Anyone want to tackle tuning questions?

Uilleann Pipes
1

  • Is it possible that the depth of the reed will affect how easy it is to get second octave? Suddenly, after playing this reed fine for weeks (I’m a beginner, mind you), my E second octave is inconsistent with this reed… I’ll play a triplet GFE and the E will be in the lower octave… yes, I have been monkeying with the depth to balance the chanter for drones.

  • Is this another reed depth issue? → Lately it seems that certain notes are more sensitive to bag pressure than, well, than they ought to be compared to their neighbor notes. For example, the difference in pressure to play back D is so far off from the pressure needed to get a nice C# that it seems like the instrument’s demands are just unreasonable. I have to let up on the bag more than I used to moving from D to C#.

I am working with a tune from the NPU video vol 2 “Tobin’s Jig”. I keep “losing” my upper octave E (it drops to lower octave) and it’s infuriating.

I am indeed grateful for any advice-
Dave

2

Possibly environmental changes such as thermostat setting, humidity, etc.

Close down the bridle VERY slightly. You should be able to do this with just your fingers. Test the crow to get a sense of the responsiveness. Make sure the reed is well-seated when you put it back.

If that doesn’t work, I offer full refunds.

Eric

ps. And to answer your question . . . probably not.

3

Not to be insensitive to your reed problems, but the recalcitrant E may be due to incompletely covering the tone holes before pressuring up into the second octave, or moving from note to note within the second octave. Slow down and see if you can catch yourself not covering one or more holes completely. Make sure you don’t go into a deathgrip trying to compensate.

djm

4

Yes, I have been working on the covering the holes issue. I was wondering if that may be the trouble. I play other tunes and the E seems all right most times. It’s likely this particular combination of notes needs to be worked on slowly.

Thanks to you both for your help!

5

Yeah, I know what you mean, but that’s only this week! :astonished:
Next week it’ll be totally different! :laughing:

Pat Sky’s downloadable book ‘Adjusting the Reed’ gives a whole load of interesting detail and may help you make better informed slight adjustments to your reed setup. http://www.patricksky.com/

If I could fix a back D that goes flat with too much squeeze my current reed would be perfect! I could probably sell it for thousands on ebay!!! :party:

Alternatively I could start to play C&W string-bender tunes I guess.