Simple trick to tune your drones to accompany "G"

[Calum Stewart]

Hello pipers.

I thought I'd share this wee trick I recently stumbled on by chance.

Works on my concert pipes, but can't guarantee it works on everyone's!

1. Block off your bass drone with bluetack or tape or something.
2. Take your middle drone slider off completely.
3. Insert a drinking straw (costa coffee black straws work a treat) into the middle drone catity, at approximately 3 inches in length (cut to length to tune!) tune this drone to G.
4. Engage drones which will play small D and middle G. Bass drone off.

Voila, quite a light but rich wee drone sound to go well with tunes in G. Costs the price of an iced latte ( avoid temptation to drink through the straw first though, remove before drinking ).

Might post a wee video later. My new favorite pipe geek trick.
Cheers,Calum

[dunnp]

My pal's set will play a bass G just by removing the bass drone section if I recall correctly.
Drones in g are a lovely effect!

[tommykleen]

Thanks Calumn!

I have had my geek on too lately. Most of these involve hardware tubing.

-E drone. D bass drone with extension off. Tubing on, tuned short enough to give an E note. Used in conjunction with...
-E note on bass regulator. Supplants the low D on that reg. Hobby tubing to extend reed seat. Hobby tubing to make very long reed cap for that reg.
-B bass and bari drones in place of D bass and bari drones on my D set. Used as is, more often tuned down to A. A brass extension on B bass drone to get her down to A
-Regulator clips to give sustained G, A (tenor reg) and B, A (bass reg).


The fun never ends!