I am frustrated to no end by a fussy second octave E. I would be enormously grateful for any suggestions.
Everything else seems to go very well, but I “drop” E all the time to lower octave (makes G-F-E triplet really suck).
If I play slowly and concentrate, I can get it most of the time. I can play 5 or 6 second octave Es in repetition before I “drop” it.
E requires such a pressure difference from back D or C that if I don’t significantly let off the pressure playing a tune from E to D or E to C, D gurgles and C goes off (flat or sharp, don’t remember which, but it’s off).
I toyed with the aperture of the reed, but it just goes softer.
I’m working through vol 2 of NPU video series, particularly on the Ashplant and Tobin’s Jig.
Taking the chanter out of the back inflating the bag and placing your index finger over the hole. Inflate the bag with the bellows and check for any leaks.
b) If air is gushing out of the bag. Check the one way valve that contects the blowpipe to the bag. Take the valve out of the and blow into it. Check that the valve flap closes correctly. If it does place the valve in the bag so that the flap is facing downwards and can close properly. Go through the check proces (as described above). If it still leaks contact your pipe maker. Or an experienced piper near you.
c) Test the chanter again and see if you can go to the high D. If not the read could by to open. Slowly close (just a little) by moving the bridal closer to the stem of the reed. When adjusting the reed make little (if any) drematic changes.
d) If the reed seems fine get the chanter checked out by your pipe maker or experienced piper in your area.
Hope this helps.
Cheers L42B
PS: Can you reech the high D in the upper octave without to much difficulty.
did this e problem just start? if you are on volume 2, you played plenty of middle octave e before.
go back to “maggie in the woods” and see why it worked for you there, where you have a b to E.
in “the rambling pitchfork” you did it again, a-b-c-D-E
and again in Garrett Barry’s.
and again in the second phrase of heather breeze.
so what is different now?
if it is a new problem, you certainly need to have someone look at your reed.
E is an inherently hard note.
try taping off the lower half of the ghost E hole. it may do nothing, but its a low risk intervention.
There are some who recommend lightly sanding the lips to ease the 2nd 8ve E, but if your back D is already weak (gurgling) then sanding the lips would make it worse. Since you point out that you can hit the E sometimes, I suspect you are not covering one or more tone holes completely. Check both hands. It may not be the hole(s) you might expect.
problem DID just start - I have a different reed (busted another one a few weeks back) - problem has gotten worse. I didn’t make this reed.
thought it was fingers a while ago, but have checked carefully and problem recurs when fingers covering properly (I intend to keep checking this, though)
gurgling back D happens with too much pressure, but clears when I release … maybe I’ll sand the reed a little anyway… and try taping off the hole you suggest
tried adjusting reed by closing aperture, but it just made the chanter soft
Is it my imagination, or did changing depth of reed affect this? I need it where it is to balance the chanter, though.
i had the same problem on my chanter,and blamed the reed ,it was only when i slowed playing it seemed not to happen as much,the reason was not covering the holes and a slight leak from a badly placed finger done that to me,you might be having the same problem,its worth checking out.
Mine used to do this too, although I got used to it and was able to get the E most of the time. BK played my chanter and said he was amazed that I was getting that E as well as I was. It dropped a lot more for him. He said to get my maker to look at it, but I couldn’t get in touch with him after two emails and three phone calls, so I gave up and decided just to live with it. And it gradually got better(over about nine or ten months) and isn’t a problem anymore. What I want to know is, why? How? What happened? But anyway, it is nicer to play now.
It’s very good that someone else asked this. I have exectly the same problem: gurgling back D when pressing the bag as hard as to play a guaranteed 2nd octave E.
This would be really awesome! My chanter is in parfect tune, I can play along with both NPU and MadForTrad videos, but the gurgling back D and dropping second octave Es drive me mad.
However, being a beginner, this might help me to learn a (near) perfect control of the bag pressure. This thinking maybe complete nonsense, though, I do not know.
I’ve decided tomorrow to weaken the reed by sanding it a bit to try to help this situation. Wish me luck: if I foul up the reed, I’ll ahve to take to reed making in earnest b/c this is the last I have from the pipe maker.
DO NOT SAND THE REED!!!
It’s been mentioned and resolved on here before, but your second octave E problem can be remedied by taking a piece of cardstock about 3/4 inches wide X 2&1/2 inches long and rolling it into a rush to be placed just above the hole for E. The cover flap for Gauloises or Del Rey cigarette papers works nicely. You’ll be amazed at how well it works. This information comes courtesy of our dear Alan.
Marc
Just roll it around a pencil or something round until it holds shape, and then shove it up the chanter until it rests just above the top of the E hole.
My, that sounds dirty. “Shove it up your chanter above your E hole!”
Hope it works for you.
Marc
P.S. If you need a couple of pieces from ciggy paper tops. P.M. me your address, and I’ll mail you some.
It’s amazing: it made only a slight change in the chanter - lower octave E sounds better too. Just sitting for a few moments and I almost never dropped an E!! WOW!
Thanks so very much!
Is this a “flaw” in the chanter or a feature of the reed? When I put in a new reed some day, will I perhaps need to remove the rolled up index card inside? Or, should all uilleann pipes come with a pack of index cards?
But anyway, it is nicer to play now.
