Drone reed tongues

MarkS · Post by **MarkS** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:39 pm

Does it matter which way drone reed tongues face when they're in their stock? When I remove and replace a drone, I tend to face the reed tongue up, but I've no good reason other than consistency for doing so.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:44 pm

Up.

But that has always been the way I have done so. I have used and built composite drone reeds where the open end of the tongue faced the main stock (the Eddie Damm variety, if I am not mistaken), and they have always worked well and been highly stable for me. I am thinking of making another set and going with a slightly heavier tongue, in addition to cutting a slit in the body, rather than the two holes that his directions suggest.

No E · Post by **No E** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:57 pm

Down! I want gravity on my side (for a change).

No E

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 5:37 pm

Down for me also... gravity and all that.... In a hollow stock I turn them towards the center though. Compliments of Mr. Wooff. Less chance of the tongues slapping up against the inside of your hollow stock bore..... should I reword that.... nah!

Patio.

MarkS · Post by **MarkS** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:05 pm

Patrick D'Arcy wrote:In a hollow stock I turn them towards the center though. ... Less chance of the tongues slapping up against the inside of your hollow stock bore.

Is there any acoustic advantage of doing this in a hollow stock that you're aware of, other than the slapping tongue issue?

<digress> The Slapping Tongue and The Hollow Stock Bore would be great tune names </digress>

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:02 am

Down- that's what Denis Brooks said way long ago

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:06 am

If you check the reed-making video by Allan Moller you will see that you have only touched the surface of various things you can do with drone reeds, e.g. for drone reeds made of cane, some people insist you must use the convex side, but he shows you can also make them on the concave side, and many people set the opening of the tongue to be at the top end pointing toward the bag, but he also makes them with the tongue open toward the drone.

It seems the more things you can dream up, the more someone else has already tried before you. I guess the trick is to try as many variations as possible and see what works best for you, your reed-making method, and your particular set of pipes.

djm

misterpatrick · Post by **misterpatrick** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 12:19 pm

Speaking of composites, I have a composite bass drone in my B set and it is leaking . What are some tips for tightening this bad boy up?

MarkS · Post by **MarkS** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:16 pm

djm wrote:If you check the reed-making video by Allan Moller...

Where would one obtain said video?

Coffee · Post by **Coffee** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:03 pm

Other (specify)

I've been playing only 8 months so far without a teacher. My drone reeds face the inside of the pipe case for now...

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:17 pm

MarkS wrote:Where would one obtain said video?

It is, or was, available from NPU, where all good piping information comes from.

djm

MarkS · Post by **MarkS** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:27 am

djm wrote:It is, or was, available from NPU, where all good piping information comes from.

Hmm, it doesn't seem to be there anymore, maybe it was replaced with the Heart of the Instrument reedmaking DVD.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:28 am

Write to them directly and enquire. They don't bite ... much ....

djm

simonknight · Post by **simonknight** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:47 am

My Gallagher D set doesn't seem to care. My Angus B set (with a hollow stock) requires the tongues to face inwards or the baritone will stop.

Celt_Music · Post by **Celt_Music** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 7:36 pm

After spending a few interesting hours trying different techniques to close gaps in a reed

, I stumbled on this post.

I also have a Gallagher set, and it never even occurred to me that the position of the drone reed makes a difference. Mine tend to always work except maybe in the driest of winter days. I DO make sure the bellows is always put away so that the leather flap is laying on the valve, and not hanging open, but that's a different topic.

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