flat back d

seanny · Post by **seanny** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 5:36 am

is there an easy way to sharpen back d without doing anything much to the reed?

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 6:13 am

Open it up a tad by squeezing the bridle gently (don't move the bridle up or down though), or sink reed a little into chanter.

Alan

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 8:40 am

This will also sometimes have the effect of making the whole thing play louder (and harder), and can flatten the second octave relative to the first, so be careful. My first chanter had an incurable sink on the back d. My cure...buy a much better chanter!

mconners · Post by **mconners** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 9:33 am

I suggest taking a look at Pat Sky's chanter reed document that he made available in the past couple of weeks.

http://www.patricksky.com

No E · Post by **No E** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 10:12 am

(Deleted to protect the guilty)

Bill Reeder · Post by **Bill Reeder** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 10:54 am

I''ve used tape across the back d in order to flatten the note, but never to sharpen it. Nowadays, I use a little poster putty in the hole for flattening the note.

To sharpen back d, I usually reset the reed a little deeper into the chanter or trim a bit off the lips to make it a tad stronger, but I don't do the trimming bit unless I've played the reed long enough to determine that the flat note is a permanent condition. My reeds have a fixed bridle and there's a limit to how much I can open or close them by squeezing. Fortunately, they don't require a lot of attention.

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:44 am

No E wrote:A bit of tape across the top of the back-d hole will often do the trick.

No E

Larry... tsk tsk :roll:

Patrick.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:50 am

I have found, through much experience, that there is no back 'D' issue that cannot be solved if one utilizes a sufficient, or abundant, application of high explosives.

No E · Post by **No E** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:53 am

Bloody hell... sorry, the tape will indeed FLATTEN the back D

The shame, oh the shame!

slinking away, quietly,

No E

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 12:04 pm

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 12:08 pm

Larry, wanna borrow my Dremel tool?

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 12:17 pm

No E wrote:Bloody hell... sorry, the tape will indeed FLATTEN the back D

No E

Unless you turn the chanter upside down afterwards...................

ALan

benwalker · Post by **benwalker** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 2:33 pm

I suppose you could tape every other note to get it in tune with the flat back d

what about a rush in the chanter (below the back d hole)?

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:04 pm

AlanB wrote:Open it up a tad by squeezing the bridle gently (don't move the bridle up or down though), or sink reed a little into chanter.

Alan

Ah.... open a reed to flatten and make harder to blow, close a reed to sharpen and make easier to blow. Sinking the reed into the seat will sharpen back D more than other notes.

Non-reversable: Cut "2 spider's legs worth" off the lips of the reed.

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:11 pm

fancypiper wrote:Ah.... open a reed to flatten and make harder to blow, close a reed to sharpen and make easier to blow. Sinking the reed into the seat will sharpen back D more than other notes.

Not if the back D is flat because the cane has shrunk or the bridle has loosened. I think is talknig about a tiny increment here Phil that only affects the back d and minimally affects the other notes.

Patrick.