Chiff and Fipple Forums

I recently just started playing my GHB again after a few years of hiatus. I'm finding I can only play thirty seconds at a time, even with my easiest reed. I tried a rubber band, as well as shutting the drones off, and I'm still struggling a lot. Does anyone have some advice on boosting your chops/b...

Yahoo groups amateurbagpipemakers has some very good plans. A thorough look through the posts will answer most of your questions about drilling, lathes, wood choices etc.

"Next week, we'll make you deaf too, so you can judge highland piping competitions."

It may not be your reed. If the same reed sounds good in another set of pipes, it may mean that you have a leak in your bag or stocks. Take some small corks and plug up the drone stocks and chanter stock. If the bag isn't holding air well, your reeds are never going to be steady or cooperative.

CHasR wrote: I'll always choose suit + tie when playing UP only, but all too often (and to get more $) I'll have to double on GHB...and we all know what that means.

Yup. Keep your knees together while you play.

I'm assuming you want bellows blown pipes, right? If you've already got your bellows and bag technique coordinated for a left handed U.P., you might as well stick with what your muscle memory is used to for ssp, or border pipes. I'm left handed but play all my instruments right handed. Switching see...

A second cut mill/basmati file will work well for removing the bulk of material. Then you can finish up with the sanding belt. Hold the tube with a set of round needle nose pliers. Don't use a grinding wheel as brass and non ferrous metals will easily clog it up.

I'm in Wyandotte. I just haven't been concentrating too much on uilleann pipes lately.

I had a look at them today. It's a beautiful mellow sounding set. The bag needed seasoning(perhaps a new/bigger bag some day) and the chanter reed needed an easy bridle adjustment. After that, it's a great set.

Check your p.m. box.
Marc

Posted October 5th 2006: Before you start carving your reed, try inserting a rush made from cardstock 2" x 3/4" rolled into a tube, between the E and Eb holes. This seems to work very well on wide bore chanters. The cover for a pack of Bali Shag or Gauloises cigarette papers should do the ...

Nope! Don't waste the money on these. They a frustrating rubbish at the best of times. For only a bit more, you could get a David Daye penny chanter.

I've seen palm used for some beautiful furniture, but when the craftsman on the show was explaining the structure, it didn't seem like a great candidate for turning. I'd give it a try to see, but it might be like turning a bundle of straws.

If you have the O'Niell book, Higgins Hornpipe is a nice tune and not too difficult to learn.

It may be more than $300, but I'd still suggest the Deger pipe. Very tunable in highland and smallpipe-ish voices. It's also midi capable. What part of Michigan are you in?