Once again I have to agree with each word you said. Chanter reeds needs some time to be adjusted, to be tamed….we can not put a new reed and go…no, it is not so easy. In my case I use David Chesney medium strength ( sometimes I needed to get them slightly softer using, just in the middle of blades, **NEVER TOUCHING THE EDGES**, using sand paper or, carefully, a very much sharp pocket knife( an Asturian “Taramundi”, used for pipers). Thanks again for your videos.
Absolutely! Reeds need TIME and patience to break in, a concept that I think is highly underrated. We want our reeds to be completely efficient immediately, and that's simply not possible (you wouldnt expect a plant to grow from a seed in a minute). I like Chesney reeds too, used them for quite a while. You're welcome, makes the time worthwhile!
I learned to play pipes at 24 and was given a hard reed to play,i struggled with this and was told by the pipe major that it was for volume,his pipes i tried one time were a breeze to play.ive come to the conclusion that upon inflating bag to almost firm drones should kick in and a increase pressure to where bag feels firm and fully inflated a slight increase in pressure is needed to start chanter reed at this point any herculean, red faced toad cheek nut busting maneuvers are an indication that the reed is too hard
One rule of thumb is if you cannot get through the first line of Scotland the Brave or Green Hills (e.g.), the reed is too hard. While a harder reed will contribute to volume, there's no point to me to play a hard reed that you struggle with just for the sake of volume. You wont enjoy playing and this will in turn decrease your motivation. I've seen too many people give up because they were given hard reeds and felt that they just werent good enough because they couldnt keep the reed sounding.
@@KyleBantaMusic totally agree,this hindered my playing on the pipes,my focus was overcoming that reed strength in order to play on the chanter which resulted in a unnatural effort holding the chanter while trying to execute finger movement so more time was spent trying to blow a hard reed than playing
my G1 platinum was unplayable to begin with. I gave it a little pinch on the uppr brass tub with a small piler and it just started working. Now I'm on Surefire reed and it just feels like cheating. G1 Platinum does sound a lot better so I'll have to practice enough to be able to go back to cane reed.
You shouldnt have to use pliers to pinch a pipe reed, fingers are sufficient. Using pliers may damage the reed if you are not very careful in that sense. Seems that Surefire reeds are relatively new (I had never heard of them before). If your reed wont sound for you, it's likely too hard (it's rarely because they were defective once produced).
I gave up fighting to keep my pipes going because of all the utter codswallop like “reeds have to be hard to get volume”. That’s why I stayed clear of bands. If a whole band of pipers aren’t loud enough, it’s olive oil in the ears they need, to clear out the wax, not harder reeds! I really miss my pipes. It’s about twenty years now since I’ve played my pipes. I tried the Blair digital pipes but the holes are too small and the birl hole is too far apart. It’s sensors that make the sound, not the spacing of the holes. It could work just as easy with standard practice chanter spacing which has been good enough for generations of pipers. Reeds sold as “easy” are mostly nothing of the sort. I remember a guy who was built like a brick er…outhouse and his reed was so comfortable to play. Some other guys have really hard reeds and small man syndrome to go with them. It makes no difference to me even if they’re a pipe Major, I have no respect for anyone watching another piper struggle. Sorry for the rant, but it’s better out than in.
I understand your frustration. What I've seen from some bands (typically low grade) is a lack of knowledge about choosing reeds with the CORRECT strength that has the same pitch for EACH player (it is possible!). I've also seen players leave bands for the same reason you mentioned, hard reeds (that's it!). If you are playing in a high level band (2, 1,), it is assumed that you are able to sustain a good tone with the PROPER setup (yes, proper setup is absolutely essential). I have also seen PM's personally test the strength and pitch of a reed then get the player to see how the strength feels (this was before Covid). If the player struggled to blow the chanter, the PM would change the reed or adjust the reed to make it easier while keeping the pitch in the ballpark range. Yes, it can be argued that volume is important for bands. However, I think that volume "recommendations" are more focused on higher grade bands where the pitch has increased steadily over the past 10 years. Some have argued that big volume is not necessary while others will argue otherwise. I havent tried the Blair chanter so I cannot comment.
