Hi folks , I’ve been learning for about 4 months and I’ve just realised I don’t know how to use the C key. What is the fingerng when using the key ? Using the no key method at the moment. Cheers Meirion
The key only works in the 2nd octave. You play a B (A and B holes open) and press the key with your thumb. That’ll give you a 2nd octave Cnat. In the first octave, the key plays flat of Cnat.
Cheers for that. Won’t be needing it for a while then if it’s just for the 2nd octave 
It may depend on the type of chanter you have. The Taylor chanters seemed to be more dependent on the use of the Cnat key in the 2nd and 1st octave.
I use this key in the first octave for parts of certain tunes. It gives a characteristic C natural.
T
It’s sort of odd how often high C natural keys are fitted, compared to how rarely you hear them used. For every tune that requires high C there are probably a dozen that require F natural.
The only common session tunes I can think of offhand that require high C natural are Trim The Velvet and The Mug Of Brown Ale (and that last only in one of several versions floating around).
But yes there’s an entire section in The Piping Of Patsy Touhey where his use of the C natural key is discussed and analysed. He evidently never used the cross-fingered C natural which is standard today but instead always used the key. He did various ornaments using thumb and upper index finger gracenotes on B that, by opening the C natural key, also worked on C.
But Willie Clancy played his distinctive and lovely cross-fingered C natural on a Taylor chanter.
yeah, funny thing there..
When I started tooting my Childress practice set, I had no idea that the Cnat key was supposed to be 2nd octave only.
It gave a very beautiful Cnat note: however, I also learned that going from that Cnat to other notes was made more difficult by using the key: perhaps that limitation is not an issue for more mature players..
Rich
Keys have to be practised, just like fingering any other note. I am not aware of the Cnat key being flat in the first octave. This topic has come up several times before on this forum. One interesting note was of Paddy Keenan being observed to use the Cnat key in the first octave to do a very fast triplet - Cnat-B-A - as an intro to Spike Island Lasses.
djm
Hehe…I use the C nat key in the lower octave sometimes…mainly during airs, and yes, it does give a very clear and nice note. As others have pointed out though, its traditional purpose is for playing a C nat in the upper octave.
I also have an F nat key, and it makes playing that note sooooo easy. I use that key a lot when playing May Morning Dew.
Cheers
Steve
Exact fingering will depend upon the make of chanter so it it may be best to contact the maker of your set
John
I don’t use the C key for low C, as on my chanter it’s not in tune at all. But the high D key on my chanter produces a perfectly in tune C sharp in the low octave.
..Just don’t use it for the first octave C Natural. Period. You’ll be glad you didn’t.
Don’t use your fingertips to grip the chanter. You’ll be glad you didn’t.
Choke up towards the neck of the bag when squeezing it. You’ll be glad you did.
Don’t F*** with your reed. Call me. You’ll be glad you did.
So much, to the beginner, counterintuitive to this instrument. Once you get over the mind-resistance, it becomes obvious and second nature.
We’ve all been there.