Chanter review?

[SteveB]

JimB
The first few weeks on my practice chanter resulted in horrible noise. Four months later and my spouse can recognize my attempts at Bruce's Address and Amazing Grace. I am still learning how to interpret musical notation and translate that to my fingers. My tutor is insisting that all future practice is with the metronome, so that I can develop even tempo while doing scales, exercises, and learning tunes. We are working on tune memorization.

Mr Woolery and I agree that the Blackwood practice chanter is well worth the initial expense. A piper spends more time on the practice chanter than on the Great Highland Bagpipes. It is used to learn new tunes, exercises old tunes, and experiment with musical expression. The resonant quality of the Blackwood long practice chanter with a good quality reed makes the learning process enjoyable. The wood vibrates with the tune, and according to my tutor, gives a better feel as to what to expect on the bagpipe chanter.
I am not a piper yet. That is a ways from now. I do enjoy my Dunbar Deluxe long practice chanter for the instrument that it is, and enjoy performing on it each day.
I have used it to play tunes for the children in my classes to sing along with. The volume is reasonable, and sound is within the range that the children can enjoy. (Kindergarten and first grade.)
I do have to practice even these simple childrens tunes for many hours before I can play them. It is all good finger exercise, and helps keep the incentive going for getting to the stage where my tutor will invite me to get a set of pipes.
Slainte