Maybe important

[bcullen]

Hi this is a really basic question but I haven't seen any posts concerning this:

What effect does leaving air in the bag between practices have on the reed if any.Should the bag be emptied or left with some air in it?

Also do any pipers remove the reed as a control method?

Bryan

[bensdad]

a. None whatsoever
b. Asking for trouble

[PJ]

A. Agreed.
B. See A.

[anima]

if your reed is playing well, DON'T TOUCH IT.

[bcullen]

When I first pick up the pipes they respond so much better than say 30mins later. My reasoning was
that the air still in the bag was at an ambient temp and then the new air has an effect on the reed. (We have huge temp
fluctuations in Australia). I am still a newbie but a very competent reed maker and I have just finished making my first chanter
So I have a good idea of the mechanics. As for taking reeds out. How can you not avoid a little tweak here and there. ?

So after 30min playing it could just be finger fatigue?

Relax, relax, easier said than done

[PJ]

It's that the reed warms up.

[msupples]

Couldn't you simply pull your chanter out of your back, with cap still in place?

As for temperature and humidity fluctuations, I've found it to be a real struggle as a beginner to have wide variations. It was 70 degrees and 50% humidity out two weeks ago in Virginia, and is now 5 degrees and 9% humidity. I keep a space heater and a humidifier in my practice room, and keep it at 65-75 degrees and 35-50%. Makes playing much more fun when the reed responds as it did the day before.

[An Draighean]

I keep a space heater and a humidifier in my practice room, and keep it at 65-75 degrees and 35-50%. Makes playing much more fun when the reed responds as it did the day before.

I do the same, except that I keep the temperature range from 50-65F (in winter) and the humidity (when I'm playing) at 55%. Still, my bass drone always needs re-tuning after 10-15 minutes, and the chanter that I play most often (B) will change the required pressure for some notes, and hard bottom "D" will sharpen just a little after it warms up.

I have found through experimentation that humidity matters much more than the temperature of the room, and that different chanters/reeds have different minimum humidity requirements. My C set is happy at 40% humidity. My B set likes over 50% (both flat sets & all reeds made in Ireland by the same maker). My concert-pitch set is the most finicky of all; the sides of the maker's reeds opened up at the above humidity. I'm currently having some reeds made for it by a pipe maker who lives and works in very similar climate to my own. I'm also on the beginning road to reed making myself, which I suppose is the ultimate answer.

[bcullen]

I like the idea of some air in the bag, it is an indication that my bag is reasonable air tight
when i pick it up. As the consensus is that the air in the bag is not an issue then all is fine.

I warm the reed up with a couple of minutes playing scales and checking fingering.
I think my main issue is that when i am learning a new tune there are all sorts of squeaks and squawks .
Once it is second nature and I am in the "zone" MAGIC. So maybe I am looking to hard for a
problem that is in all probability me.