressure gauge? I've seen them for sale before but they usually run at least $100.
I just buy the $100 one. Not worth the time for me to source all the parts...
I know that the bagpipes makeup 80% of a piper. But what about the other 20% which is the outfit? I would especially like to know more about the Irish Defence Force Piper outfit.
Do the colors have anything to do with easy Medium or hard? Cuz mine has black wires or hemp
The colors do not, they can represent either different brands or different ranges from a given maker, but not strength.
while talking about tuning ghb,s... I mentioned numbers and that I measure my low A mhz on chanter and half it for tenors and half again for bass but was told it's not about numbers, the chanter scale evens out in thirds??? And tunning the reed was an art in itself
My imagination is thinking that the music scale on a guitar has more noets while the chanter scale has less missing out 2 notes between holes.... or was he referring to a way to get reeds to perfect 440 low A, and only then the pipes can be properly tuned?
I'm not sure I"m following your questions... Most modern pipe chanters tune around 480, which means the tenors would be 240, and the bas 120. The high A then would be 960... As for the other notes, in bagpipe temperament, they are specific fractions based on the low A frequency, but the math is beyond me. I use either a tuner or my ear against the drones to get the other notes in tune.
@@MattWillisBagpiper I like numbers (my reeds ballpark 465 low A give or take ) and the brawl tunner is awesome... but when I spoke numbers I was told "the chanter evens out in thirds , numbers has nothing to do with tuning,, it's about the art of tunning reeds "
So thinking 50-500 pipers all play in tune I wondered if there was a way to tune a reed by seating,scraping or poking that his ear could pick out to be the true tuning
The evens in thirds I just thought he was referring to what notes a guitar,piano ect has that a chanter dosent and maybe it was 2 missing between low g and low other instruments could hit
Me being able to tune a guitar to near e by ear I thought his expertise allowed him to do similar with a reed and my talk of numbers simplifying it insulted his way maybe? Idk
I never plan on playing in bands so if I'm off key but in tune with my chanter I'm comfortable .. thanks again
Hi Matt. What does the poker do exactly? I've never heard of one before.
Opens the staple and makes the reed a bit harder to blow and can occasionally help with sharp high G’s.
@@MattWillisBagpiper Thanks Matt, have a great day.
Hi Matt. Great videos and really appreciated. Got a quick question, I’ve not long started learning and just got myself a new practice chanter. The High A is a long way out of tune to the rest of the instrument. Any tips on resolving this? Cheers
Thanks! Is the high A too sharp or flat?
The A is flat...
Ross Hamilton try sinking the reed further into the seat. You may have to remove some hemp to do that.
Matt Willis Bagpiper great! I’ll give that a try...🙂
@@rosshamilton3203 Let us know how it goes!
Hi, Matt!
I have a problem here: my small pipes's chanter reed cuts the air flow because of a little increase of blowing (it's not an "over" blowing, just a little stronger one).
What shoul I do about that?
Happy Hogmanay!🍻
What brand smallpipes?
@@MattWillisBagpiper McCallum ; reed: Shaw
Can a reed get “tired” after a few days of practice playing?
If so can they “rest” and get back into shape?
Reeds can bounce after playing, at least to some degree. I’d make sure the moisture control on your folks pipes is working well (perhaps time to bake the desiccant?)
Bagpipe scale tuning is "just temperament".
I need a lesson please I’ve subscribed
For info on lessons, please email me at matt@mattpiper.com
Thanks!
Least destructive ? Well, wouldn't say.... Water tends to make the cane vibrate too much, so will make it easier , but will never produce a "world" class sound.
Rather use a band on the reed if it's not too sharp yet and want to make it easier, also note to keep your reed in a cigar case to pre break in before you put it in your chanter. It's quite a tricky one if somebody wants a good reed and a good sound, but generally speaking, out of 100 reeds at least 90 goes to the bin, and the 10% is the one you want to work with...( Also I'm talking about these as a Competitor , if you are fine with whatever reed, go with it, but then again, don't think about competing, because you can get very disappointing results.)
