In my second octave, the A, B and C# all seem to be quite sharp relative to the rest of the octave. The first octave sounds pretty well in tune and the back D is strong and fairly steady. Any suggestions? Sometimes my first octave A seems to go just a touch flat relative to the octave, but none of the other notes are really affected.
It’s just an enigma! 
Any thoughts? 
Is this something you could alter by varying the pressure for these particular notes? Have you tried changing the number of holes you leave open? This can also alter the pitch a bit, especially in the 2nd 8ve, maybe enough to cure the particular notes you are concerned with. This would certainly be preferable to having to frig with your reed.
djm
I’ve tried a few different fingerings yes…and none are really great at solving the tuning. So far I’ve just been trying to train myself to shade the hole a bit and bring the pitch back down for the second octave notes and haven’t really found anything to work well for the A in the first octave. It just seems to be a bit flatter than it should. Sucks too, as this is the note I tune to others with most of the time.
B~
Brian,
Try making what would essentially be a C reed with a D head…
(3.5 - 3.7MM ID staple and head at about 12mm, and make the staple around 46mm (?)). See how you get on
Glad you mention this 
Evertjan posted something previously, about this, with his measurements for the solution for his Roberts chanter with the same problem.
This is a common problem with chanters out there. Several makers are whacking them out with this problem and I wonder how their quality control functions??
Alan
Several makers are whacking them out with this problem and I
wonder how their quality control functions??
I believe a change in the reed from maker’s climate to player’s climate can cause this. The tuning may be fine when they leave the shop, so not ~necessarily~ a quality control problem. I don’t have much expertise to add to this thread, but as I understand it, the tuning on the upperhand in the second octave is a function of the reed as much as the chanter. The staple eye could be wrong altogether, or just the size of the reed chamber changed when the climate did. Warning: Please take everything I say about reeds with a giant caveat and large grains of salt.
Grains taken! 
And I totally agree about reed changes in shipment/climate changes etc., But I’m talking about reeding up multiple examples of a makers work and from as generic a design as poss., this is always rearing it’s head.Having seen the makers example of the reed, you would imagine they would have it right, but it’s not the case. To have to make a reed that suits a flat pitch chanter and use it in a concert pitch is not on really, as it doesn’t exploit the chanters potential tonally.
I find that certain makers like Froment, Williams, Rogge, Preshaw, O’Briain, Dunne, Howard (mostly), usually are within reach with small tweaks like staple eye and other easy adjustments, but sticking crap up a staple or making 3 or 4 varying ID staples of an unusual dimension to get it right is a pain. I know exactly where Pat Sky is coming from on his website about taking on reed jobs. But someones got to do it. :roll:
Reeds, who’d have 'em! I should’ve stuck to the fiddle and enjoyed all those extra notes…
Alan
Brian,
I also think it is due to climatic changes. Try this (tuning quite frequently is a matter of trial and error): Insert a piece of wire (about paper-clip-diametre) into the staple. It must be bent over itself about 1 cm at the top and be about 4 cms long alltogether (such that it looks like a No. 1) and shoved about 3 cms into the staple. This will make the upper part of the staple proportionally narrower. It is temporary and does not damage the reed. If it does not work for you you simply can take it out again.
Hans
Just one quick question Brian ,are you using an electronic tuner or your tenor drone to determine the pitch of said notes ?
RORY
I don’t yet have drones Rory - so I use someone elses! Seriously, this is more than just the difference between equal and just temperments here. The flat A can be worked with to a reasonable degree of success, but the upper hand notes in that second octave are what really bother at this point. I didn’t notice it as much when I first got the chanter so climate may indeed be doing some changing on me here.
On a side note, while the reed is from the maker, it was untied, and the staple was moved out of the slips a noticeable amount vs. what the maker suggests in his reed measurements. Apart from the second hand notes, and that silly A, the thing sounds really really nice. Great tone, and a silky smooth playability. Just never run into this problem before and have been wondering about cause and solution. Thanks for all the replies so far.
Bri~
I have the same (or similar) problems
The High A and B are almost a semitone sharp, while the remaining notes are pretty well spot on…
mine is a McHarg Chanter, with a Kennedy Reed…
Brian,
You could try sticking it back in to the chanter and seeing what effect it has.
I haven’t suffered big problems due to climate change for a long time, but I remember suffering awful sinking back D’s, loss of hard d, flattening 2nd 8ves, 2nd 8ve hard to hold, and this was due to a crap chanter and crap reeds.
I think we’re all familiar with what our reeds do on a bad day, and as you remark that the chanter sounds ok otherwise, and the back D is good, then I would be mighty suspicious of the chanters tuning.
But Hans-Joergs’ suggestion might help in the meantime!
Alan
So far as I can tell, the chanter is alright with tuning etc. and the placement of toneholes etc. I’ve played another Murray chanter here and it’s reed wasn’t shifted…it seems to be just fine all the way up to 3rd octave D. I’ve switched the reeds and mine seems to do fine as well. So my guess is the reed is the biggest culprit. Anyway, once I get moved, I’ll have a little more time to mess with it and see what’s going on I think.
I’ve switched the reeds and mine seems to do fine as well.
Am I correct to interpret your message as: you’ve played two chanters of the same maker, one in tune, and yours with upper-hand octave out of tune. But when you swap reeds, yours upper-hand octave now plays in tune ?
Yep Eric,
Two chanters from Pat Murray. Two reeds from Pat Murray. One reed ‘adjusted’ afterwards the other ‘stock’. One plays beautifully in tune (and a little softer) than mine. The other plays mostly in tune and a little louder over all.
Bri~