ausdag wrote:
Joseph E. Smith wrote:
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Would you trust and advert that had a piper with a grin like THAT whislt playing the pipes!!!
Maybe the guy’s really chuffed at the swelling bank balance these duck callers are generating 
Seriously though Stacey, I had one and contacted the makers for a new reed, they sent me one after about 3 months and it was no better than the first 
like Harry said, it was sort of ok in the first octave 
But as it’s the set she has now, can a good reed be made for it? I’d say it’s a challenge for one of you out there. Kind of that whole lemons/lemonade thing.
-Patrick
You could try a cane reed in it if you like, and it may play differently…but this is something I have already tried, on that exact model of practice pipes and it really wasn’t an improvement.
If you are serious about learning the Uilleann Pipes, you’ll need to get started on the right instrument, and I am very sorry to say that the one you currently have is not it, I am afraid it is an expensive toy and little more. Think of it this way, would you recommend that somebody should learn how to play the bassoon correctly on an instrument that was made out of inferior material, impossible to tune and that will never play all of the notes it is required to?
Good luck to you, and I apologize if I come off sounding too harsh.
Hi Stacey,
Welcome to C&F. What Joseph says is correct. You will only have much frustration at a time when you need inspiration.
Get the best chanter you can afford, and the best reed you can.
I started on a real dog of a chanter and quickly realised that it was working against my playing.
It’s tough when the set you have was a gift. Perhaps if you really want to take up playing UP’s you really could do with contacting a reputable pipe maker.
Save the money you would spend on a good chanter reed. You are fighting a losing battle with the set you have.
It’s probably not what you wanted to hear but it’s the honest truth.
Don’t get dishearted. Go for it Gal
Don’t dispair, there is a bunch of stuff that comes with playing this instrument, a good portion of which is ‘discovery’. Freuquently, practice sets come up for sale on this board and on eBay (which one of us usually posts here as soon as it is up).
There are also a bunch of great pipemakers to choose from in the US and abroad. A good place to start your journey is at Patrick D’Arcy’s website:
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/
It is the best site out there for all things Uilleann, and you can literally spend weeks browsing the pages there and not cover everything, Pat keeps it pretty well updated. You should be able to find a list of great pipemakers there:
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/links_makers.html
The big thing to do is get started off on the right foot and in the right direction… and beware, sometimes the path of least resistance often offers the most pitfalls.
ok guys, I’m hearing you on all this, but I guess I really need some help.
Is it my whole set that is worthless, or would buying a new chanter make a world of a difference? I do have a chanter, but it’s for bagpipes. Is there a way to convert that to Uilleann Pipes? I guess I need some guidance here. I know you have sent links and things, but I don’t really know what I need and how much money I’ll need to spend to improve my set-up. How do I know that something I am looking at is worth the money or not? HELP! (feeling very frustrated…)
And I have noticed all the things that I can’t do with my pipes. I feel like I am fighting for intonation (I just about have perfect pitch, especially being a refined bassoonist), and I can barely get into the second octave.
Please excuse my ignorance in this area, and thank you for your patience with me…
Going to the links and reading about the Uilleann Pipes there is a good way to familiarize yourself better with the instrument. Asking for help here is also the thing to do…there are many here who can really steer you in the right direction. Unfortunately, the Highland chanter (I am assuming it is a highland chanter) is not compatable with Uilleann Pipes.
Getting just a good chanter will make a world of difference, as long as the bag and bellows are airtight they ought to be adequate for now. Further down the road you may want to replace them with something a little sturdier.
Keep asking questions.
Stacey, first of all you’ve come to the right place as there are a lot of tremendous people on this forum..all willing to help out beginners…they’ve been great at helping me.
As has already been said, the best way to get information on what is good or not good is to go to a piper’s gathering (called a Tionol) and hear various makers pipes for yourself…from that you can make your own informed decision about what you want.
At the gathering, you’ll find pipers will be glad to talk your ear off about their pipes and what they like or don’t like about them. Keep in mind that in many cases the piper has spent thousands of dollars and several years waiting for those pipes, so are not always open minded about accepting criticisms of their sets.