Jack Lee at his reed workshops talks a lot about licking his reeds and making sure there is enough moisture on them. If Jack Lee can sound like he does with a damp reed, I don't suspect a bit of water on the reed is going to hurt anything... One can certainly oversaturate a reed, but I think a mostly dry reed sound pretty thin much of the time.
where should i get reeds? i have a few but they were really cheap and therfore dont play well. im also skeptical of amazon and ebay
Lone Star Piper, Henderson Imports, J. Higgins, The Piper's Hut all have good reed selections.
@@MattWillisBagpiper thank you so much!
Matt could you do a video on making and useing a manometer
Fyi i mean the type you put into the drone for measuring steadiness
Yes! It’s on the list, though there are a few things I need to cover first. But it’s on the list!
Tried to make one today to fix the over blowing on my top hand. Blew all the liquid out on the wall
Ha!! Needed a longer tube? Too much water?
@@MattWillisBagpiper 6 feet of tube each side and about i don't know a foot of water. Im gonna try restricting the exiting air see what that does. Or maybe im out of calibration.
What is the tuning app being used?
Peterson's iStroboSoft
EFFFING YEESSS!!!
Noob over here blowing his brains out on some STIFF reeds just to get a squawk-honk
Hope this helps!
Hi Matt,
I'm a fresh player here who just ordered my first set of pipes, ought I to have ordered spare reeds to ensure i have one that is playable? what strength of reeds should i go for?
Thanks for your videoes, Ive learnt alot from them :)
I'd go with another easy reed. Glad you found the channel! What brand pipes?
@@MattWillisBagpiper I went for McCallum acetyl pipes, thought it made sense as a learning set. Really getting excited to receive them, but dreading having to tie them in 🙂
The retailer wouldn’t tie them in for you?
@@MattWillisBagpiper ordered them online from thebagpipeshop.co.uk, since we have no retailers around here. Can they be shipped in a tied in state?
what is the app you are using?
iStroboSoft from Peterson (on an iOS device). The Android version does not allow "sweeteners" to be purchased, which is needed for the temperament of the highland pipes.
To your point about uses for a reed in concert B mix/E maj - soundcloud.com/peter-bailey-bagpiper/right-to-heal-by-sterling-masters
Perfect example!
my reed makes a weird sound and when i put it into the chanter it wont make a sound
I'd need to see a video of the process to diagnose... Are you putting enough air through the reed?
So, i bought a practice chanter and i have a plastic reed, it make my chanter sound like a goose, Is that normal?
Try increasing the amount of air you're putting through the reed. Let us know!
487 with a Shepherd? Holy crap! My MK 3 classic is never over 480. Give me a 30” reed any day! :o)
Aye, reed pokers don’t do anything unless it’s a folded staple, I reckon.
That’s a lot of pitch variability for the same make of reed.
I agree the pitch variability is great, but I cannot say it's unusual in my experience. Perhaps I always get a bad selection of reeds, but they are pretty much always this inconsistent. One of the reasons I chose not to name either the supplier or brand. But it hasn't mattered... I've gotten reeds straight from makers, from retailers... And lots of different brands. Can't remember getting a batch of consistent reeds. I suspect many other pipers have felt the same. I think it's a real problem and one that should be addressed, but in the meantime, I'll do my best to make videos to help get the reeds working for folks!
@@MattWillisBagpiper i agree i’ve never had a reed that you did not need to try to fix to make it work
Abedour ? Asking for a friend lol.
Haven’t played many, but the few I did worked fine. 👍
So, in other words, you have to buy $200 wort of reeds to get one that is playable and has a decent tone?
Maybe only $130 worth of reeds. ;) But yeah, I always buy a lot of reeds and pray one works.
@@MattWillisBagpiper Thanks Matt, that's what I figured. Losing the reed that I have been playing and comfortable with is like losing an old friend and rather traumatic.
How much are your Skype lessons?
Email me at matt@mattpiper.com and I’ll get you my rates. 👍
Getting a bit winded watching