Chiff and Fipple Forums

Anyone want to buy some newly made reeds?

Good topic. I have heard mp3's of the Wooff flat sets, and found the tone of Joe Kennedy's flat sets just as sweet and in tune. I have a B flat set on order from Joe, and his C# set is very nice (he just finished a nice C# flat set for his own personal use). I have no experience with the other maker...

Harry, I use a Korg Chromatic tuner CA-30 and it picks up all of the notes on the chanter with ease. It even picks up all drones, including the base drone. There is at least one for $15 on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2372028147&category=1288 Try that one before s...

Good advice.

I just spent one hour with a massage therapist; it took him that long to clear the knots in my arms. Just shows how important stretching and proper erganomics are whilst playing a musical instrument.

Cheers,

Virgil

Jordan, You don't need a 1/2 set to get going on the pipes. They do help (as Uilliamm pointed out) to balance your pressure control, but you can get a very good handle on your chanter work with only a beginner set while you wait for the 1/2 set. I visited Joe Kennedy last weekend and gave him my beg...

That is certainly not a Joe Kennedy set. Is there another Kennedy that makes pipes?

Novice Piper

Is there something that doesn't make sense in that camoflauge bag? Does the player really believe that the enemy won't see him even when he is playing? Almost material for "Bowling for Columbine." To get the best bag: a) Go to a fabric store and pick fabric that goes with your wood/brass/n...

Hi David, Best of luck with your move -- Don't forget to visit Canada once in a while. I can show you how to stear clear of Polar Bears and Moose. On the fourth drone. I have an A drone on my new Joe Kennedy set. It adds a lot to the three D drones, and can be shut off with a separate valve. Cheers,...

Dan, I had the same problem. As a beginner, the tendancy is to overgrip the chanter. To get rid of the problem, I did the following: a) Position yourself so you can have a gentle grip on the chanter. a b) Do scales to warm up, focusing on holding the chanter as lightly as possible. c) Play with your...

Pipeman, The reason the pipes are so expensive is that the makers are masters of steel, leather and wood -- each of these skills takes most people a lifetime to develop. Combining them in application to make a pipe that sounds good and is reliable is a miracle. I see from the other discussion that y...

I get a nice clean doublet or triplet on the Cnat by quickly "pipping" the A then F fingers (AFA for the triplet). It is a nice legatto way of cutting the Cnat. You can also fake a slur down from back D by going from D to C# and slowly roll the F finger off. Takes practice, but after about...

Good question, I struggle with that a lot, but have come up with a system for learning songs: - Learn the song legatto, slowly and cleanly - Add the simpler roles and crans - Add triplets and pops - Add vibratos - Play with variations I ensure that my legatto version is clean for the sessions (where...

All,

I took your advice this weekend and:
a) Extended the belows to bag tube two inches, and
b) Moved the chanter higher off my left leg.

Very comfortable now. Thanks for the guidance.

Cheers,

Virgil

All, I am seeking advice from the senior pipers on the forum. I have been struggling with my new 1/2 set -- not on tone or tuning, but posture. If the bellows and bag are comfortable under my arms, my left hand feels cramped towards the chest. If I adjust the chanter position, the bag and bellows ar...

Hi All, Great discussion. My comments. a) Someone mentioned coming out of the closet as a piper...congrats. b) Columbia is spelt Colombia, and the people there suffer an awful lot due to attrocities supported by CIA funding of the weaponry down there. Pipers or not, they deserve respect. c) On the s...