Charles Roberts - Uilleann pipemaker.

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CHARLES ROBERTS

Uilleann pipemaker.

Tune your chanter
I have tried to make this help sheet as easy to understand as possible. These are the methods that I have learnt through reeding up many sets of pipes and they all work for me.
     I would start off by saying, all in all, it's better not to mess around with your reeds too much, as they can easily be ruined by over adjusting. For example: if you go to play one day and it sounds wrong/flat/sharp/awful etcetera, then don't go adjusting the reed straight away. If the reed was playing fine the day before and it wasn't touched, then it's probably a case of the reed was in a place where it was hotter/colder than normal (e.g. left in the boot of a car/beside a radiator). So it is best just to leave the reed until its in the normal conditions it is used to. You should not play in hot sun or a particularly warm room as this will make the reed close up, and if you then proceed to open it you could ruin the reed. If you have to adjust your reed then follow and select the best option from the references below.
    You will notice sometimes when you do one of the adjustments you may also have to use another adjustment to compensate for the tuning. I have discovered all these techniques from trial and error, and its just a case of finding which of the adjustments best suit the reed to get it in tune in both octaves. In the adjustments with 2 or more steps, then use the first one before the others as it is the safest and if it still is not as much as you need then move onto the second step.
    Good luck and remember if all else fails and you can not get the reed in tune with the help of this sheet - contact a more experienced piper and as a last resort - your pipemaker!

As a general rule:
1 - If you sharpen the reed by moving it into the chanter this may make the second octave slightly flat. If so, then follow the steps below on how to compensate for this.
2 - If you flatten the reed by moving the reed further out of the chanter this may make the second octave slightly sharp. If so, then follow the steps below on how to compensate for this.

To make the chanter sharper:
1 - Remove some hemp from the bottom of the reed and push it further into the chanter in gradual steps until it is in tune.
2 - Look how open the reed is, then squeeze the bridle of the reed (usually a copper band) along the flat of the reed gently, noting how much you have closed the reed. This will also make the reed easier to play.
3 - Look how open the reed is, then move the bridle towards the tip of the cane in 1mm steps. Each time you move it close the reed as in step 2 of this section to keep it the same opening as it was when you looked at it first.

To make the chanter flatter:
1 - Add a few winds of hemp to the bottom of the reed to make it sit further out of the chanter.
2 - Look how open the reed is, then squeeze the bridle of the reed at the sides to open it gradually. This will also make the reed louder and harder to play.
3 - Look how open the reed is, then slide the bridle towards the base of the cane in 1mm steps. Then open the reed to its original position as in step 2.

If the chanter is flat in the second octave:
1 - See step 1 of "To make the chanter flatter", then if it is flat in the first octave use step 3 in "To make the chanter sharper".

If the chanter is sharp in the second octave:
1 - See step 1 of "To make the chanter sharper", then if it is sharp in the first octave use step 3 in "To make the chanter flatter".

If the reed is to hard to play:
1 - Close the reed slightly by using step 2 of "To make the chanter sharper", then if sharp use step 1 of "To make the chanter flatter".

If the reed is to easy to play:
1 - Open the reed slightly using step 2 of "To make the chanter flatter", then if flat use step 1 of "To make the chanter sharper".

If the bottom D on the chanter is sharp or gurgling:
1 - Insert a tube of paper into the bottom of the chanter.
2 - Open the reed by moving the bridle towards the tip of the reed in small steps.

If the back D is breaking/going flat with pressure:
1 - Pull the reed out of the chanter by adding more hemp.
2 - Open the reed slightly by squeezing the sides of the bridle or by moving the bridle towards the tip of the reed in small steps.

Alan Roberts