@@KyleBantaMusic i was under the impression easy and hard was difficult related too,but not so, its about the player I believe your drone reeds are set to match pressure of the chanter,So softer Reed and more air (reservoir) is needed to sound. Hard Reed and more closed drones the bag requires more effort to fill the bag but the reservoir lasts longer going out tighter reeds .... psi/volume (a gallon of water lasts longer going through a tight valve than a wide open one ) Weight lifting there's lifting 20lbs 50 times or lift 200lbs 5 times ....(strength or longevity is part of a pipers preference for picking out reeds too i beleive)
I don't really understand what this comment is saying, I set my drone reeds so they're easy to blow and shut out fast at the same instant if too much pressure is applied, I've always had a great deal of trouble with my chanter reeds, and have had very little success in the past, I have several new reeds I haven't tried yet, I think I have an extreme fear of disappointment, but I'm pretty sure I needs easy reeds for my needs, but I'm still learning too, one of the things I was surprised to learn is that the pipes will have the same volume of air passing through them weather you're playing a fast song or a slow one.
@@michaelgillespie1206 If you think you need easy reeds, you're probably right. I use easy or easy-medium reeds. Yes, it doesnt matter what tune you play, the air passing through the pipes will be the same (the air pressure should be as consistent as possible).
@@KyleBantaMusic I've had good practice at tuning my drones and blowing steady, I would cork off my chanter because I didn't have any reeds I could play, but my Hendersons lock right in tune so easy with no wavering, so I would practice blowing steady and maintaining a constant pressure on the bag and got pretty good at it, but that changes some when you add the chanter.
Once again I have to agree with each word you said. Chanter reeds needs some time to be adjusted, to be tamed….we can not put a new reed and go…no, it is not so easy.
In my case I use David Chesney medium strength ( sometimes I needed to get them slightly softer using, just in the middle of blades, **NEVER TOUCHING THE EDGES**, using sand paper or, carefully, a very much sharp pocket knife( an Asturian “Taramundi”, used for pipers).
Thanks again for your videos.
Absolutely! Reeds need TIME and patience to break in, a concept that I think is highly underrated. We want our reeds to be completely efficient immediately, and that's simply not possible (you wouldnt expect a plant to grow from a seed in a minute). I like Chesney reeds too, used them for quite a while. You're welcome, makes the time worthwhile!
I learned to play pipes at 24 and was given a hard reed to play,i struggled with this and was told by the pipe major that it was for volume,his pipes i tried one time were a breeze to play.ive come to the conclusion that upon inflating bag to almost firm drones should kick in and a increase pressure to where bag feels firm and fully inflated a slight increase in pressure is needed to start chanter reed at this point any herculean, red faced toad cheek nut busting maneuvers are an indication that the reed is too hard
One rule of thumb is if you cannot get through the first line of Scotland the Brave or Green Hills (e.g.), the reed is too hard. While a harder reed will contribute to volume, there's no point to me to play a hard reed that you struggle with just for the sake of volume. You wont enjoy playing and this will in turn decrease your motivation. I've seen too many people give up because they were given hard reeds and felt that they just werent good enough because they couldnt keep the reed sounding.
@@KyleBantaMusic totally agree,this hindered my playing on the pipes,my focus was overcoming that reed strength in order to play on the chanter which resulted in a unnatural effort holding the chanter while trying to execute finger movement so more time was spent trying to blow a hard reed than playing
my G1 platinum was unplayable to begin with. I gave it a little pinch on the uppr brass tub with a small piler and it just started working. Now I'm on Surefire reed and it just feels like cheating. G1 Platinum does sound a lot better so I'll have to practice enough to be able to go back to cane reed.
