Recently acquired regs…Do I start using a shoulder strap or not. One very respected piper told me he doesn’t recommend it another who uses one says why not if it makes it easier move the set etc? Any advice? I am tall but do find it hard to get to the lower keys but this could be just lack of experience.
IMHO, the matter is entirely up to you. The strap is intended to aid the piper in allowing for easier access to the regs… and anything meant to assist in the proper playing of the regs is a plus in my book.
Rule #1: There are no rules!
Do whatever you are comfortable with. If it makes your playing better, use a strap. If you don’t feel you need one, don’t use it.
djm
Also depends on what style of pipes you have. If you have the Taylor style, without the extension for the bass reg, you really need the strap to hold the pipes at a good enough angle and off your lap. With the standard style with the extension that sits in the fold of your arm above the elbow, you can get away without it many times.
I have the bass reg extension on my pipes and until I got serious about playing the regs, thought that the extension needed to be positioned right at the bend in the arm, to help support the pipes. As I have been struggling to reach all of the regs, I have found the extension limits how far I can move my left arm in the right (as opposed to left) direction, which needs to happen if my right hand is going to move down the regs. I am trying to adjust a strap to get the bass reg extension positioned just below the shoulder, allowing my left arm and the chanter to move more freely. The position of the strap is not clear to me. In the photos I have seen, it appears it goes over just the left shoulder. If any of you have any thoughts on this, I would be most gratedul to hear them.
When doing that your bag regs and the rest of it will also move to the right, effectively moving the lower keys further away from you. The trick is to turn slightly to the left, lean slightly back or lift your left shoulder so the strap lifts the regs towards you rather than you bending over trying to reach them. With a bit of practice they will fall under your hands for easy reach. Make sure your ‘normal’ position is relaxed,sitting straight with your right hand falling more or less over the middle chord (AFA).
Thanks, much Peter…At least I have a direction to work on. I was totally baffled. Hope to meet you at the WCSS this year. Best regards, John