I have some questions about tuning my B chanter. The reed is on its last legs, but until I get a new one I’d like to squeeze as much life out of this current chunk-o-cane.
I use a computer-based tuner as it’s nice and big and tells me what’s going on. Now I realize that with just intonation, the chanter should be in tune with the drones etc. I find that while the lower-end of the scale sounds fine, the top hand sounds a bit off. Here’s the numbers:
B (D) 245
C#(E) 280
E-flat (F#) 310
E(G) 328
F# (A) 370
G# (B) 411
B-flat (C#) 461
a (Cnat) 442
b (d) 490
c# (e) 555
e-flat (f#) 629
e (g) 665
f# (a) 760
g# (b) 864
Generally, I’ll first check bottom D (really a B but for sake of simplicity I’ll use concert notation), tune my drones to each other sans chanter. I’ll then check the drones against bottom B, G, b, F#. So usually things sound good, except that my A, B and C will sound “off” with the drones. If I tune the drones using the chanters A, then the drones sound off with the bottom D and G. Leads me to think something is wonky with one of my notes, probably the upper hand being flat. There is plenty written about tuning with a D chanter, but not a lot for us with flat sets. For example this is from the NPU reedmakers guide:
Back D 0.00
C Sharp minus 11.73 (flatter)
C Natural minus 3.91 (flatter)
B minus 15.64 (flatter)
A minus 1.96 (sharper)
G plus minus 1.96 (flatter)
F Sharp 13.69 (flatter)
E minus plus 3.91 (sharper)
Bottom D 0.00
So, anyone want to shed some light on tuning flat sets? Thanks!
Is your bottom D in tune with your back D? Does the interval between D & A sound right? I generally don’t use an electronic tuner at all. If the D’s are in tune with each other and interval with A sounds right, I tune the drones against the A, then check to see that the other notes sound right against the drones. I can’t give the mathematical values, but if it sounds right, it is right.
Don’t get too hung up on the numbers. My set plays best about 25 cents south of B–if I tried to tune it to A=440 values, it wouldn’t be happy and neither would I.
Thanks guys. I’m what you could call a lazy tuner in that I don’t get crazy about always tuning everything. Contrast that with Nano who is somewhat obsessive with bits of wax etc. I mean, the man has his whistle rushed and taped. In any case, his madness has begun to rub off on me. I am just trying to figure out what is in tune and what isn’t. Like I said, the D, d and and G all sounds fine together, in fact so does the A. It’s only when the drones come into play that the A starts to sounds off if I’ve tuned them using the G.
The good news (ahem), is that you guys will get to mess around with the set when I’m down there next month for the tionól, oh boy!
Disclaimer: I am no expert. But what the hell. I do have strong relative pitch…
If the chanter has minor tuning discrepancies and you never intend to play other than solo, then wax or tape can be your friend. If the reed is in a good position (I go by C#/Cnat/back D, and intonation of the second octave compared to the first; no doubt other chanter/reed setups will be different), all you have to do is tune the drones to flattest lower-register note, and use your ear to the best it’ll give you to adjust any others on the chanter from there. In all things solo, tune to the drones. But if you play with others, especially fixed-pitch instruments, then you can’t be so free and easy. Reed positioning will probably come into play then, and that’s something that I’ve seen tommykleen do at sessions many’s the time. Now that’s an art.
I’ll have to learn it. There are a couple of local C#/D box players who have gotten B/C boxes in order to play in the compass of C. I both anticipate and dread that (just for the tuning challenges, mind you ).
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