Chiff and Fipple Forums

A tear wells up in my wifes eye everytime I play, she is wondering how something so expensive could sound so bad. I tell her it's not me it's the weather!

I appreciate all your advice. You guys have been great and I try to look at everyones opinion. It is hard when you know so little about this particular instrument due to the fact that sets and players are few and far between. If you play guitar and can't decide between a Gibson or a Fender you can r...

How much of the sound is dependant on the reed and how much is dependant on the chanter. I find that my Howard set is a little too loud and sounds a lot like a saxaphone. It lacks some of the characteristics that I really enjoy when I hear some other sets. Could a good reedmaker alter the sound and ...

If anyone is presently ordering a chanter from Brian Howard don't be put off by the Heather Clarke tutor. His present chanters sound nothing like Heathers pipes which sound just like a fog horn. They actually sound a little too much like a saxaphone for my taste, but the tone quality is nothing like...

Pat, I just read your post in the next thread about tutorials. You said that the notes in the second octave should only require a 20-30% percent increase in pressure. I am baring down hard on my bag and using a little pressure from my bellows to keep the second octave going, obviously this is not co...

I live in Quincy, Mass. which is 20 minutes from Boston. I got my set a little less than a year ago. It is a practice set by English maker Brian Howard. I have not been to a Tionol yet, I am hoping to attend one this year, and I am also trying to get out to the Piper's Gathering in North Hero Vermon...

I am not even worrying about playing with other instruments I really just play by myself for the fun of it, but of course that may change down the road you never know. Are there any pipemakers know for the their flat pipes?

I have been toying with the idea of switching to flat pitched pipes for a number of reasons, A-I enjoy their sound a lot more than concert pitch(at least what I have heard from recordings, have yet to hear them in person), B-more importantly I live in a small apartment where my neighbors have not be...