You shouldnt have to use pliers to pinch a pipe reed, fingers are sufficient. Using pliers may damage the reed if you are not very careful in that sense. Seems that Surefire reeds are relatively new (I had never heard of them before). If your reed wont sound for you, it's likely too hard (it's rarely because they were defective once produced).
I gave up fighting to keep my pipes going because of all the utter codswallop like “reeds have to be hard to get volume”. That’s why I stayed clear of bands. If a whole band of pipers aren’t loud enough, it’s olive oil in the ears they need, to clear out the wax, not harder reeds! I really miss my pipes. It’s about twenty years now since I’ve played my pipes. I tried the Blair digital pipes but the holes are too small and the birl hole is too far apart. It’s sensors that make the sound, not the spacing of the holes. It could work just as easy with standard practice chanter spacing which has been good enough for generations of pipers. Reeds sold as “easy” are mostly nothing of the sort. I remember a guy who was built like a brick er…outhouse and his reed was so comfortable to play. Some other guys have really hard reeds and small man syndrome to go with them. It makes no difference to me even if they’re a pipe Major, I have no respect for anyone watching another piper struggle.
Sorry for the rant, but it’s better out than in.
I understand your frustration. What I've seen from some bands (typically low grade) is a lack of knowledge about choosing reeds with the CORRECT strength that has the same pitch for EACH player (it is possible!). I've also seen players leave bands for the same reason you mentioned, hard reeds (that's it!). If you are playing in a high level band (2, 1,), it is assumed that you are able to sustain a good tone with the PROPER setup (yes, proper setup is absolutely essential). I have also seen PM's personally test the strength and pitch of a reed then get the player to see how the strength feels (this was before Covid). If the player struggled to blow the chanter, the PM would change the reed or adjust the reed to make it easier while keeping the pitch in the ballpark range.
Yes, it can be argued that volume is important for bands. However, I think that volume "recommendations" are more focused on higher grade bands where the pitch has increased steadily over the past 10 years. Some have argued that big volume is not necessary while others will argue otherwise. I havent tried the Blair chanter so I cannot comment.
I like hard reeds for lower air use ... soft reeds I'd never keep the bag full
Interesting comment… I thought it would be the opposite. Why would soft (easier) reeds make it difficult to keep the bag full?
@@KyleBantaMusic i was under the impression easy and hard was difficult related too,but not so, its about the player I believe
your drone reeds are set to match pressure of the chanter,So softer Reed and more air (reservoir) is needed to sound.
Hard Reed and more closed drones the bag requires more effort to fill the bag but the reservoir lasts longer going out tighter reeds .... psi/volume (a gallon of water lasts longer going through a tight valve than a wide open one )
Weight lifting there's lifting 20lbs 50 times or lift 200lbs 5 times ....(strength or longevity is part of a pipers preference for picking out reeds too i beleive)
I don't really understand what this comment is saying, I set my drone reeds so they're easy to blow and shut out fast at the same instant if too much pressure is applied, I've always had a great deal of trouble with my chanter reeds, and have had very little success in the past, I have several new reeds I haven't tried yet, I think I have an extreme fear of disappointment, but I'm pretty sure I needs easy reeds for my needs, but I'm still learning too, one of the things I was surprised to learn is that the pipes will have the same volume of air passing through them weather you're playing a fast song or a slow one.
@@michaelgillespie1206 If you think you need easy reeds, you're probably right. I use easy or easy-medium reeds. Yes, it doesnt matter what tune you play, the air passing through the pipes will be the same (the air pressure should be as consistent as possible).
@@KyleBantaMusic I've had good practice at tuning my drones and blowing steady, I would cork off my chanter because I didn't have any reeds I could play, but my Hendersons lock right in tune so easy with no wavering, so I would practice blowing steady and maintaining a constant pressure on the bag and got pretty good at it, but that changes some when you add the chanter.