Has anyone ever heard of a concert set being made with a few drones in G? I really enjoy playing tunes in the key of G (by adjusting the tape speed on my tape player-of a recording of drones), and I was wondering if it is possible to have a half-set made with D drones and G drones with two switches to turn them on and off separately, sort of like the Boisvert 4 drone set currently on e-bay (with the extra A drone).
Robert Reid made a 6-drone set with two drone switches, I believe the tuning one one stand of drones was D-A-d and the other was G-d-g. IIRC, Chris Bayley either did restoration work on that set, or made a copy of it.
Care to chime in, Chris?
Cheers,
No E
Nick Adams’ ‘Travelling set’ had sets of drones that had G as well a A in different combinations as far as I remember.
Mikie Smith plays a Wooff C# set. For some reason I don’t fully understand, when he applies pressure to the bag in a certain way the bass drone jumps from C# to F# (or G, relative to a D chanter). He gets some wonderful sounds from this combination.
My new Chris Bayley set has six drones, exactly as in the Reid set. Two banks of three; D,d,a and G,g,d. The D’s tune to E and the a tunes to b, so you can accompany tunes in B minor, and E minor when you tune the G’s up to A.
I also have a four drone shuttle set where the high drone tunes to either G or A, or can be shut off completely.
Mikie Smyth often plays with a G bass drone on his concert pitch set by removing the drone tip. This trick also works on my Lynch drones.
My new Chris Bayley set has six drones, exactly as in the Reid set. Two banks of three as described above. The D’s tune to E and the A tunes to B, so you can accompany tunes in B minor, and E minor. you can tune the G’s up to A as well.
I also have a four drone shuttle set where the high drone tunes to either G or A, or can be shut off completely.
There is the other option of fitting a G drone outside the stock as seen here on David Power’s C set made by Alain Froment.
It does take an extra bit of practice to be able to turn the extra drone on and off while playing but not impossible.
Tommy
Notice also, on David’s set that there is a extra key high up on the Bass regulator, next to the gob of blue tack. Press that key and HO! HO! an E note.
Pat Sky
Notice also, on David’s set that there is a extra key high up on the Bass regulator
Is this an Alain Froment innovation. Have nor seen it on any other makers sets
John
Chiming in as requested
Yes the set was restored back in the mid 80’s and a full set of measurements taken. Only original reeds I could not get back into working order were the chanter (absent) and one of the Tenor drones.
Tunings were Dda and Ggd controlled by their own on off switchs. main stock of complex construction being compartmentised metal inside wood with the inevitable result that there were cracks needing filling.
Very neat work with ‘barrel’ sections to both Bass Drones. Silver was recycled from plates etc.
Notice also, on David’s set that there is a extra key high up on the Bass regulator
Is this an Alain Froment innovation. Have nor seen it on any other makers sets
The large ‘Captain Kelly’ Set (Egan & Colgan) has two keys in a similar manner
Chris
Chris,
Was this the set that passed through Sotherby’s? Graham Wells, a Northumbrian piper, who was head of music there showed me his photo album of pipes that had gone through the auction house and this included a six drone set. AS I recall the chanter had some semi-precious stones inset on it so if you recall that detail it would likely confirm the same one.
Ian Lawther
Hi Ian
Two different sets.
The one with the semiprecious stones was an early pastoral set which had them added at some stage by someone who did not know what they were doing. The stones were set in silver holders which in turn were pinned to the keys on the regulators and chanter body. Problem is that the pins went right through into the bores
Although it did not come through the workshop like the Reid set I was able to measure it although this was not particularly easy with pins extending into the bores.
Chris