Newbie question - are chanter keys really necessary?

Uilleann Pipes
1

Sorry if this topic was already covered. I was already told that chanter keys would allow to play F natural, B flat, C natural, A flat but are they really necessary for most of ITM available or just exceptions?

Thanks

2

For my part, I would consider the C natural key “essential” for playing 2nd octave C, and this note regularly shows up in ITM. I consider the F key to be desirable, but not essential. I would recommend having these keys (C, F) installed on the chanter. I enjoy having the Ab/G# key on my chanters, but I could live without it if I had to. I rarely ever have the need to employ the Bb key.

Some might suggest that, theoretically, you can obtain all of the notes you need without the use of keys, but I’m not sure how well this really works out on a practical level.

3

I agree with Bill. If you allow yourself to get only one chanter key, make it the C key to play upper octave C easier. But really, there are no necessary keys on a chanter.

4

My thoughts:

You don’t need any keys; there are very few songs where you need the Cnat in the second octave.

Having said that, I use the Cnat key in the first octave more than I do in the second octave. If you want a key, Cnat is the one you will use the most. I would worry more about making sure your crans, rolls, cuts, taps, triplets and slurs are mastered on a keyless chanter before worrying about keys.

Best of luck,

Virgil

5

This has come up many times. A Search would bring up previous discussions. It all seems to boil down to one’s perspective, i.e. who you are and where you’re at.

  • If you cannot afford keys, don’t get any. You can live without them. You can always upgrade later if it should ever become an issue.

  • Keys add cost to the chanter. If you can afford them, they will add to the resale value of your set. Full sets used to have up to 7 chanter keys. A good balanced choice is 4 keys: Fnat, Ab, Bb, Cnat. If cost is an issue for you, go for the Cnat and Fnat keys.

  • You can get most of the notes hit by keys with half-holing or cross-fingerings. These are not as accurate or as fast as keys, however.

  • If you are just beginning as a piper, keys should not be an issue for you. You will not need keys for quite a while, and you can always upgrade later when you have the money and experience to know what to ask for.

djm