I am considering a flat set in C. I have the option to put keys on the chanter. It seems like most players of full sets have 4 keys plus the stop key. My question is this…do the extra keys make your fingers feel cramped at all? Do I want 5 keys, to trim it back to, say, 2 or 3 keys? What are most of you playing? …and really using?
You will get lots of disagreement on this. About the only note that is impossible to hit without a key in the first two octaves that you may need occasionally is Cnat in the second octave.
It really depends on what tunes you are going to play. The vast majority of jigs and reels don’t need any keys, so if you’re strapped for cash, you don’t really “need” to get any. Getting the Cnat key covers you for the few tunes that need it. Some people also like an Fnat key for the second octave. You can get the Fnat note through half-holing, but the note is much cleaner with a key.
The only other two keys you might want to consider are the G# and Bb, as there is no good cross-fingering for these two notes - just half-holing, which isn’t as clean sounding.
So there’s four keys, but remember, you don’t “need” to have any if you can’t afford them. More is pretty, and may come in handy when if you want to play some of the tougher hornpipes, but only you can determine what you “need”.
Clear as mud? 
djm
It is easier to have the keys put on now rather than later. Also, there is resale to consider. It might be easier to sell a fully keyed chanter, if it were being sold.
Chanter keys shouldn’t get in the way of the fingers if made properly. I heard about a stick from a high-profile maker whose Fnat and Bb keys would grab one another when both were pressed and stay open. Nice if you want a four note scale for a change.
Many makers put the blocks on for the keys and allow you the option of having the keys installed later. This is OK if the holes are drilled first and then sealed with padding of some sort, such as leather - but if the holes are only drilled later when the keys are installed it will throw the tuning out. Asking pipemakers if they do this might be a way of ascertaining whether they have their heads screwed on straight etc.
On my Rogge D/B plumwood and C snakewood chanters I have 4 brass keys F nat, G sharp, B flat and C nat but no stop key on any chanter.
I would use the keys mainly in slow airs and slower tunes. In faster tunes like “The Yellow Tinker” I would slide the note F nat as it suits the tune better that using the key.
All the best
A good way to ascertain if a pipemaker has his head screwed on straight is by the fact that he doesn,t need to drill holes for keys he is not fitting at that time This tells you that he has both the confidence and the ability to retune the chanter after fitting keys at a later stage
It also helps in not making the chanter look like a piece of swiss cheese if you decide to leave the chanter keyless
RORY
Excerpt from Michael Dooley’s website:
…I usually turn ‘D’ Chanters with blocks for 5 keys shaped and slotted, tone-holes drilled and corked. You need to tell me early on about Chanter Key requirements. Chanters pitched in other keys can have up to seven or eight keys…
http://homepage.eircom.net/~dooleypipes/
Any additional holes bored in a chanter after it’s been voiced would affect it’s tone as well as tuning. It has nothing to do with confidence…
Well tony lets agree to disagree
RORY
OK. No problem.
I dont know to much about micheal dooley ,but I,ve seen chanters by froment and dave williams that didn,t have holes for future keying
I,d be inclined to go along with these lads opinions, But of course some people might say what would they know
RORY
Rory,
Last year I sent a 2 key C chanter back to Gallagher for 2 more keys and he had no problems doing the work.
Technically… is there a difference ?? yes.
Did I hear any difference ?? no.
If you had 2 chanters by the same maker side by side that were made in the same production run, one with no keys and one fully keyed, switching the same reed between them you would probably hear some small differences… but, you would probably have slight differences with 2 ‘identical’ keyless chanters.
Thanks for the info. On a 5-key chanter, what would the keys typically be?
5 key chanters would include:
3rd octave D
Cnat
Bb
Ab (G#)
Fnat
Unless you are already an accomplished player, consider them an investment for the (maybe distant) future. My chanter has 2 keys (Cnat & Fnat) plus the stop key.
It’ll likely be years before I can play any of the tunes which need the keys, so IMO they are certainly not necessary at this point.
However, the stop key I’ve found to be handy (although certainly not necessary either) as you work on the drones…as well as when you are just pumping up the bag before you begin playing. Keeps from having those little sqeeks as you inflate the bag.
-gary
I wouldn’t be without my F nat key…use it a lot.
I like tunes where I can throw in Fnats
Boyd
Beare Haven Lasses
Broken Pledge
The Tempest
Cook in the Kitchen
I first had only 3 keys on my Rogge C Chanter Fnat G# and Cnat but last year got Andreas to add the Bb key including drilling the note hole. My D/B chnater I got the 4 key to be put on when ordering.
The tunes I play that use the chanter keys is
Garrett Barry’s Jig Fnat
The trip we took over the mountain waltz/air Fnat/G#
Wicklow hornpipe G#
Blue bell polka G#
Valencia Harbour Bb/G#
All the best
Interesting that you both go for the Fnat key so often. I only use it where I want an exact Fnat, like in Tabhair Dom Do Lámh. Mostly I prefer to use half-holing on Fnat in the 2nd 8ve. This allows me to do popping or swelling. I agree that the G# comes into use for several tunes, including the Fairy’s Hornpipe and the Beare Island Reel.
djm
What key do you play your Beare Island reel? I don’t play g#
Fiddlers play it in E minor, I think…I play it in D minor so the f’s are all natural.
|:DAFA GFDd|cA3 BcdB|c2ec GEcE|A2GE FcGE|D3E FEFG|A2Gc A2de|fedc dged|cAGc ADGE|DAFA GFDd|cA3 BcdB|c2ec GEcE|A2GE FcGE|D3E FEFG|A2Gc A2de|fedc dged|cAGc ADDB|…then into the 2nd part
Boyd
Boyd, try this: http://www.irishtunes.net/reels/beareislandreel.html. You’ll have to modify it a bit for where it goes down to low A in bars 4 and 5. I just play the last three notes in this bar as |(3GF#E F# D E b b A|b E E etc..
Hope that helps,
djm
Thanks djm, but I like the version I have… 
Boyd