The Bagpipes and the Recorder!!

[cwr89]

Darn, you know I am starting to think about getting a practice chanter, (I don't know anything about them though) and I was forced as a smaller child to learn the recorder in school.

questions as follows:
I know there is no bag, do you just blow on a chanter or is there a reed?
(take in mind that I am currently a brass and strings player in my highschool.)

I am in highschool, where might I be able to get a practice Chanter that I can afford? (doesn't have to be wood, I am not a huge stickler on sound quality in a practice instrument.)

What Cleff of music does the bagpipe use? I am fluent in Bass Cleff, can get by in Treble Cleff and absolutely hate Tenor Cleff, (but can manage)

Thanks
~Casey

[wgority]

I know there is no bag, do you just blow on a chanter or is there a reed?

I am in highschool, where might I be able to get a practice Chanter that I can afford?

What Cleff of music does the bagpipe use? I am fluent in Bass Cleff, can get by in Treble Cleff and absolutely hate Tenor Cleff, (but can manage)

Okay Casey, let me answer your questions in order of asking.

1. The practice chanter does have a reed. Parenthetically, you'll find the practice chanter is generally harder to blow than the pipes themselves. I've been playing them 25 years and still find this to be the case.

2. High quality pracetice chanters can be had for under $100. In that range I recommend Gibson Bagpipes' Long Poly Practice Chanter. I would recommend spending about twice that amount and getting a Walsh Long Blackwood Practice Chanter. That is an instrument that will last your entire lifetime. I believe either of these can be had from www.toneczar.com

In any case, no matter what you choose, get a long chanter. They provide better tone and tuning, more accurately approximate the finger spacing of the pipe chanter.

3. Pipe music is written on the treble clef.

Remember.....there are only 9 notes (although they get combined in rather interesting and strange ways).

As mentioned above, seek out a pipe band in your area, and I'm pretty durn sure there are a couple in your area. They can provide you with good instruction at a reasonable rate (usually free). I'm moderately sure the 87th Cleveland Pipe Band practices in Brook Park, Ohio. Check them out and see what mutual good you can do each other.

Hope this helps.
Bill

[porrick]

1. The practice chanter does have a reed. Parenthetically, you'll find the practice chanter is generally harder to blow than the pipes themselves. I've been playing them 25 years and still find this to be the case.

Eh, I've been on the pc for a little over a year, and am finally breaking in the chanter reed of my first set of pipes... Would you be kind enough to explain the pc being harder to blow than the pipes? There must be something that I have missed along the way, and am very eager to learn

[wgority]

Eh, I've been on the pc for a little over a year, and am finally breaking in the chanter reed of my first set of pipes... Would you be kind enough to explain the pc being harder to blow than the pipes? There must be something that I have missed along the way, and am very eager to learn

You'll find, ultimately, that it takes much more energy to play 90 minutes on a PC than it does on the pipes.

There is sound reasoning behind this. During the practice session, you need to blow continuously with the PC for sound to occur. With the pipes, you get brief breaks while playing. I can practice 2 solid hours on pipes and just have a little upper arm tension, but with PC after 90 minutes I'm competely knackered. Also, if I'm practicing strictly on PC of an evening there's a mental exhaustion too, as I'm working with music in front of me to learn or perfect a tune.

It's an experiential thing. Trust me, you'll figure this one out.

[highlander_Daz]

I wish people would see the "practice" chanter as an instrument in itself rather than as a stepping stone to the GHB, its a fantastic little instrument, if you forget about the pipes for a while and hammer the PC you will be a much more accurate piper in the long run, many people can make the PC sound fantastic, the "high drive" by Gordon Duncan is played all on the PC and it sounds great ! dont just see the pC as a barrier its an instrument all of its own !

[MadBagpiper]

I wish people would see the "practice" chanter as an instrument in itself rather than as a stepping stone to the GHB, its a fantastic little instrument, if you forget about the pipes for a while and hammer the PC you will be a much more accurate piper in the long run, many people can make the PC sound fantastic, the "high drive" by Gordon Duncan is played all on the PC and it sounds great ! dont just see the pC as a barrier its an instrument all of its own !

it is, your right. it is also a wonderful little instrument becuase you can hear every note, and more importantly, all the gracenotes and other movements such as Tarluaths and Doublings.

[Barclay]

I wish people would see the "practice" chanter as an instrument in itself rather than as a stepping stone to the GHB, ...

MadBagPiper helped me pick out a chanter this past weekend and gave me the first lesson on it, and while I was listening to him play that exactly what I thought too. It has a great sound unto itself, especially in the hands of a skilled artist. Me? Well, I made it sound like a bag of burning cats, but he made music!

[auld argonian]

My wife was once again complaining about riding the commuter train home sitting next to a loudmouth on their cell phone...

...I had suggested that she keep a harmonica in her purse and when the loudmouth started yakking, whip it out and start "practicing"...but today I suggested that a practice chanter might be a MUCH better option than a harmonica...

Best

AA