I’m hoping to freshen things up with a new topic…hopefully more LIGHTHEARTED and less controversial!
So, jet-setters of the UP world..those who aren’t tied down with young children and demanding day jobs..oh..like teaching high school!..I’ve a question for you?!
When attending tionols / flat sessions…are you finding that most flat pitch sets are “in agreement” with each other? Or does the tuning tend to range wildly due to personal preferences.
I’m curious, since flat sets, to this point, have been primarily a “solo” instrument..and flat sessions seem to be “relatively” few (at least here in the U.S… I’ve played “B” chanters that ranged anywhere from B to B flat to C#..
Up until a few years ago sets or chanters were only generically refered to by pitch. For exampole an 18" chanter was sometimes refered to as a B-flat although its pitch was only flat of B. Likewise a 17" really tuned to between B and C. Chanters and sets were more often refered to and made in inches, rather than in pitches, as no one intended on playing with fixed pitch instruments. The last 15 years has seen a shift and sets are now being made in pitches. A B set based on an A=440 was unknown until reciently. Leo Rowsome made his concert pitch chanters often at 14" and hence sharp of D for example. Because of the recient popularity of bands using pipers, the importance of a D being at a fixed pitch, based on A=440, has come to be popular. The same demand is being placed on the flat sets, that they be able to be tuned by a tuning meter. Solo playing is falling by the wayside.
Ted
