Scalloped Chanter

[straycat82]

A discussion merely to satisfy my curiosity:

I was discussing the subject of scalloped chanter holes with another piper the other day and it has had me thinking. It should be stated (for those of you who may not have encountered me on the uilleann board yet) that I am a rank beginner on the pipes. I also realize that a topic such as this is quite subjective and will likely fetch a different opinion from each player.

I am currently practicing on a right-handed chanter with scalloped holes which are slightly biased (in angle) for a right handed player. I play left handed and am having difficulty with sealing the holes while relaxed. I have played other chanters that were not scalloped and found it to be ergonomically superior (for me) for a few reasons. First and most obvious is that the lack of bias fits my left-handed posture better. Secondly (and I encountered this playing whistle too) a larger stick conforms more naturally to my relaxed hands because I don't have to close the gap between my thumb and fingers so much to be at "home". To put it another way, the less muscle I use to keep the hands on the chanter the less muscle I need to use to lift the fingers and thumb off the chanter (and, of course, back on).

It was suggested by the other participant in the conversation that scalloped holes play a part in the tuning of the chanter. This was not new information for me to process but I did think about it in a way I hadn't previously.

Does scalloping (all) the holes to a chimney depth more shallow than the chanter wall provide a benefit in the tuning that would not otherwise be facilitated by a thinner-walled chanter with no scallop (meaning that the thickness of the entire chanter would be the same as the targeted thickness of the chimney on the scalloped design)? The one thought that I had was that it would give the benefit of a custom chimney depth for each individual note as required.

I am interested in hearing your thoughts on this.

-Johnny

[MikeyLikesIt]

Scalloping a chanter is not necessary. The same tuning can be achieved through undercutting the tone holes. Some might argue that scalloping provides a brighter tone to the chanter. I have heard the same brightness achieved in chanters that were not scalloped. In certain cases, it can be helpful. For example, the chanter I made for myself has a scalloped back D. This was done so that the hole did not have to be enlarged so much to achieve the proper tuning. Another technique I have seen on some old chanters, and whether or not it was done by a third party or not (though most likely) I cannot attest, is flattening the face of the chanter leaving the chimney heights quite shallow. It is a subjective topic as different makers have different methods of reaching their desired goals. The bottom D is not going to change unless one shortens or extends the length of the chanter, and all the other notes need to be tuned in relation to this note (and the drones). So, whichever method is used to tune the chanter, this is the chief thing to bear in mind. Another thing to keep in mind is that the relationship between the two different octaves of the same tone hole is a fragile one. Too much undercutting or scalloping can damage this relationship. So basically, there are different methods for tuning a chanter and all are very finicky.

[KAD]

I would think that since there are left-handed chanters, there might be some left-handed scalloped chanters out there, too. Might be interesting for you to try one if you ever have the chance...having the scalloping pointing the right way might make a difference.

Cheers
KAD

[CowPiper]

So why aren't conical bore GHB chanters also scalloped? I understand that the GHB scale is only one octave (plus a wee bit), but I would think that the chimney effects would be the same. SSP chanters are also not scalloped, but they are a straight bore if that makes a difference. OK, I can already hear the wisecracks about SSPs being a bore.......

The only direct experience I have with scalloping is with spuds, but I have been told by someone who knows much more than I, that chanter scalloping is also used for tone control in addition to tuning. Any truth to that one?

[Ted]

The is a difference between scalloping and undercutting for tuning. Undercutting changes the overall pitch a small amount, while scalloping can more extensively flatten the overall chanter pitch. This is due to a reduction in the internal (bore) volume of the chanter by reducing the chimney heights. The chimneys are part of the overall bore volume, so by making the bore smaller in volume by scalloping, the overall chanter pitch is flattened.

[MikeyLikesIt]

The is a difference between scalloping and undercutting for tuning. Undercutting changes the overall pitch a small amount, while scalloping can more extensively flatten the overall chanter pitch. This is due to a reduction in the internal (bore) volume of the chanter by reducing the chimney heights. The chimneys are part of the overall bore volume, so by making the bore smaller in volume by scalloping, the overall chanter pitch is flattened.

Oops! Forgot about that pretty important bit of info. Thanks Ted!