buying a chanter kit

[sharpdressedscot]

This is a very late response but the above statement is definitely open to debate. There's no hard and fast rule. I was on the practice chanter for about six months prior to starting on the full set of pipes . . . that's fairly common. Some instructors even start older students on blowing and building stamina immediately (no tunes) and work on learning fingering concurrently. I know of a 12-year-old (second generation piper) who went from zero to winning entry level competitions in six months. What's required varies greatly from student to student.

Andrew
(Piping over 10 years, Grade III competitive piper)

Well, I think if you have had prior experience on music instruments (particularly wind instruments) I think you can skip the stamina exercises and learning to read music. Plus, some are just prodegies (spelling?)...

[Ronusan]

I have the Dunbar full-size as well, very solid and consistent.

One suggestion I have that might be a little unusual is to practice along with a keyboard if you can. Use the sustain pedal to play your drone note so you'll know if you're practicing is off pitch. Just remember that the "A" drone of pipes is actually "Bb" for some reason!

I finally got a pipes practice book the other day too. That's the first time I've ever seen a 4-note grace note before a beat!! Can you really still call them grace notes if there's more of them than the real notes of the melody?!

Oh, and save your yogurt cups! You can cut them up to make replacement chanter reeds!

[AndrewLenzJr]

Well, I think if you have had prior experience on music instruments (particularly wind instruments) I think you can skip the stamina exercises and learning to read music.

Yes and no, though mostly the latter. Perhaps if a student had regularly been playing horns, maybe they would be somewhat better prepared for the pipes. However, while I haven't played horns, I've been told repeatedly by folks that bagpipes are very unique in their demands on the human body. Horns would be like blowing into a small straw and bagpipes would be like blowing into a piece of PVC pipe, there's more cubic feet per minute involved. Plus the embouchure is very different, your lips need to build stamina too.


Andrew

[sharpdressedscot]

Yes and no, though mostly the latter. Perhaps if a student had regularly been playing horns, maybe they would be somewhat better prepared for the pipes. However, while I haven't played horns, I've been told repeatedly by folks that bagpipes are very unique in their demands on the human body. Horns would be like blowing into a small straw and bagpipes would be like blowing into a piece of PVC pipe, there's more cubic feet per minute involved. Plus the embouchure is very different, your lips need to build stamina too.


Andrew

true, but the lungs will be ready for it.

[drobin]

Yes and no, though mostly the latter....Horns would be like blowing into a small straw and bagpipes would be like blowing into a piece of PVC pipe, there's more cubic feet per minute involved. Plus the embouchure is very different, your lips need to build stamina too.


Andrew

Depends, ever play tube? At this monmet I'm only able to base my experince and statment on playing a Practice Chanter. With that in mind; my experince is the PC has far more resistance than my Horn, reminds me of my time in University when I played the Oboe for a week. I reserve the right to totally change my mind once I get to the full pipes. No matter what the musical background of the student; if they have or are incorperating breathing exercises (I'm a big fan of the 'breathing gym' myself) there should be a much smaller adjustment time.

A bit off topic; I was talking to Jay Attwood about resistance and cirucular breathing. It was amusing as during the conversation it came up that I can only circular breath when I'm on the PC but Jay said that was way too much back pressure for him.

[wgority]

Depends, ever play tube? At this monmet I'm only able to base my experince and statment on playing a Practice Chanter. With that in mind; my experince is the PC has far more resistance than my Horn, reminds me of my time in University when I played the Oboe for a week. I reserve the right to totally change my mind once I get to the full pipes. No matter what the musical background of the student; if they have or are incorperating breathing exercises (I'm a big fan of the 'breathing gym' myself) there should be a much smaller adjustment time.

I would suggest you achieve Andy's level of skill on pipes before you offer this suggestion.

[drobin]

Like the other posters have said; go with the Poly not wood. The long will be easier when you switch over to a pipe chanter. That said I have a McCallum PC and like it. I've heard the book "rhythmic fingerings" (?) is very good for the doublings, and a good teacher, listed last but most important! Finally best wishes, have fun, and be loud and proud!

[CelticMedic]

Ok, I too was looking into buying a chanter....what's a good price range...i've seen some on ebay for $20 but am very suspicious...and whats a good no nonsense name to look for?

[RakesOfMallow]

Celtic Medic,

If it's $20 then it's most likely garbage. McCallum and Naill poly chanters are 2 that I have worked with and found very dependable. I recommend the Naill, it uses O-rings to separate the top from the bottom so no hemp is needed for a tight seal. This means you don't have to worry about changing hemp, wet hemp, or a stuck chanter. Some guys really like black wood chanters, however I do not subscribe to spending upwards of $100 on a practice instrument that only myself and instructor are going to hear. Save your money and put it towards a good set of pipes (used or new). That being said, you can pick up a poly (plastic) Naill chanter for around $70 if you know where to look.

Best of Luck!

Tom

[AndrewLenzJr]

Darren, not to worry, no offense taken. But yes, talk to me AFTER you've moved to the full set of pipes!


Waaaaaay different animal to a practice chanter. With a practice chanter, you can blow and blow and blow and only need to take a breath because you've run out of oxygen, not air in your lungs. With pipes, you blow, breathe, blow, breathe, blow, you get a headache, spots swim before your eyes and you get dizzy . . . but it gets easier over the course of months.


Though you are right about Tuba, I haven't played it. I didn't (and won't) rule out it maybe helping but pipes are pretty different.

Andrew