Need a Chanter

[Baldybrown]

Help! Where is the best place for me to get a practice chanter and what kind should I get?

[castledangerous]

Northwest Bagpipes http://nwbagpipes.com --up in your general direction--has many of the major name brands, all of which are a good bet

[tulloch]

If you are going to learn with a band then the band may have a standard chanter and reed they use for purposes of uniformity of tone and pitch. If you are not with a band or if you are but they don't have a standard then you are free to seek your own. Henderson's found at http://www.hendersongroupltd.com/ has a section with PRACTICE CHANTERS. Remember you are looking for Practice, not just chanter or you might get something nice you can't use for a while. I have had the chance to play both Dunbar and a Gibson practice chanters in "poly" and prefer the Gibson. I got a selection of reeds and mostly use the Gibson reed. I note that the price of the Northwest stock is lower than Henderson but have not checked shipping or cost of reeds. I got the Gibson long poly and have been very happy with it. I then got a McCallum regular length blackwood from a person via ebay and am extremely happy with it.

If you are associated with a band then ask members, try theirs. If you have a teacher then ask to try several there.

I hope this helps a little.

[Baldybrown]

If you are associated with a band then ask members, try theirs. If you have a teacher then ask to try several there

Thanks Guys.
No Tulloch, I'm not with any group as yet, but when I hear the pipes my heart stirs too strongly to ignore. My family says that's because I'm mostly deaf.
I'll have to build a special rack for the pipes next to my 12 string and base violin.

[Neil Clark]

Plastic chanters available in loads of places in the states. Despite being an agent for MCCallums, I'd say Gibson stock is widely available for you,, and is fine.

Don't worry too much about your practice chanter, it is just that, a PRACTICE chanter. Bottom line, don't buy pakistani. Thats not racist, just an accurate rating of their product. View anything below £26 with suspicion, it probably comes from Pakistan.

How are you learning by the way? do you have a tutor?

[robbiethepiper]

It's worth getting a "long" rather thn standard item. The hole spacings are virtually the same as the pipe chanter, so it's easier to convert when the time comes. NO! to anything from Pakistan - they just don't work.

[Baldybrown]

How are you learning by the way? do you have a tutor?

No. I think they're probably rare in the Bozeman area. I've seen some of the starter kits with DVDs, so I might have to struggle along that road.

[The Monk]

There are any number of pipe teachers who do instruction over the Net using Skype. I've been having lessons for the last year and a half that way. I think that the large majority of pipers (I won't say all because there's always bound to be a single exception) would say that a teacher is required to learn the pipes.

Check out the Bob Dunsire pipe forums.

[Neil Clark]

Em... I teach over Skype.

And re the long chanter - I don't have anything against them at all. They are, however, more expensive, And as far as having the same spacing as the pipes goes, thats not quite accurate, they don't go as far. In fact, measure a long against a short, you'll see that in most cases, the hole spacing matches up.

Nothing whatsoever against them, but they cost more

[Gryphon57]

Let me preface this post by saying I'm a beginner and not an accomplished piper. My skill level is probably close to the level of the OP. As far as practice chanters go, I've got a Mccallum short poly and a long Dunbar, also polypenco. I recommend going with polypenco because it's very forgiving of mishandling and abuse. The biggest differences I've found between practice chanters is that some seal with hemp and others with an O-ring. The Dunbar has an O-ring seal. That being said, I found that my reeds made a bigger difference than anything else. I find that I preferred the Walsh or Warmac practice reeds to some of the others. It's a personal preference.

I will agree that you are wasting your time with some of the cheap wooden practice chanters our there (think red box with piper on the front). The sound is not as consistant and the quality is questionable. I also agree that you can learn some of the basics on your own, but you will eventually have to find a teacher to progress decently to pipes. A good teacher can also prevent you from learning, and reinforcing through practice, bad habits and incorrect form. It is very hard to unlearn muscle memory.

Here is a site I like for accessories and such:
http://www.kinnairdbagpipes.com/index.php

I especially like the reed absorb reed sponges.

Gryphon