surprising ...

[The Sporting Pitchfork]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaitaminute...

Was this the thing that Hevia and Co. were working on?

[wharfedalecarving]

Call me cynical if you will but that sound clip sounds suspiciously like a "real" UP chanter
In addition, I've heard some very very expensive instrument emulators in the music dept when I was an undergraduate (I used get a a music undergraduate to sneak me in there) but I have yet to hear anything electronic sound like the real thing no matter what instrument sound was being copied. Very close yes in some instances but never "exact".
The sound clip for the Vpipes sound "too" real. Hence my "cynicism".
If I'm wrong then I take my hat off to the inventor.
Joseph (the "doubting Thomas" UK one)

[goldy]

I agree with the comments that a real chanter was probably used for the sound sample. However, if it really was the vpipes, I'd consider replacing my real pipes with it (I can hear gasps of horror and hearts missing a beat everywhere by that comment), but seriously, consider the possibilities - controlable volume, reverb effects, no tuning issues or reed problems. If such a good replication of the sound is possible I would definately consider making the swich.

Has anyone sent an email to enquire about the price?

[Reepicheep]

Cost to be just under 1000 Euro... not for the fainthearted.

[Pete D]

Suspisious?...maybe...but one way or another...I'd sure like to see how it looks

[mukade]

The domain name is registered to a guy in Spain.

Mukade

[billh]

It's possible that this is vapourware, but that it will appear as soon as someone places an order!

Having done it for galician pipes (no comment on how successfully), the maker may be confident that converting one to UP is a software problem.

(mere speculation)

Bill

[John S]

If that's an electronic chanter I'm young fit and slim.
It's a con.

John S

[Reepicheep]

It's a con.

Upon what do you base that conclusion? :roll:

[PJ]

Suppose it is real, I've got a few questions.

1. How would you get the second octave? Squeeze harder on the bag? What bag?

2. What's the point? If you want a quieter chanter, sell your widebore and buy a quiet narrow bore

[billh]

Suppose it is real, I've got a few questions.

1. How would you get the second octave? Squeeze harder on the bag? What bag?

2. What's the point? If you want a quieter chanter, sell your widebore and buy a quiet narrow bore

There must be a bag, since the web page refers to a force sensor of some kind for getting the second octave: "Continuous force sensor for realistic octave change emulation..."

Most narrow bore chanters don't accept headphones

I still think it's an abomination but I am impressed. I think the sound sample is for real. At first I assumed it was just sampled (i.e. digitized sound samples, concatenated together), but according to the specs the thing uses wavetable synthesis.

I'd be really interested to see how it performed on fast dance tunes tho.

Bill[/quote]

[Tony]

I may have said this before on another topic about electronic pipes...
Those soundbanks that actually make the 'Uilleann sounds' coming from the v-pipes, are probably software standard to any MIDI device and can be uploaded/downloaded to any tone module with storage capability.

It will allow any MIDI instrument to 'sound' like pipes. This way, a keyboard (guitar, saxophone, trumpet) player can go into a studio with their MIDI controller (instrument) and add a piping track in less time than it would take to tune your drones. Authentic... no, cost effective for just a few Uilleann passages in some tune without a lot of trouble of finding a piper? certainly.

It's no different that an artist working with oils and a brush versus one using a computer and Photoshop. It 'ain't da real thing' but accept it or not, you WILL be seeing more and more of this and each generation will have better features than previous versions.

[PJ]

I remember seeing an electronic saxophone on the Late Late Toy Show perhaps 15 years ago. You could play it like a real sax (i.e. blowing into the mouthpiece and wiggling your fingies) or you could just play with the keys and it would produce sound. What ever happened to that?

[Birl]

Re-Hello,
I asked for some informations, and i already get it. I prefere give it like I received it :

"The vPipes shall be available before the end of this year and we are now at final testing phase and quality control before release to the general public. Photographs are being prepared and in the meantime new images will shortly be available on the vPipes web site.
The vUilleann is self-standing and independent and has good battery autonomy, although there is always the option of playing plugged-in to an external power feed (wall socket, car etc) and charging up the batteries as you do so. You can use the output jack for any device, from simple ear-phones through to a sophisticated amplifier, and play anywhere, at any time and in any pitch.
To give a rough idea, the vUilleann takes up much less space than a conventional practice-set as the simulated bag (for octave changing) is much smaller and there is no requirement for bellows. The silhouette on the left hand of the “www.vpipes.comâ€

[PJ]

The vUilleann is self-standing and independent and has good battery autonomy, although there is always the option of playing plugged-in to an external power feed (wall socket, car etc) and charging up the batteries as you do so.

Finally they're making some sense. My Whitmer drones are very heavy on batteries. I have to change them almost every time I play. Although I hear Nick's working on two new versions of his drones: solar powered and wind powered. I can imagine the solar powered working, but not the wind powered. The technology just isn't there yet.