I’m studying (making notes, but very little music yet on) Rainy Day and a jig called Morrison’s Jig. At my current level, these are very challenging second parts. Both spend a lot of time in the upper octave in the second part.
Getting to high A from high E, I lift a finger to try to “vent” (have read about this in posts on this forum) and I can get it almost all the time. However, I’m actually making a gracenote on the way up each time. It doesn’t sound out of place in this particulat tune (Rainy day), but I’m not doing it on purpose, which makes it out of place. Someday, I have no doubt I’ll need to jump from high E or F# to A or B without a gracenote in between.
Any suggestions for properly venting for a smooth move to high A would be much appreciated. A sort of step-by-step would be great.
A possibly related problem is that, sometimes, I drop high A to low A if I put a gracenote of any sort on it (second part, Rainy Day, high E to A).
What works well for me a lot of the time is to cut that high ‘a’ with a ‘c#’ instead of venting… especially with The Rainy Day. It allows the ‘a’ to be distinct/pronounced, which I feel is vital for the B-part of this reel.
glad you asked. i am dealing with the same thing. i have noticed that different chanters may not require venting when you start from various notes in the second octave. have you tried?
also, i have noticed that while i do get the grace note you are talking about, there are times when it is so brief to not be noticable. that suggests that with lots of practice it may go away.
for what it is worth, the clarke tutor states that the need for gracing from a lower note is to be expected often in the case of A note and higher notes
i am also fascinated by another question as a beginner. some chanter-reed combos (not mine) are very “easy” and it is easier to hit second octave notes, with lower octave notes requiring a real backoff in pressure. other chanter reed combinations such as mine (gallagher D and a burton reed) require more pressure to get into the second octave.
which is better for a beginner? which is more traditional?
I don’t know if this will help or confuse, but for getting notes in the 2nd 8ve in the upper hand, I think of the fingering as working as a wave, instead of just lifting the upper hand fingers straight up and down. As you have noted, you are playing the in-between notes so slowly as to have it sound like a separate grace note. I think of the individual notes lifting up in sequence like a wave, up to the note I want to hit. Once I get to that note, I can quickly put the venting fingers back down again. This allows me to hit the higher notes more quickly and cleanly, without intervening notes sounding separately.
That about sums it up. With time, you should be able to get to A’, B’ and C’ without the “grace note” being heard.
From memory, the Master’s Touch recommends closing the chanter after you play the E, F#, etc. (whatever the last note before the A’ is), apply more pressure to the bag, open the G’ quickly, then open the A’, then close the G’. Keep the A’ open. Keep practising until you don’t hear the G’. If memory serves, SE calls it pinching.
From memory, the Master’s Touch recommends closing the chanter after you play the E, F#, etc. (whatever the last note before the A’ is), apply more pressure to the bag, open the G’ quickly, then open the A’, then close the G’. Keep the A’ open. Keep practising until you don’t hear the G’. If memory serves, SE calls it pinching.
I meant to type ‘c#’ instead. I have since edited that bit in. Forgive me. 
