Difficulty getting to the second octave...

fiddlinviolinin · Post by **fiddlinviolinin** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 11:54 pm

Just felt like making a separate topic for this.

I've read on Seth Gallagher's site and it says to either scrape it more move the bridle down. Can anyone elaborate on this more? Anyone have trouble and fixed this problem with a Nick Whitmer reed?

What have YOU done to fix this?

Cheers,
Armand

fiddlinviolinin · Post by **fiddlinviolinin** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 11:55 pm

Errrr

"scrape it more OR move the bridle down..."

correction ^

Chris Bayley · Post by **Chris Bayley** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 12:36 am

Best course of action would be to try to find a player near you to check the set over.

Would advise against scraping the reed - it does not take much to completely wreck them.

If you wish to try tweaking the reed yourself then use the bridle to close the lips either by gently squeezing or move it closer to the wrappings so that it works at a lower pressure and jumps the octave more easily.

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 12:40 am

Leave the reed alone ..for now...its more than likely your technique.Ye have only just got the set and ye will need to work at it first.Have ye played the UPs before?Get your bellows /bag coordination together 1st then work towards the 2nd 8tave.
So play the A keeping the note steady ...inflate the bag...open the bellows..use the bellows to keep the bag fully inflated at all times whilst keeping the A note steady...if ye have drones put them on and keep them steady as well...this will take a bit o practice but when ye 've got it ye have made a good start....
Play the F or G in the 2nd 8tave,keep the note steady,close your eyes if necessary and concentrate on the pressure ye are using...remember this ..this is the pressure ye should be using all the time...on ye go and good luck.
Uilliam

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 6:37 am

uilliam is wise, touch not the reed lest you live to regret it

like i said, for me it was a combo of developing the right muscles and playing in the reed.

When i started, i had to lean on the bag in order to squeeze it hard enough to get a sound. now, with the exact same bag, chanter and reed - no problems at all...possible one of the easiest to sound reeds i have. i'm not sure whether the reed or i did the most changing...

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 7:38 am

Antaine wrote:uilliam is wise, touch not the reed lest you live to regret it

like i said, for me it was a combo of developing the right muscles and playing in the reed.

When i started, i had to lean on the bag in order to squeeze it hard enough to get a sound. now, with the exact same bag, chanter and reed - no problems at all...possible one of the easiest to sound reeds i have. i'm not sure whether the reed or i did the most changing...

...95-99%, player change....1-5% reed settling in to you.

To echo Uilliam and Antaine, do not alter the reed... leave it alone. But if you have to, try moving the bridle toward the binding to aid in bringing the second octave in to play. If you lose your hard bottom D, then you have moved the bridle too far. It really doesn't take a big adjustment, in fact, just the slightest movement of the bridle will change the reed's playability and pitch.

snoogie · Post by **snoogie** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 8:19 am

I echo what the others have said....leave the reed alone for now. Especially if it is your only reed. If you wreck it, then there won't be ANY playing in any octave.

If it's the same type of reed that Nick supplied to me, it is not meant to have the bridle adjusted as it is a couple of wraps of wire.

The only adjustment you should make would be to gently open or close the lips of the reed as the weather changes.

Slan,
-gary

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:59 am

snoogie wrote:I echo what the others have said....leave the reed alone for now. Especially if it is your only reed. If you wreck it, then there won't be ANY playing in any octave.

Agreed.

This is akin to a new driver asking, "My car won't start... should I drop the engine and rebore the cylinders?"

The answer to that question, and to 'fiddlinviollin' is: "NO. Get some help first. Learn from that person, watch what they do. Don't mess with the reed."

fiddlinviolinin · Post by **fiddlinviolinin** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:02 am

Hmmmm, I take it I should find a teacher/piper and work on those bag pressure exercises while I'm waiting =P

Cheers and Homework,
Armand

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:04 am

brianc wrote:This is akin to a new driver asking, "My car won't start... should I drop the engine and rebore the cylinders?"

So you've met the lads at my local Chevy dealership then????

Agreed- don't touch the reed but find a piper in the area to show you the ropes.

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:54 am

fel bautista wrote:
brianc wrote:This is akin to a new driver asking, "My car won't start... should I drop the engine and rebore the cylinders?"

So you've met the lads at my local Chevy dealership then????

Agreed- don't touch the reed but find a piper in the area to show you the ropes.

Heh.

Actually, I was thinking of the service department goons at Mike Shaw SAAB/Chevrolet in Denver. They are the types that charge $750 for a $400 part.

Fiddlin: Yes, now you're on the right track.

"It's a poor workman that blames his tools."

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 2:18 pm

a $400 part that cost 37¢ to manufacture and $1.50 to ship