I am not in any way going to be able to afford a flat set any time soon. I am getting a D half-set shortly, and that will wipe out my money and then some.
But, I think that I will want one at some point. So 5 or so years from now, when I am thinking about ordering one, I’ll (hopefully) come back to this thread and find all sorts of advice about whether B or C is a better pitch for flat sets.
So here’s my questions:
Which of the four (C#, C, B, Bb) is more common? (An ordered list would be nice… like say B is most common, then C, etc)
Which is your preferred pitch?
Debbie Quigley has a C set and Pat D’Arcy a B. So is it a Coastal issue?
I am thinking that while Seamus did play in C# and Tommy in Bb, they aren’t exactly the most common. Is this true? (related to first question)
Personally, I’d go for either a C or a B… though I had a chance to play a C# made by Rogge (Ed Harrison’s set, thanks Ed!) recently and I have to say that I am almost swayed in that direction.
I think you need to listen to recordings and, if at all possible, live playing of these different pitched pipes. One of them will grab you and that is what you need to pay attention to. The resonance from that particular pitch strikes something in you that is important and should be recognised. For me it was B… but I also love my D set and would love a C# set some day. I have to say I don’t love all D sets, not a particular maker thing, more a reed set up kind of thing.
Very well put. There is something about the tone of any particular pitch of chanter that really ‘speaks’ to you… and as Fr. Pat suggested, it is a reed thing but I am also of the opinion that it is mainly a piper’s ability to bring out the many colors of tones that their chanter produces… anyway…
One of these tones will grab you by the ‘nads’, and when you determine which one it is, go with it.
If you are planning to save up for your chanter it will be the chanter that will make the decision for you. I like the key of B myself and not C#, but Liam brought in a C# chanter (Rogge I beleive) and I was severely tempted to turn mugger for that particular chanter.
In my case it will likely be down to price and opportunity the key will be secondary.
There are great recorded examples available of some of the pitches:
For B there is Ronan Browne, Jimmy O’Brien-Moran, Liam O’Flynn, Robbie Hannan. For C there is Pat Mitchell. The only readily available C# recordings I know of are Séamus Ennis’. I don’t know of any good, modern recordings of Bb. Can anyone add to this list? Remember, readily available commercial recordings, not obscure bootlegs that no-one can easily get.
I am not saving up for a flat set, I am just curious about opinions at this point. Thought it’d be a fun discussion.
Part of it is that my pipe teacher and I were arguing about B vs Bb. He was saying that B flat sets are in fact in Bb, whereas I was arguing that mostly, people play in Bnat, not Bb.
Blas Na Meala is in Bnat, at least that’s what the liner notes imply, and what I can play along with.
Paddy Moloney plays a Bb chanter on Strayaway Child. It’s not solo and you don’t hear drones/regs (do you ever with Moloney).
I think that Liam O’Flynn plays a Bb chanter on Planxty’s first album (although it could be B). The song the Jolly Beggerman is followed by a reel, the Wise Maid.
Bb is certainly my favourite to listen to. I’ve played a Gallagher B. Beautiful. Made for slow airs.
Kevin Rowsome plays C Harrington set, C# William Rowsome set and D Leo Rowsome set on CD named The Rowsome Tradition Five generations of uilleann piping.
Surely I have indeed, plus the SCUPC concert CDs. I just couldn’t bring an example of Bb to mind at the time, which is why I solicited for input from others. Thanks.
My intention was to bring some examples up for those who may not have all the CDs yet, so that they would know where to go to hear the different pitches to see what might appeal to them.
Sorry. You’re entirely correct. In fact, not being a major fan of regulators, I quite like the way he plays them on that recording. He should do it more often.
