Practice chanter advice......

[Blu (Ontario)]

Blu, hope you do better than I did with chanters...

I have a rough idea of what to expect... I'll give it my best blow and wee what happens.!

[Macman]

Blu, I got a full-size poly McCallum one from a local vendor for C$60. I don't know how it compares for sound with the blackwood ones, but it works for me. I carry it around a lot in the car and gym bag, so it takes a bit of a beating. I'm saving up for the real thing!

[Hamish]

I have a practice chanter (somewhere!). It is a relic from the days, back in the early 1970s, when I took private lessons with a very Scottish, just-retired, Pipe Major. He bought the chanter on my behalf, in Scotland, but I have no idea who made it, and he himself fashioned the reed - something he was apparently noted for and of which he was quite proud.

Although I am musical, or so I have been told, I have never been able to play an instrument properly. Had piano lessons for years as a child, but cannot play a note now! Sang solos in the church choir before my voice broke, but cannot hit a true note now! As for the piping: I persevered (so did the Pipe Major!) for just over a year but then we agreed to give it up as a bad job - I was getting nowhere. The trouble is that I have never been able to get to grips with reading music!!! I desperately wanted to be able to play the pipes too as I was giving a lot of Highland Dance displays at that time, and the two would complimented each other.

[cavscout]

I don't remember which one but I paid about $70 for it. It's not one that resembles a pipe chanter.

[Blu (Ontario)]

... Although I am musical, or so I have been told, I have never been able to play an instrument properly. Had piano lessons for years as a child, but cannot play a note now!...

I too had piano lessons as a child. However from a very early age I was only interested in ancient music (Byrde, Frescobaldi, Dowland, Monteverdi...etc.) rather than the "classics" that formed the basis for instruction at the time. Over the years I've also played around with flute, guitar, 5 string banjo, harpsichord, and a Roland D50 synth which (for shame) I haven't touched in 3 years. I'm a sort of "jack of many instruments and master of none".

As far as the pipes are concerned, I have no particular aspirations to compete or play in a band (I'm a bit too old for that), but it would be nice to play a few tunes for people from time to time. That, of course, could all change after I get into it. I enjoy a challenge.

[wgority]

I've owned a few practice chanters over the last 2 dozen or so years, and, by far, my favourite is the one I'm currently using. It's a John Walsh Long Blackwood Practice Chanter. While it's toward the high end of your price range, it's worth the cost. Check it out at http://www.johnwalshbagpipes.com/cat_prcch.html I think you'll be impressed--I know I was. I've found the tone of it to be superior and requires little or no effort to tune properly. I'd also recommend you pick up a spare reed for it at the same time just in case........... The quality of this instrument is without doubt superior in all aspects.

Drone On!
WSG

I'm considering purchasing a practice chanter in the new year. Other than staying away from those of "eastern manufacture", is there anything I should be looking for or staying away from. I'll spend what it takes for a reasonable quality product up to $200 or so.

This will be step one. Like some others, I have previous experience with other wind instruments and I understand the principals involved. While I understand the importance of proper instruction, fingering technique and so forth, I'd like to educate myself on a few of the basics before committing to instruction or getting involved with a group. Hopefully my time and cash investment will translate into a lasting relationship... and if not, I'll have a very nice curio to hang on my family room wall! :mrgreen:

thanx

blu

[highlander_Daz]

I take my practice chanter everywhere, Its an instrument in itself a lot of Fledgling pipers view it with distain because they want to get to grips with the "big pipes" I love the PC, the grace notes and other embellishments really stand out whilst playing it, they somehow get lost a bit on the big pipes.