Newbie Technique Question

[karl]

I'm having trouble going from back D to top E or G. I frequently end up in the bottom octave rather than the second. I thought I wasn't squeezing hard enough but I sometimes squeeze so hard in an attempt to do the jump that the back D gurgles. Any advice?

[Johnered66]

Sounds like it's not you as much as it's the reed. Merciless buggers

[karl]

Sounds like it's not you as much as it's the reed. Merciless buggers

I wish that was true. I have more than one reed and changing them doesn't make the problem go away. I think it's down to me

[Mr.Gumby]

Do you close your chanter between d' and the other notes?

Also don't discount the possibility all your reeds are performing poorly.

[Johnered66]

Got a Popping strap or pipers apron on your leg to keep air tight the chanter?

[karl]

Johnered66, yep I have a popping strap.

Mr.Gumby, I think I'm closing all the holes between notes, but maybe not. I tried playing real slow and trying real hard to make the notes come out properly and I don't seem to have the problem (as much). It happens every now and again but I think those times its coming down to wrong pressure. So, maybe not closing the holes properly is the answer. I was wondering if the order in which I lift the fingers up when going to the G would make a difference? I try to open both fingers at the same time but perhaps lifting one slightly before the other would help?

[oliver]

You don't need a lot more pressure to go from back D to E or G in the second octave ; normally it's very easy. What do you mean the back D gurgles ? Check that all holes are properly covered, that the reed is not too hard to blow...
And lifting two fingers at the same time is perfectly ok to play a high G.

[rgouette]

any chance of a short video clip?
that would go a looong way to t-shootin
just a thought

[karl]

rgouette, video clip is a good idea. Not sure if my camera can do that but I'll have a look.

oliver, if I push really hard while playing back D I can make it gurgle just like the bottom D autocran thing. That is pushing abnormal hard though.

I think the problem is not having closed all the holes off before playing the E or G. If I play slowly I only get the problem if I don't increase bag pressure enough, which as you said oliver, is not a lot. I'm a flute player so I'm probably bringing those habits to the pipes (you don't need to close the holes off).

[Johnered66]

Sounds like the reed is too open. Move bridle slightly to close reed. Just a hair at a time. It's a reversible move. No harm.

[karl]

Sounds like the reed is too open. Move bridle slightly to close reed. Just a hair at a time. It's a reversible move. No harm.

I found the opposite is true? The more I close the reeds the more easy it is to get the back D gurgle. I've tried this on two chanters with three reeds?

[Johnered66]

Are these pipes from a known maker? If so, contact him. Maybe he holds the cure.

[KAD]

rgouette, video clip is a good idea. Not sure if my camera can do that but I'll have a look.

oliver, if I push really hard while playing back D I can make it gurgle just like the bottom D autocran thing. That is pushing abnormal hard though.

I think the problem is not having closed all the holes off before playing the E or G. If I play slowly I only get the problem if I don't increase bag pressure enough, which as you said oliver, is not a lot. I'm a flute player so I'm probably bringing those habits to the pipes (you don't need to close the holes off).

Excellent self-diagnosis! Keep playing slowly, then, until stopping the chanter becomes clean and automatic.

[pancelticpiper]

On the chanters I've played over the years, there's a zone of more or less equal pressure, from G in the first octave to F# in the second octave.

I have tried many chanters over the years which had a very finicky Back D, some bad reeds where the Back D could not be played at normal pressure, where you had to reduce the pressure for Back D. At full pressure these Back Ds would go very flat or "sink" as pipers say.

I did have a chanter once, many years ago, which came with a set stamped Dowd, on which the second-octave E would not sound by lifting those two fingers no matter how much or how little pressure was used. That upper E would just make a loud harsh honking noise. But, if I slid off the two fingers that E would sound just fine, and so I got used to gliding up to every upper E.

Maybe your reed is like that.

About upper G, have you tried the one-finger G? It seems that some chanters prefer that.

[karl]

pancelticpiper, the one finger g and sliding fingers sound interesting, I'll give them a go. Thanks.