New Radical Design for Regulators

Uilleann Pipes
1

When I order my new set of pipes, here’s the configuration I’ve decided on. Several other designs were good but overall this one made the most sense w/compromises. I just feel I need more, esp. on the bass reg, and will be seeking a pipe maker who can do this.

I’d like to have all three regs rearranged in thirds down from each other–so it’s more chord friendly. Tell me why this wouldn’t work.

F#==E==D===C==B==A=] bass
=A==G==F#==E==D=] baritone
=C==B==A==G=F#] tenor

Five 3-note wrist chords: D7 Em D C Bm

Striking full 3-note chords, straight across with the wrist, there’s 5 good ones.

That alone would be interesting. Take a great reel in Em, like “The Whistler” where the regular chord pattern goes from Em to D and back up again. This allows you to descend one step at a time, from Em, then D, then C, and finally Bm, and back to the top..a great progression!

The same progresion works nice with others like The Monaghan Jig.

Take a simpler tune, like Kid on the Mountain. You can now play all the chords (the G&D chords, 2nd sec., might be with two notes), in fact on the 3rd and 4th sections, where it goes to Em in both cases, you can now hit a 3-note C chord instead, and then to a 3-note Bm chord, and back up to C again! Or, in the 1st section, stay traditional (whatever that is) hit Em then D, but throw in a full rich C chord at the end for a quick C-D-G right into the 2nd sec.

There’s any number of new ways of getting 2-note chords also, and easier to get to!

[ This Message was edited by: Lorenzo on 2002-12-21 11:40 ]

2

It’s an idea with merit, but be warned that the R & D co$t$ may be pretty high.

Most pipers only play one or two regs simultaneously, mainly because regs consume a lot of air.

Have you considered just adding an ‘E’ regulator, or a contrabass reg with an ‘E’ note? It might be less expensive and thus offer a better cost/benefit ratio.

3

Lorenzo,

Pat is right, this is going to cost megabucks if you can find a pipe maker to fit the physical demands of the bores and vents into the conventional reg key set up. Most people who have gone for the in-between notes have usually had them put on a fourth regulator. Check out Gerald Ryckeboer’s set on uilleann.nl - http://www.uilleann.nl/pictureGallery/11borzee1/index.html. I think the notes he has on the fourth reg include something like E and Fnat! The key at the top actually opens a vent underneath near the bottom of the reg. Dave Williams made this set.

Last time I was up at Dave Williams’ workshop we got talking about Paddy Keenan’s idea of a new regulator design built with Accordion reeds under each hole. The volume of air at a reasonable pressure would be a real nightmare with this - imagine playing four or five keys under a slow air - bottom A D F# and upper A against the thumb note. The mind boggles.

Certainly this is one area where experimentation seems to be accepted, if you’ve got the cash go for it.

Ken

4

New Regulator arrangement:

F#==E==D==C==B==A=] bass
=A==G==F#==E==D=] baritone
=C==B==A==G=F#] tenor

I agree that the regs are best used sparingly, two keys at a time. Ocasionally you may want to strike a full 3 note chord, if you can spare the air. The beauty of having the F# E D C B (A) on the bass reg is that it is consistent with the configuration of the tenor and baritone, ie, a third down (and across) from the baritone reg, which is great for 2 note chords.

The reamers needed to make the cone size from the traditional C up to the F# are already in the possession of makers of both D an flat sets. So bore sizing is no problem, nor is the new hole placement. Making the new keys would not be a problem either.

In fact, according to one pipemaker, this can be accomplished easily, by simply inserting a different “buzz bar or separator cone.” This way you could have both options, the traditional components, and this new configuration. In fact, you could switch components back and forth between tunes if you’d like.

Where I’m coming from on this is that I’ve come to like the higher-middle tones. I’ve never really liked or used the bass reg notes. so, I’d like more options to get the middle tones easier, since I tend to play a lot of harmony notes with slow airs.

But, the idea needs lots of consideration and I’m one who likes to talk it out first. So, any input is appreciated.

[ This Message was edited by: Lorenzo on 2002-12-27 01:49 ]

5

Hi
I want to add the invention of Tom Kannmacher, who also missed the “e” for complete range of tones on the regs. According to the key-placement of the fourth e-reg, he constructed a long e-key along the
bassregs-keys using a e-hole in the bariton-reg. He sent me a copy of a chapter from his UP-Tutor which is avaliable in german and english. I will forward it below.
Alexander

The Compass of the Regulators

Seen from the player,s view, the regulators show the following arrangement
of notes:

c’-----h------a------g (Bass regulator)
a’-----g’–f sharp’-d’
(Bariton regulator)
c’’----h’-----a’-----g’—f sharp
(Tenor regulator)

There is no e on the standard instrument, although there have been sets
including it : as a single note on a forth regulator besides the bass, making
groups of notes comprising bass keys and this e playable,(see. Irish Minstrels
and Musicians by O’Neill, picture of Willie Rowsome) or as a sixth key on the
tenor with no possibility of grouping it together with other notes.
I have constructed an e key which is situated like the one of the forth
regulator but opens a hole on the bottom side of the baritone. It is cheap and
easy to build onto standard sets and adds eight additional chords to the
traditional arrangement not playable on the familiar sets, leaving the use of these
chords to the stylistic choice of the player at the same time, thus not
really touching the traditional ways of playing. (see Illustration in the
appendix)

This arrangement would show:

e-----e-----e------e’
(e – key or forth regulator)
c’-----h------a------g (Bass regulator)
a’-----g’-f sharp’-d’
(Bariton regulator)
c’’----h’-----a’-----g’—f sharp
(Tenor regulator)

Either the e – key is stopped along with the neighboring bass keys in usual
manner, or they are combined with the tenor keys. In this cas the tenor is
played by the heel of the hand, the e – key with the little finger. It demands
some practice to do this movement independently from chanter – fingering,
ispecially while e is played on the chanter.

(From my Tutor “The Uilleann Pipes. Instrument, Music and Playing Tecnique”)
Tom Kannmacher
<<

[edited to fill the spaces in the reg-tabs]

[ This Message was edited by: naex_may on 2003-01-05 13:24 ]

6

Thanks Alaxander! That’s quite an idea. I assume the “h” was meant to be a “b” so his arrangement would look like this:

=E==E==E===E==] 4th
=C==B==A===G====] bass
=A==G==F#==D===] baritone
=C==B==A==G=F#] tenor

I REALLY like the idea of the E note being right across from the G, A, B, and C, but since I like the upper-middle tones better, why not replace the bass reg with this E regulator, and in fact, one could switch the tenor and baritones and just put the E reg where the bass normally goes, to keep it simple, and so the wrist can reach across only three regs:

=====E==E==E==E==] E reg
[-----]=C==B==A==G=F#] tenor
[-----]=A==G==F#=D====] baritone

..a lot of 2-note chord posibilities. It would kind of look like a left handed set. In fact, if I think about this for a minute…I think I could actually figure out a way to accomplish this with my existing set. Make a shorter “buzz bar” to achieve an E, and so the reed is closer to the tone hole you want to keep open , plug the other three holes, and somehow link the other 3 keys so they all open the E key.

But, this other option still gives more possibilities, I think, and brings the D up closer for convenience:

====F#==E==D==C==B=A=] bass
[-----]=A==G==F#=E==D=] baritone
[-----]=C==B==A==G=F#] tenor

[ This Message was edited by: Lorenzo on 2003-01-06 15:12 ]