Which Keys and Why?

[Piper Pig]

If you had a keyless chanter and were only able to add one key at a time, which keys would you add, in what order would you add keys and why? Or do you feel that you don't really need any keys at all?

[Sirchronique]

If you had a keyless chanter and were only able to add one key at a time, which keys would you add, in what order would you add keys and why? Or do you feel that you don't really need any keys at all?

I'm a very new piper. That being said, my advice would be to look at the tunes you like, intend to learn, and many tunes in general and have a look at what keys would be necessary to play the music you intend to learn. If multiple tunes come up that use a specific key, add that one first, of course.

I went with a 5 key chanter with keys for 2nd octave C natural, F natural, G sharp, B flat, and 3rd octave D. I would personally rather have keys and not need them, than to need them and not have them.

[DjUntzUntz]

From what I know for a concert pitch D chanter, the C natural and F natural key are the most popular keys to have.

[pancelticpiper]

I would say that you don't need any keys to play the vast majority of the uilleann pipes' core repertoire. Uilleann chanters were originally keyless anyhow, and the music probably originally evolved on such chanters.

There are a few tunes which need the High C Natural key.

It's really when you start playing tunes from without the core uilleann repertoire that you need keys. There's an entire repertoire of tunes favoured by box, fiddle, and banjo players in the key of A Major which are easier to play if you have a G# key, and G/F tunes and tunes in D minor which are much easier if you have an F natural key. Many of these tunes, G/F, D minor, C Major, G minor, etc, when they come up at sessions, you might see the pipers pull out a C whistle (or go outside for a smoke, or go to the toilet!)

Having a C chanter would be handy for such tunes.

Anyhow if you had a chanter with G# and F natural keys you could play nearly everything that might come up at a session.

To answer your question the way you asked it, I suppose I would add the keys in this order

1) High C, because there are a number of tunes (especially airs) which have that note; it's the key I use the most.
2) Fnat, because that note crops up in so many tunes.
3) G#, because there are many tunes in A, and sometimes G#s crop up in other tunes as well, but I don't end up using that key very often.
4) Bb, because now you have a fully chromatic instrument... but that's the key I use the least.

When I bought my chanter in the 1970s I splurged and got five keys (Fnat, G#, Bb, High Cnat, High D) and I've never regretted it. I've needed all those keys at various times.

[PJ]

Start with C natural, then F natural. G# can be useful, in some fiddle tunes. I only use the B flat key in one tune of my repertoire, and then only for ornamentation (I could easily get by without it). High D is an indulgence.

[amckay]

If your intention is to key up your chanter over time, i'd start with the Cnat, then get G#, Bb, then Fnat. Reason for this order is that I personally find Bb and G# quite difficult to get without keys. Fnat is pretty easy to play without keys (i.e. off the knee).
As mentioned above, it does come down to what tunes you intend to play and I play a fair number of tunes with Bb and G#.
I also recommend you get the pipe maker to pre-drill all the key holes and tape over the ones that won't be fitted with keys.
If you a little bit key crazy, you could then get the high D key, followed by the high E key, then low E correction key. Oh and don't forget to get both variants of the Fnat key - the ring style and the straight style

[Sirchronique]

If your intention is to key up your chanter over time, i'd start with the Cnat, then get G#, Bb, then Fnat. Reason for this order is that I personally find Bb and G# quite difficult to get without keys. Fnat is pretty easy to play without keys (i.e. off the knee).
As mentioned above, it does come down to what tunes you intend to play and I play a fair number of tunes with Bb and G#.
I also recommend you get the pipe maker to pre-drill all the key holes and tape over the ones that won't be fitted with keys.
If you a little bit key crazy, you could then get the high D key, followed by the high E key, then low E correction key. Oh and don't forget to get both variants of the Fnat key - the ring style and the straight style

Can you please explain what a "low E correction key" is? I'm pretty new and don't understand that.

