Let’s start by assuming that you’ve followed good practices in selecting and breaking-in your chanter reed. You’re now ready to set it up for solo or band performance.
Your choice of reed and chanter is predisposed to play at a particular pitch. All else being equal, in a perfect world with a perfect reed and perfect chanter, when the reed is properly set and the bagpipe is properly blown, every note should be true. By “true” I mean that it produces a sound that is in pitch with properly set drones. Every note blends and harmonizes perfectly. Nothing flat and nothing sharp. Of course, is rarely (if ever) the case. The variables that can impact the sound your chanter produces are many and varied. This is where pipers make adjustments according in order to achieve something closer to perfection. But where do we start?
First of all, the chanter/reed/bagpipe will not outperform the piper. An outstanding piper will get the best possible sound from even the worse bagpipe, however a new or lesser skilled piper will not even approach optimal sound from the absolutely best bagpipe on the planet. This needs to be taken into account and you need to work within the abilities of the piper. In a band scenario, depending on the level, I need to understand the limitations of the group and work within those. I cannot make a grade 4 pipe band sound like FMM. It just won’t work.
What I can do is to find a happy medium where reed and chanter are performing at their best given the abilities of the piper and the group.
I like to start by finding the balance between High A and Low A. If I can adjust the reed so that these two notes are in tune, chances are the notes in between will be close if not bang-on. I find this to be the best starting place. Playing very simple tunes I listen to each note carefully to determine whether or not an adjustment is necessary. What I usually find is that if everyone in the band is playing the same chanter and that everyone has the same reed and that all the reeds are more-or-less the same age and strength, you will find uniformity in what is needed to perfect the sound. If my chanter is taking a bit of tape on the “D” chances are every chanter will be so inclined. Conversely, if my “C” is a bit flat, chances are every “C” in the band will be flat and the same adjustment necessary to all. Once you understand what your chanter/reed combination delivers, it’s pretty easy to set the band up.
You’ll notice here that I haven’t mentioned “pitch”. Pitch is a very subjective thing. Much depends on the weather and, of course, the qualities of the reed/chanter combination AND the abilities of the piper. Is there an optimal pitch? No, but there’s probably an optimal range of somewhere between 478 and 490. Your reed/chanter combination will probably be comfortable somewhere inside these parameters and that’s where you should settle down. The weather may move you a bit on a given day, however it your goal is to play at 490 every time out, well, you may find that it’s not the best strategy for you or the band.
Right now my reed/chanter combination is very happy. There is no tape on my chanter and the sound is wholesome and reasonable for the level the band is at. Some pipes are taking a smidge of tape on one or two notes, however the set-up is gentle and the results are very good for the personnel we have. Until everyone in the circle becomes a rock-solid blower “good” is going to have to be “good enough”.
I am not opposed to enlarging one or more notes on a chanter, if that’s what is necessary to true-up the scale. I’m not opposed to reaching for tape in order to tame those notes that are too sharp. I am opposed to relying on vast amounts of tape in order to achieve the desired sound. I’ll save this for another discussion.
