I would love to hear anyone’s tips and tricks for balancing the chanter well.
I’m moving the reed in and out and taping holes here and there and have yet to get it really well set up. Sounds fair without drones. When I add drones, the imperfections in pitch are very noisy…
Thanks-
Dave Jones
It’s been my impression that a well tuned chanter is one in which the individual notes harmonize nicely with the drones. I think you need to factor the drones into the tuning process when adjusting notes on the chanter. If you use a tuner to tune the chanter you’ll be out of tune. I think you have to let your ear be your guide.
I think the quickest way to describe the process is to tune the little drone (sounding the note “D”) to the “A” of the chanter. Then tune the other drones to the little drone (each being an octave below the previous).
Hopefully your back D is a little sharp and strong, so you can easily tape that down.
Then you check if the F# and hard bottom D is in tune to the drones (essentially: is the bottom hand and top hand in tune to each other?). If the bottom hand is not in tune with the drones, then I understand the best way to deal with that is to move the reed in or out of the seat.
Retune the drones to your new A, and recheck the rest of the tuning.
Then you’d check your octaves…
For further issues, I suppose you can refer to the Hegarty reedmaking book online at NPU. He has tuning/remedy information there. Or bring up what your specific tuning issue on the forum.
My back D was sharp and strong and I did tape it … but I thought having to tape it meant I was on the wrong track. I was looking for that reed ‘seating’ where everything is balanced w/o tape.
I have been tuning the tenor drone to harmonize with A, then I check to be sure second octave A is right on with it, then I check with back D and bottom D. I needed to tape my back D. But I also had to tape G and sometimes F#. It’s difficul;t for me yet to get the A in both octaves to “match”. I’m working on seating the reed differently.
Next day, temp and humidity are different (and some planet aligned differently, I suppose) and even after warming up the reed I’m retuning all over. Much more tricky than GHB!
Sounds like I’m on the right track and just don’t trust myself to be right. I’m reading uip on it like crazy and experimenting endlessly. maybe I need to settle for what I’ve got and work on practising!
Thanks!
Dave Jones
How far off are you Dave? Can the notes be lown into tune without affecting the tone of the drones too much? If it’s just a few cents here ot there, I wouldn’t sweat it that mugh. If it’s fairly noticeable, then perhaps it’s time to make a new reed and see what that does for ya? I’ve just recently been able to play around with a friend’s half set against my chanter, and it’s mostly there, with the exception of a very few notes…and those I can live with for now. All on a reed that was banged together one afternoon without much effort or desire to make it ‘perfect’…just another attempt. Worked out OK so far. 
So sometimes that can help…just another suggestion
I always find the A in the octave a compromise. The drones will inevitably rise in pitch to some degree when you play high A, so your chanter needs to play it the correct degree sharp to stay “in tune” (with the drones).
Then if you are playing with other musicians they will say your high A is sharp.
It’s probably bad piping practice but I’m currently set up with my high A flat to the drones but in tune with other musicians.
David
Keep in mind, I have virtually no reedmaking experience-- mostly just “book knowledge” and adjusting reeds in my own chanters. There are others on this forum who’d have much broader and higher quality advice than myself.
It’s difficul;t for me yet to get the A in both octaves to “match”
As far as I understand, changing the seating in the chanter doesnt usually affect octaves tuning. Here are snips from the Hegarty book (again, this is available online at NPU):
Fault - A and B in the high octave slightly sharp, all other notes satisfactory.
(a) Flattening the staple for a little longer than the 25 mm may help to correct this…(b) A more effective solution can be to disassemble the reed, checking its overall length and reassembling it again with the staple going not quite so far into the head…
NB, reassembling the reed without experience is likely a risky operation. Until I start making my own reeds, I’m loathe to do that with my only working reed.
I’d suggest getting 1st octave in tune with itself (ie, against the drones), then worry about octaves next. Tape on the G and F# suggests that maybe the hands aren’t in tune to each other? Changing the reed seating is supposed to help that (from the Rowsome tutor):
If it be found that the drone has to be lengthened to chord with the notes on the upper hand and then shortened to chord with the notes on the lower hand the chanter is “too flat.” … If this flatness is very pronounced, the reed should be sunk a little further into the chanter.
Thanks for your collective help - today, I managed to find that right combination of seating of the reed and electical tape and bridle position to get a well balanced chanter… I also marked the reed position with permanent marker so I could find it again one day… should the temperature and humidity be similar… 
I compromised on the second octave A a bit: with right pressure, it plays well enough. I haven’t played yet with another player top see if I am now sharp to them – hoping my wife will get her fiddle out soon and then we’ll see.
Started work on “Séan Bui” today… Great tune and the D cran seems less cumbersome than some GHB embellishments but it’s still challenging.
Thanks again-
Dave Jones
Earlier I mentioned:
As far as I understand, changing the seating in the chanter doesnt usually affect octaves tuning.
Pat Sky reminded us of his online reed adjusting booklet. In it, he mentions how changing the seating affects the octaves relative to each other. This is an example of others having much better experience and advice than myself Listen to Pat before me!
No problem - I’m happy to hear everything.
I’ve been adjusting highland pipe reeds for years, now with proficiency, and I can apply some of that to this instrument.
Thanks anyway-
Dave Jones