I’ve a new solo piping recording which features the eighteen Moloney, a historic Bflat chanter I’ve been playing now for about six years, matched with a Johnny Bourke B set, suitably modified. Details to be had on my new site at
I’ll have it with me on a tour of the US with The Masters of Tradition in a few weeks,
Regards,
David Power
David;
Outstanding! See you at Bucknell University at the various Weis Center events (workshop, dinner, concert).
Jim Van Fleet
Exciting. Can’t wait to hear it!
Ken
Just ordered my copy. Looking forward to listening to it.
You can never have too much of anything in B-flat.
Hey Dave,
Sorry to be so thick but if I send you €15 does that cover shipping? The wording on your page there is a titch vague. I’m still in the States.
Also, was reading about your hassles trying to get a good hard D with that old chanter. Just the other day I took out two little bits of brass foil I’d put in the throat of my Patsy Brown chanter years ago, to cure the motorboating hard D problem. Couldn’t remember if they were still in there, actually…sure enough there they were. Replaced them with a much larger bit of cardboard and it almost completely killed the motorboating problem. Unfortunately the 2nd octave is now a bit flat. I could take the cardboard out and toughen up the reed of course but am a complete weeny, to put it mildly. 
But plan to try various sizes of cardboard and see what happens. It’s all kind of lame, making up for the wood the pipemaker should have put there in the first place, but what are you going to do? Patsy Brown didn’t plan on the thing speaking at A=440 in all likelihood either, hence the rush and bits of electrical tape.
So, give cardboard a chance, if you haven’t. You say you put a bit of wire in the chanter reed staple to give the same effect - that’s something I do all the time with reg reeds - bit of bent paperclip. Have a little plastic 35mm film cannister full of the things, of all lengths. Mutes the reed too, but that’s not what you’d want with a chanter reed, I’d think.
That chanter had a bit of a problem with weak reeds giving a false high E, but I figured out last year that a bit of wax in the Eb hole kills that problem too. So, progress, it’s only taken 15 years of messing around too… Journey not the arrival, you know.
Congrats on yet another record, too. Those pipes are something else.
Hi Kev,
Great post as usual!
I agree that (EUR 15 including shipping) is confusing, I’ll change that to say
‘total cost including shipping EUR 15’
It took me about 5 years of faffing about with that chanter and reed to get it to where I want it, and the tone was always good, but the blowing pressure was just a bit inhumane 
, so the throttling back was a major relief and I couldn’t really record until I achieved it. Pass on my regards to Brad when you’re talking to him.
D
YES! 
I saw [u]This video[/u] and love the playing in it! Glad I can get to hear more of your playing, and more of that beautiful chanter! I also love the story behind it!
Will it be on Itunes?
You’re a major inspiration for a young beginner like me!
I own David’s other two solo piping albums (Cuaichin Ghleann Neifin, and My Love is in America) and this was an instant buy for me. I can’t wait to have a listen!
Tom, Ken, ennischanter, Jim, thanks for the support, it does make a difference and it’s appreciated. Jim, it will be lovely to catch up, God but we had a great time in the US while we were there, many adventures fondly remembered!
David
Alright, sent you 15 sheckles there. Will be happily checking the mailbox.
Incidentally sent Joe Burke some $$$$ yesterday for a book and 3 CDs of Joe, just Joe and that accordion of his, no nuclear scientists bogging things down with any damn piano playing. Well, he’s pretty handy at the keys, admit, but still…other day I read about how CCE brought in Charlie to overdub backup on the old Finn/Horan LP…I’ve a whole mess of Comhaltas horror stories for people’s jaws to drop to. It really is true - “I wouldn’t join any organization that would have me as a member.”
Anyway, between your record and the 3 of bare box playing this is a good week for the ol’ Pure Drop, to say the least.
ordered one today, looking forward to it 
The CD has arrived. Very beautiful playing, very sweet
sound. Very tasteful reg playing. Reduced to the max. “Pure Drop” is exactly
what I like. There are only very few pure drop piping records nowadays.
Lots of well-known tunes in very lovely versions.
Outstanding.
I agree, great to see a new one!
Received today; very vivid and bright, one I will have around for some time
Great sounding flat set and great playing!!!
Excellent recording.
I realize that this may be a stupid question but did they call it the eighteen Moloney because it was 18 inches long?
Yes! But its not the chanter it refer’s too, its Moloney’s trouser drone that was eighteen inches long. A common occurrence amongst Irishmen.
Happy St Patrick’s Day
RORY
Dan,
David’s website has plenty of info on the chanter.
Thanks, Patrick. I’d read that… I think I’m missing something. I’ll read it again.
Hi Dan,
yes, this is correct that the chanter is 18’', but the chanter now has a little ivory ring at the bottom and a longer brass ferrule which extends the length by about two millimetres. The detail of the ivory ring at the bottom is very nice and it looks like it was done quite a while ago, the brass ferrule is tapered and seamed.
Regards,
David