Perhaps it would be best to think of the pipes you were given as a tool to learn the mechanics of playing (which are considerable), operating the bag and bellows…rather than the particular instrument you are going to play forever.
You will probably never get the set you have to play well in the second octave…others have tried unsuccessfully. That being said, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try..but realized your chances are slim. That being said, be carefull that you don’t muck with the set to the point where it won’t play at all. An experienced piper in your area can help with this.
Meanwhile continue to play in the first octave and get used to playing this beasty.
If you have perfect pitch, you’re going to ‘enjoy’ listening to any maker’s pipes as they all vary in pitch day by day and in fact from the beginning of a practice session to the end. Also, you can vary the pitch of a note by increasing or decreasing the bag pressure slightly.
We have a local fiddle player who has perfect pitch and I drive her crazy with my varying pitch (Its great fun!)
As Joseph said, if your bag and bellows are not leaking and are in good order…a chanter alone will get you by for the time being. However, you’re going to want to repace the bag and bellows at some point with higher quality.
I don’t know of any pipers in the Detroit area, but there must be some as there’s a large Irish community there. My wife’s family is there (Fenton, Waterford, Detroit)..and I pass through there every year at Thanksgiving..there’s a wedding being planned for sometime early in the year..not sure of the date, but I’ll let you know if I plan to be in the area.
Regards,
gary
One of the big hurdles to overcome with playing the UPs, is the cost of them…they aren’t inexpensive. But the good thing about that is, they really do not depreciate in value, and in many cases, actually increase over time.
Once again, keep an eye out on this board as practice sets and chanters frequently turn up. You may also want to browse eBay every now and then. Choose a chanter from a reputable maker. If you find something that catches your eye, consult this board prior to purchase and we’ll be more than happy to give you constructive feedback. 
Call Pat Sky.
$600 and a two month wait is as good as it gets for a real set of pipes, with a real wooden chanter and a real cane reed. Pat is also a regular contributor to the board here and will be able to help get you started off right.
I’m guessing that this is not yet the kind of chanter I want, is that correct?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=624&item=3771416325&rd=1
Run away Stacey! You guessed correctly.
Let me guess, this is more like it-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16226&item=3771891294&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
Not that I’m unwilling to spend the money, I just can’t spend it so soon yet. I’m getting married this summer and I need to get a new car… it’s just frustrating more than anything. When I do things with instruments, I want to do it right. My fiance and I are both band directors in the Detroit area. We don’t like doing things half-hearted.
The O’Grady chanter is more along the lines of what you need. I would urge you to consider Brian Lee’s recommendation of Pat Sky’s work. He’s been making pipes for 30 or so years, and is a master reed maker. He offers the chanter alone for $350.oo…a great deal for a great chanter.
Here is his website:
So this chanter, can I hook it into my bag? My current chanter has this funky long pipe thing to connect to my bag…
Hard to say. The best bet for you Stacey, is to get the whole kit and kaboodle. Bag, bellows AND chanter - all matched and designed to play (and fit correctly) with each other.
Also keep in mind that even when you get a better set, playing the second octave is not something that comes right away.
A good thing to do with the set you have right now would be to just pratice a correct relaxed pipers grip, and proper bellows and bag playing. Don’t worry about the sound as much as developing correct technique. Work on playing with closed fingering. There are plenty of tips on these things online. Getting the proper technique early on will help you avoid the dreaded pipers death grip and other maladies of the beginning piper.
I believe http://uilleannobsession.com has some good pics on fingering etc but it won’t load at the moment.
-Patrick
I am not sure what you are talking about, but the only funky long pipe thing I am aware of on your set is the blow pipe from the bellows to the bag. At the neck of the bag, there should be what looks like a rubber stopper with a hole in the center of it, taped to the bag. This is where you would fit the chanter.
The above illustaration (though rough) shows a couple of different styles of chanter caps and wind outlets.
There are two sets being sold right now… one a practise (for $600) and the other a half set. Look in to the practise set.
I guess my concern is how long the blow pipe is. It seems that on real life chanters, the straight blow pipes are about an inch or less long. I’m just concerned that a shorter blow pipe won’t reach to my bag. Right now my blow pipe comes out of the chanter at a 90 degree angle and is about 2 or 3 inches long.