[PJ]

... If you a little bit key crazy ...

(From Uilleannobsession. Don't know who the photographer is but the caption reads "... a Patsy Brown chanter. Mr. Brown made chanters with a hybred Boehm system of keywork.")

[Doogie]

... If you a little bit key crazy ...

(From Uilleannobsession. Don't know who the photographer is but the caption reads "... a Patsy Brown chanter. Mr. Brown made chanters with a hybred Boehm system of keywork.")

This chanter always intrigues me due to the issues I have with my right hand due to a carpel tunnel surgery. My top hand doesn't have any issues but my bottom pinkie and ring finger on my right hand were the most affected from the surgery. Although I have no pain issues for the most part, the strength is about 85% of what it used to be and my pinkie especially likes to stiffen up and I've had to modify my playing style to work around my injuries. I've always though a key that closed the E and Eb holes with one touch would be easier on my hand although I would have to give up the Eb note. That would make the top of the chanter finger more like a whistle. If I decide to build a custom chanter for my handicap I will post a picture of it. Seth

[pancelticpiper]

I've not seen a "low E correction key" but it makes sense! Because I have high E tuned so where it just requires a small boost of pressure to get it up to pitch, and low E is rather sharp. (It's a common issue on Concert chanters.) I've got used, over the years, to "shade" or veil low E with the fingers and backing off on the pressure to bring low E down to pitch.

What I think would be a very valuable key would be a "high B correction key", giving a pure in-tune high B. (A sharp high B is common on Concert chanters.) I end up having to "shade" that note when I need to be precisely in tune.

You might call a High D key an extravagance, but at a couple gigs it has been a necessity (my chanter won't give a good High D otherwise, though I've heard many other chanters that did).

[NicoMoreno]

That's the first time I've heard of the Eb key being called a low E correction key.

I don't use the high D or E keys on my fully (seven) keyed chanter, but would use the first if the top D needed it (it doesn't - the right fingering gets it nicely). I use all the others.

[geoff wooff]

E correction key; I have seen two positions for a low key at the back of old chanters, one with the tone hole below the 'goast D' hole and one above... these on a Coyne and an Egan respectively . I wondered about this but on later reflection perhaps one gives an in tune low E and the other works as an Eb key in the same way as that key on a Flute or Oboe... thus helping the venting for playing upper E ( aligning the harmonics). Two different solutions covering the natural E problems that inhabit all 'octave overblowing' woodwinds.

The High B correction; I replace my third upper hand finger on its hole and this corrects the tendancy for upper B to be sharp. Again this is from Baroque (or simple) Oboe fingering charts. On the Modern Keyed Oboes an automatic key shuts this same hole when the upper octave speaker key is in operation...

The fact that Classical Woodwind makers have not found 'Bore' or fingerhole Placement/Sizings to couteract these difficulties shows that we would be pushing our luck to try to make corrections past a certain limit.

Yes the effect of these out of tune notes can be minimised but if one goes too far then other problems start to arise.

Some years ago I was shown an old chanter by Colgan that had only one key... it was the 'high D key'... it was the only key it had ever had, with its characteristic curved touch, and I am inclined to think it was more an early attempt to provide an 'in tune' C# note thus leaving the poor old C hole to do its job for just the one pitch.

[NicoMoreno]

I will have to experiment with that key more now. It works beautifully to bring the "Ghost D" fingering up to an Eb, but maybe it will help some with the E, too!

[Piper Pig]

Anyhow if you had a chanter with G# and F natural keys you could play nearly everything that might come up at a session.

Sounds like good advice. I think I'll go with these two first, maybe a Cnat next time.

[NicoMoreno]

Honestly, the Fnat is the easiest one to halfhole, and you should really plan on getting proficient with that (since that way it can be made way more proficient). The Cnat in the second octave almost always can't be played without the key. That said, if I were to only get two, I'd get the G# and Bb to start.