I’ve just been listening to the Chieftains “Strayaway Child”. Beautiful 6 part slip jig played extra slow. Halfway through the second part, Paddy Moloney comes in on a flat chanter. Wounderful.
I’m really starting to love flat chanters. I’ve only played one - a Gallagher B - and I found it very hard to give it back. A flat chanter is definately going on my wish list.
But now for the questions:
Would I be right in assuming that the lower one goes, the better they sound?
I presume that Bb is the lowest anyone makes these days.
Does any pipermaker have a particularly good reputation for flat chanters?
Can regular drones be tuned down to C# or even C or would I need new drones?
I don’t think that you should assume lower=better. It’s the narrow bore that gives the “flat set” it’s characteristics rather than just the lower pitch. It’s just a matter of personal preference.
I think we’d all agree that Geoff Wooff has good reputation for flat sets.
Froment and Koehler & Quinn also come to mind.
If you wanted to get a set during your lifetime, you might look at Seth Gallagher or Joe Kennedy.
As far as drones go, you’d want a new set–even if you could get your concert pitch drones to tune down, they wouldn’t balance with a flat-pitch chanter.
He is getting a very good reputation (which I think he rightly deserves), especially for his flat sets.
Plus, with wait time, price, and all-around friendliness/helpfulness, he is (in my opinion) the way to go.
Also, I think he pads his estimate for wait time. He is saying three years, but I don’t imagine it is actually taking that long… Although I don’t know for sure.
Joe says his orders for flats outnumber his orders for concert sets nowadays. Three years might not be too far off the mark.
As to needing more than one set of drones, it depends on the maker. Some makers (I’m thinking Joe Kennedy here) design their stuff to be on the narrower/quieter side, so you may get away with his D drones tuned down to C#, or B drones down to Bb. I’m not sure what purpose this would serve, though, as one flat set is usually enough for most normal human beings (of course, we’re talking about pipers here, so “normal” might not be a good comparison).
The only time I can think of where you would need multiple chanters in different keys is if you are accompanying singers who require several different keys, e.g. O’Flynn plays D for most stuff with Planxty, but changes to a C chanter (no drones or regs) when accompanying some songs. For B he changes sets completely, e.g. The Piper’s Call.
Would I be right in assuming that the lower one goes, the better they sound?
No. Some prefer the Bb mellowness but a lot of pipers are going for the C# sound (SE) which is only one step down from D
I presume that Bb is the lowest anyone makes these days.
Its the lowest commonly out there but I’ve seen chanters in A and G. But the lower you go the bigger they get. I had notions of getting myself a Bb set until I tried to play a few sets. They were feckin’ huge!! I think I’ll be going C myself.
But I’ll wait a while myself. I want to spend a bit more time with concert pitch. There is slightly different technique involved and I’d like to be more accomplished at concert pitch before I move on.
Does any pipermaker have a particularly good reputation for flat chanters?
Yes there are ones who specialize but for the most part any of them will have plans for different pitches of flat chanters. Get in touch with your closest maker (geographicaly) and see what they’ll do for you. Check the list of makers on uilleannobsession.com or pipers.ie and also remember that not all pipe makers have websites, there could be one a lot closer to you without you knowing.
Can regular drones be tuned down to C# or even C or would I need new drones
I play with a group (flute, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, harp). This is what I would use the D set for. The flat chanter would be for occasional use with the group on particular tunes - Strayaway Child being an example. That tune is certainly playable in D but it sounds so much nicer in Bb.
The reason I want to know if the drones can be tuned down is to know whether I would have to buy a 2nd set of drones.
I, too, was able to try a flat chanter (B) in the recent past. The sound and feel has sent me off on a quest to find a half, or full, set in C or B. The reach difference between the B and my D was not enough that playing one would necessarily be a detriment to the other. For solo work, especially airs, a flat set would be tough to beat.
Keep in mind, it isn’t just the pitch. Some flat sets are narrow bore while some are medium (almost wide) bore. You could get a chanter in C and it could vary in tone (my thinks) depending on the bore design.
I think a C chanter from Seth will sound quite a bit different than a Woof C chanter.
Has anyone compared a flat pitch chanter, NB vrs WB ?
Trying to have an “all singing all dancing” set of drones suitable for a chanter of another key is asking alot from a set. You might get away with a half tone step down (d to c# for example) but you would most likely have an inbalance in tone.
I have a Bb chanter by the late Matt Kiernan but have never played it against my existing drones (I have a ‘D’ full set & a 'C# full set) because it would be impossible. BTW, Bb is quite a spread but one does learn to adapt over time. I also remember Ronan Browne getting a P. Hunter ‘G’ chanter about a dozen years ago. The sound was “different” for want of a descriptive word but the chanter lenght was long and the finger spread was beyond me for comfort.
Maybe you should listen to a few flat sets and see which pitch “hits the soul” as it were. Mine happens to be ‘C’# but maybe that’s because the first piper I ever heard was Seamus Ennis (on vinyl). However, I’ve been captivated by that sound & pitch ever since.
I don’t know where you reside but you might want to contact pipe maker Martin Preshaw in Northern Ireland. He has a reliable reputation for quality and customer care too. He will no doubt offer you some good advice too.
Which ever pitch you decide on, ENJOY
Joseph (the UK one).
I got to play a K&Q B chanter at the SF tionol this past weekend, all I have to say is WOW!!! It was SO easy to play and sounded like honey to the ears. An added bonus, flat regulators are just so damn smooth!!!
I would second the recommendation for Brad Angus. I tried a B chanter of his that was absolutely to die for.
Actually, I’ve heard from a couple of pipers that the absolute “best” sound for a chanter is 17 inches…which works out to be somewhere between B and C. This is apparently the point where the “nyaaahh” factor reaches its perfect equilibrium and can make the jump to light speed…I think a standard concert B (17 and 3/4 inch) would do in a pinch though. Then again, I’ve been drawn more and more to C sets lately.
Could C pipes wind up being the “New B Pipes” in the world of uilleann pipe fashion???
Not sure about “new”. C sets are derigeur amongst many of the higher calibre players at tionóls. I think this is their way of getting to play together without the minor leaguers getting in the way.
Has anyone ever set up a stock with two sets of drones and no regulators - one set of drones would be concert and the other would be flat? It would probably require a 3-way switch (Concert/Flat/off), but it would enable a piper to change chanter, flick the switch and be playing in another key with accompanying drones.
Has anyone ever set up a stock with two sets of drones and no regulators - one set of drones would be concert and the other would be flat? It would probably require a 3-way switch (Concert/Flat/off), but it would enable a piper to change chanter, flick the switch and be playing in another key with accompanying drones.[/quote]
I’ve seen and heard it done. I am sure A. Froment does this kind of sets. I have heard Tom Kannmacher play a set with 3 D and 2 E drones between which he switched back and forth while playing. Nice effect, when you hear it for the first time…
I’m thinking about Bb and D - imagine the effect of the key change!! You’d have to be pretty quick on the change from one chanter to another - but maybe there’s a way to have 2 chanters on the one bag, fitted with chanter stop valves. Imagine what that set would look like - Cerberus
