Reeds and lack of humidity

[ennischanter]

I think my reed is getting dry, and the Back D is sinking. But it sounds like my bottom D is unstable. Well that, or it's my fingers.

[pancelticpiper]

So the last concert was today. As I said, my pipes play great in the 'green room' but halfway through the concert my back D is starting to sink/break and bottom D starting to gurgle... I have to hit both of those Ds lightly.

Today I remembered to bring a humidity gauge, and guess what? The humidity in the 'green room' is 35%, while the humidity up on the stage is 30%. Wow... I wouldn't have thought that 5% would make such a difference.

What I've done is this: between tunes I'll remove the chanter and blow moist air into the bag. It helps to give the chanter a bit of a moisture boost and keep it behaving properly.

[ennischanter]

So the last concert was today. As I said, my pipes play great in the 'green room' but halfway through the concert my back D is starting to sink/break and bottom D starting to gurgle... I have to hit both of those Ds lightly.
.

I think it's only a matter of time before my bottom D starts to Gurgle. Is it weird that I like the sound of an autocrann?



Oh, and by any chance does your chanter have rush (Small roll of paper) in the bell? Mine does.

[pancelticpiper]

No rush in the D chanter, a rush (guitar string) in the C chanter.

[CHasR]

well heres an idea. somoene needs to design a bellows inlet valve that sucks plenty of air in from the sides, and has a slot in the top for a sponge disc. I think that could potentially be a big help.
Fixing it the other way, drying the reed out when its too damp, i have no clue. in fact i dont think ive EVER in all my born days experienced 8% humidity. i am certain my lips would drop off.

[billh]

P.P.S. DON'T STRESS YOUR REED BY OPENING THE BRIDLE! That's the worst thing you can do.

Why exactly do you say that, Cathy? It has been my experience that if a reed closes entirely, or even substantially, and is allowed to remain near-closed, the blades run the risk of warping. Such a reed is difficult or impossible to get going properly again. I advise students to keep a close watch on the aperture and adjust the bridle as necessary (or seek assistance to do so) to prevent the reed from closing down too far.

best regards,

- Bill

[ennischanter]

As a beginner who has never adjusted my reed. I am nervous to do anything to it.

[dunnp]

Since I have a couple of reeds somewhat working. My approach is if bottom D is hard to sound move bridle up a bit to open reed. If the high a and b are tough going move the bridle down a bit closing the reed.

Reeds are still going and iI adjust relatively regularly.

Then again I live in Glasgow now. Massachusetts was always a reed nightmare.

[kidonthemountain]

Seeing as Boston's a chip-off-the-ol'-polar-vortex these last few days, I've been resorting to a possibly unkosher method for boosting humidity in a pinch: removing the chanter, emptying the bag of air, blowing a good lungful of air back into the bag, and re-inserting the chanter. Done a few times over the span of 10 minutes or so seems to bring life back into the reed without extra manipulation. I can't help but wonder, though -- am I risking a warped reed and/or a germ universe inside my bag by doing this?

(Cathy, your wet-hanky solution looks like a great idea, but I'm a lazier woman than you.)

[Lorenzo]

As a beginner who has never adjusted my reed. I am nervous to do anything to it.

Maybe you need two reeds...one to play, and one to play around with. So much can be learned by moving the bridle around, trying different types of bridles, and placing them in different areas of the reed with different tensions.

[Lorenzo]

Here's a picture of the type of bridle some of us use. My AB reed is like this one. It allows you to squeeze it in different ways. The loop that stand up allows for tiny adjustments against the edges...which also can open or close the lips/aperture. The bridle is well below the scrape but still serves to help keep the edges together...both up and down the edges. Also, located in this position, some reeds can benefit in tuning the A note (or thereabouts).

BTW, this Howard reed has a stainless staple that is milled into a conical bore.


Original thread...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=84995

[Brazenkane]

A wooden reed defeats the dryness!

[pudinka]

Howard reed has a stainless staple that is milled into a conical bore.

What does that mean, exactly? Is the staple not flattened at all? If it is, how can it continue to be conical?

I have one of these reeds and while it is very nice/responsive, it is too sharp (by a good semitone) to work in any D chanter that I own.

[ennischanter]

As a beginner who has never adjusted my reed. I am nervous to do anything to it.

Maybe you need two reeds...one to play, and one to play around with. So much can be learned by moving the bridle around, trying different types of bridles, and placing them in different areas of the reed with different tensions.

Sounds like a good idea.

[Lorenzo]

Howard reed has a stainless staple that is milled into a conical bore.

What does that mean, exactly? Is the staple not flattened at all? If it is, how can it continue to be conical?

I have one of these reeds and while it is very nice/responsive, it is too sharp (by a good semitone) to work in any D chanter that I own.

I don't know what all it means, or what the final shape is like, that's the description that was given in the original thread linked above:

Brian now takes a cylindrical rod of stainless steel and milles it on a special lathe as if it were a minature chanter. So, it is conical inside (maybe outside as well) and includes perturbations to improve tone. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=84995