I’m ready to order a chanter now. I have decided to go with a D. If you could a a key or two to it, which ket/keys would you go with?
Gsharp, Fnat, and high Cnat (most D chanters I’ve have the high Cnat by default. I honestly have no idea why. I use that less often than the other keys, just for Trim the Velvet and a few Aminory jigs).
I use Cnat and Fnat keys regularly. G# occasionally and Bb rarely.
Using the Cnat key isn’t limited to tunes which contain a high Cnat. The Cnat key can ornament B in both octaves, although it may sound flat in the lower octave (so you have to play it quickly to get away with it).
From a practical and realistic point of view, the only reason for a beginning piper to get any keys (except the C nat) is to get used to avoiding them with your fingers. You’ll have enough on your plate for ten years or so. And enough tunes that don’t need them.
That said, when, after 25 years, I finally got a flat set, I asked for a G# key for the sake of one tune that I wanted, Reavey’s House of Hammill. You can manage a G# in an air (I played Paddy’s Rambles Through the Park without one for many years), but in a dance tune, forget it (unless it’s a “lower neighbour” in the second octave, such as you can throw in in The Morning Thrush).
There are plenty of tunes where you might want an F nat. key, but don’t let yourself become reliant on it: the “bent” F natural is one of the treasures of the instrument, after all.
After playing the GHB for over 40 years, I feel a little constrained being only able to play tunes within an octive plus one note. Need to stretch out and expand! It’d be nice to think I’d be around another ten years and still playing the uilleann pipes. If I managed to hang around for 25 years, I’d be a whisper shy of 90. Don’t think I’ll chance waiting that long to get my C and F naturals.
If you are ordering one new, I suggest asking the pipemaker’s opinion regarding voicing/tuning and additional keys.
Some makers have copied older fully keyed instruments and voice their chanters based on that.
We are talking about Uilleann pipes here so expect ‘totally opposite’ opinions regarding the way a chanter plays/sounds if you decide to send it back for additional keys.
It’s been a while, but I read that (at least) two makers were drilling for all the keys and plugging the unused holes with leather so the chanter didn’t sound different when the keys were later added.
Adding keys to an order (already placed but not yet started) may put a small delay on the order versus waiting a month or two without a chanter should you decide to add a key (or keys) later and have to ship it to the maker for the work.
Personally, if you can afford the additional keys now, I suggest F natural, B flat, C natural, A flat. Do it at the time your chanter is being made.
Should you decide to sell the chanter (hopefully for reasons of upgrading) your chanter will bring a quicker sale.
Always remember… unless the maker of your chanter died or stopped making pipes, don’t seek another maker to add keys. Exception would be an apprentice of the original maker.
All good advice and thanks! I do realize that A flat is the same as G sharp.
If you get F natural, G sharp, and B flat, you’ll have the whole chromatic scale and will be able to play anything that ever comes your way.
When I ordered my chanter back in the 1970s I got those plus High C natural and High D. I still play that chanter and I’ve never regretted getting all those five keys. I’ve had to use every one of those keys at some point over the years.