Cillian O'Briain D Chanter Off-The-Knee E

[Ceann Cromtha]

Several years ago I acquired a Cillian O'Briain D chanter and am very pleased with it, except for the fact that I can't get a good and consistent off-the-knee E with it. I've communicated with a couple of people who play a COB set and they say that that note is prone to go into the high octave if too much pressure is applied to it. This is fine, except when I play regulator notes with it. Does anyone who play COB chanters have any alternate fingerings they use, or any advice to give regarding this? Thanks.

[geoff wooff]

Had'nt you better say what fingering you ARE using ?

I've never had a COB in my hands but I'm interested in the topic.

[Ceann Cromtha]

Hi Geoff! For an off-the-knee E, ring finger up, pinky down. (On-the-knee E: both ring finger and pinky up.)

[geoff wooff]

Hi Geoff! For an off-the-knee E, ring finger up, pinky down. (On-the-knee E: both ring finger and pinky up.)

So you are looking for a Hard E , or perhaps just an open chanter ( legato) E ... Ok.

[Ceann Cromtha]

Yep!

[rorybbellows]

The quest for the perfect chanter continues.will we ever get there? NO . To play Uilleann pipes is to be human and human aren't perfect so why expect pipes to be.

RORY

[An Draighean]

For an off-the-knee E, ring finger up, pinky down.

My COB chanter will yield an acceptable off-the-knee E with that fingering; a hair sharp, but the bottom two "hard" notes are supposed to be a touch sharp, eh? In any event, it doesn't jump octaves.

Does your chanter have a rush in it? Both Kieran O'Hare and Blackie O'Connell (both play COB sets) told me that pretty all much all of COB's chanters need a rush. Kieran's is a "broom straw" (fishing or trimmer line?) that goes all the way up the chanter. Blackie made a rush for the bottom of mine from the wrapper on a pack of fags.

[Ceann Cromtha]

For an off-the-knee E, ring finger up, pinky down.

My COB chanter will yield an acceptable off-the-knee E with that fingering; a hair sharp, but the bottom two "hard" notes are supposed to be a touch sharp, eh? In any event, it doesn't jump octaves.

Does your chanter have a rush in it? Both Kieran O'Hare and Blackie O'Connell (both play COB sets) told me that pretty all much all of COB's chanters need a rush. Kieran's is a "broom stick" (fishing or trimmer line?) that goes all the way up the chanter. Blackie made a rush for the bottom of mine from the wrapper on a pack of fags.

Thanks. I'll try this. I'd been told by a student of COB that a paperclip in the bell was all that was needed. Without a rush, the chanter is spot on in its tuning.