Let me present myself. I play french pipes (musettes du centre in G/C, D/G, C/F), säckpipas (I made them) and I begin with the uilleann pipes (3 weeks). I have made my bag and bellows and have a “penny chanter” that a friend gave me with a good reed. I really enjoy UP music and found very interesting the different approachs (playing techniques) and differents pipes (flat sets etc.). I have a preference for pipes that are not too loud, like some flat sets I have heard (Eliot Grasso, Mick O’brien…). I shure will buy a “real” chanter since next winter and here is my question : How must I search for a “quiet D” chanter ? Is it more a question of “narrow VS. Wide” bore or a question of reed ? I understand that I don’t understand a lot of things in UP so my question is maybe too large…
Both according to my experience. I also like a stick as quiet as possible (and also as brilliant - loudness and “brilliance” are IMO two different things). The reed-setup of course is essential for the loudness. I found that the bottomn-D and the second-octave-B are the two notes that tell you whether your reed-setup is as quiet as possible: The reed should be open enough for the low D to “come” without the gargle/autocran but close enough for the high B to “come” easily and NOT “fall down” (with your “secure” fingering, that is). A shiftable bridle is IMO important to always guarantee this in the changing situations of playing without tools. Very little shifting changes a lot: A tenth of a mm is definitely feelable (maybe not hearable already). There shurely are reeds that have a greater “tolerance” for quietness but of course we are talking about a “hen and egg” thing here. There are concert pitch chanters that cause no problems for a quiet reed-setup, but generally (IMO) narrow-bore-chanters are more likely to allow for this.
Ah, that’s the name for it! I’ve just started practising a few weeks ago and having adjusted the reed I’m getting a gargly bottom D. Looks as though I need to move the bridle back up a little…