High B

patrick Jacob · Post by **patrick Jacob** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:10 pm

Hi, does anybody know to solve this problem: The high B is much to sharp, the high A just very slightly, And the rest is really brilliant and in tune. So if there are good solutions, please let me know.

Patrick

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:12 pm

Oops, thought I was on a different forum.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:49 pm

When it comes to playing in the second octave, there is no hard and fast rule for fingering. Play around or experiment with fingering, then use what works best for you.

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:50 pm

Could be a reed problem. Talk to your pipemaker about this, there are several possible solutions some of which are non-invasive.

oliver · Post by **oliver** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:04 pm

I'm afraid the pipemaker will be of no help at all... R.I.P. Dave...
Patrick, it must be a reed problem. I think I saw something about this particular problem in Dave Hegarty's book about reedmaking. Have a look at it if you can.

tompipes · Post by **tompipes** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:15 pm

Try placing a rush in the reed staple itself. Something the size of a guitar high e string 3/4 of an inch long.
Worked for me.
Be careful not to scrape the cane inside the reed!

Tommy

goldy · Post by **goldy** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:16 pm

When I want to make the B flatter in either octave through adjusting my fingering, I cover the tone hole under the third finger of the top hand and add vibrato using the middle finger of the lower hand. It has a wonderful tone in the second octave, but is harder to maintain the note than the standard fingering.

Otherwise, if you don't want to get into the habbit of altering standard fingering, the rush in the staple is a good idea.

PJ · Post by PJ » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:40 pm

I recently had the problem of my high B being significantly sharp when the rest of the notes were more or less in tune. I resolved the problem as follows:

1. I wrapped the head of the reed with dental floss to keep the slips from moving.
2. Then I carefully unwrapped the the binding on the reed.
3. Again, carefully, I withdrew the staple approx. 1mm.
4. With great care I rewrapped the reed.

This flattened the entire 2nd octave but I sat the reed further into the throat of the chanter.

End result, the high B is still a tiny bit sharp but much better than before.

seisflutes · Post by **seisflutes** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:08 pm

tompipes wrote:Try placing a rush in the reed staple itself. Something the size of a guitar high e string 3/4 of an inch long.

I agree. I had a sharp high A and B. I put a little rush in the staple, and those notes have been fine -with the rush- for almost two years now.

MikeyLikesIt · Post by **MikeyLikesIt** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:14 pm

seisflutes wrote:
tompipes wrote:Try placing a rush in the reed staple itself. Something the size of a guitar high e string 3/4 of an inch long.
I agree. I had a sharp high A and B. I put a little rush in the staple, and those notes have been fine -with the rush- for almost two years now.

I'll third this suggestion. Worked in my Robert's chanter.

patrick Jacob · Post by **patrick Jacob** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 12:30 pm

Hi all, Thanks for giving your good advice. Pitty the rush in the staple of the reed didn't work well. Tried several. The sound became a bit dull and the B even was still (but less) to sharp and the G was going down. To adjust the fingering works better, not perfect but not to bad I would say. So have to find another reed......

patrick Jacob · Post by **patrick Jacob** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 2:57 pm

I don't know what happened, I changed the bridle a bit. A couple of times, so I don't know what I did. It's in good balance now, totaly a bit sharp, but I don't mind.

funny things, pipes
Patrick