A few chanter questions.

Uilleann Pipes
1

Here are a few rudimentary questions I have about the chanter. 1) Can the chanter be played like a whistle without the bag and drones? 2) What is a “practice chanter” and how is this different from a regular chanter? {Perhaps this is also the solution to question 1.} 3) Does the chanter or practice chanter sound the same when it is being played without the other pipes?

Thanks for your time.

2
  1. No, on two counts:

a) The chanter is fingered rather differently to a whistle. Although there’s a relationship there, you can’t automatically play one because you play the other.
b) The cane reed used in the Uilleann pipe chanter is very delicate and can’t take moisture going through it.

  1. There isn’t really such a thing as an Uilleann practice chanter. They are normal in highland piping, where most of the intial learning is done on them, but because of the problems with reeds, they just don’t work in Uilleann terms. You get a practice set, which is a normal, regular chanter, with just a bag and bellows, which leads into

  2. Yep, the practice set with just a chanter is played exactly the same and sounds just the same as a half or full set, except that the drones are rather quieter. Quite a lot quieter, in fact. This is the normal configuration on which to learn, as it is much easier to handle and deal with.

Cheers,
Calum

3

Hi,
You can get a mouth blown Uilleann Practice chanter. The opinion of most if not all would be to avoid it. Regarding Uilleann pipes, the most common set ups would be.

  1. Practice set, consisting of Bag, Bellows and Chanter.
  2. 1/2 Set, consisting of the above plus 3 Drones (tenor, baritone and bass)
  3. 3/4 Set, as 1/2 set plus tenor and baritone regulators.
  4. Full set, as 3/4 set but adding the bass regulator.

Most makers will sell you a practice set to which you can add drones and regulators as required. Have a look at some pipe makers sites to see the various sets. The name, “Student Chanter” is used by some makers to describe a less ornate chanter, ie it may be unkeyed and have no mounts to have keys retro-fitted, as far as playability is concerned it should sound and play the same as any other chanter from the same maker. (Obviously comparing chanters of the same type, ie Concert D etc)

Cheers, Mac

4

The plastic reeded, mouth blown ‘practice chanter’ ranges in price from $40US to as high as $100US. Usually, you can find them on eBay if you search the word ‘Uilleann’ but, people rarely bid on them (sorta tells a story doesn’t it?) The idea of getting into pipes for under $100 may not be a good one.

5

Most importantly, which may be the gist of the 1st question, is that the chanter is not mouth blown as a whistle is. The bellows supplies the air to the bag, and the bag supplies the air through the chanter. The reed is therefore dry. I’m assuming that this is obvious, but just in case. The chanter cannot be played without the bag and bellows.

The chanter, bag and bellows is the main part of the Uilleann pipes, most often called a practice set, because it is the part one learns on. But it is the part that makes the amazing sound of the pipes. One can even play in a band with just this setup, if desired.

The drones can be added later, after one becomes proficient, and adds the wonderful droning sound. This is called a half set. Some pipers will say it is better to start on a half set, some will disagree. In my case, if you know nothing about music, it is best to start with the “practice set”.

Much later the regs can be added, which accompany the chanter and drones. These are not necessary to have, but a really good piper, with really good regulators can add a whole new dimension to the sound.

Hope that helps…

6

Thank you all very much.