During our hot and dry summers I keep a wet sponge in a baggie in the case to keep the chanter reed playable. This has worked all summer very well. Last night when I attempted to join in our local session, the reed was nearly a quarter tone flat. I tried setting the reed into the chanter further, but nothing worked. Today, after about half an hour of playing, the reed when pack up to pitch.
Any ideas? Did I humidify too much?
But here’s the good news: Paddy Keenan will be playing in our fair city on October 20–International Uilleann Piping Day!
Too much humidity can cause that. It can also warp a reed. Best to have a reed made in your climate, which is very dry. A reed made in a dry climate will play in a dry climate as well as when the humidity rises. Some reeds made in a more humid enviroment may work when humid but close up when the humidity fall below a certain point. Some are using spruce reeds for dry climates. YMMV
