I received yesterday a practice set from a well known maker-beautiful workmanship and tone. However in both octaves the DEF#G and def#g are easily played in tune, but the ABCC# and abc are 50 cents (a quarter tone) flat. For the A and B if I don’t raise all my right hand fingers, and for the C I also need a non-standard fingering to prevent the notes from being a semitone flat. I have had a loaner practice set for a year, so am no pro, but I can play with other people more or less in tune on that set. So while I assume different sets play differently and this partly reflects my inexperience, I doubt if this is the whole answer.
Any one have a diagnosis? If it’s a reed problem, I’d certainly appreciate hearing by email or PM from any commercial reed maker who’d be willing to make me a new reed. I will see a good local piper tonight for his advice, but I’d appreciate any thoughts meantime.
Did you buy directly from the maker? If so, it’s best to contact him for advice.
Otherwise, considering you received delivery of the set yesterday, it’s probably just that the reed hasn’t settled into the climate where you live. My advice would be to wait until you get a few mild days and see if the reed settles down. If you go tweaking it now you risk damaging the reed when all it probably needs is a few days to get used to the change in heat/humidity.
Yes, I’ve contacted the maker, and await a reply. Waiting until the reed settles in is a good idea-it arrived in a sealed container, so it certainly hasn’t reached equilibrium.
It’s a very good idea. I don’t know where your set came from, but I know there can be a little humidity where you are.
On the other end of the spectrum … it was interesting watching Tom Clarke work to play his set in as it adjusted from Belfast to St. Louis when he was here for this spring’s Tionol. It basically took him from Wednesday to Saturday, and even then IIRC he ended up playing a C chanter with D drones or something wacky like that!
