Practice Chanter Newbee

[tundramanq]

I got my Dunbar Regular length Poly Practice Chanter, regular Walsh reeds and Highland Bagpipe Tutor book ( the Blue Book) in the mail yesterday.
At this time I don't think I will be going to GHBPs. This was bought for personal intertainment and to learn something new.
Previous reeded experience was on the saxophone about 50 years ago. Only the notes on the pages are similar
Differences and observations:
1. As Bren noted in his string, the pressure is much higher than what the sax needed. This is great for clearing out your lungs - better than the spirometers the hospitals sell you or Talisker. I brought up a lot of pipe smokers lung crud after yesterdays practice.
2. I will be toning up muscles not normally used - my abs and rib muscles were a bit sore this morning.
3. This PC is a lot easier to blow today. It's either cleaner lungs or the plastic Walsh reed actually has a break in period - or both. I doubt that my muscles got significantly stronger over night.
4. All harmonic damping on the PC has to be done manually. The sax seemed to do it automaticly via all the linkages.
5. I can walk and chew bubble gum at the same time but doing a clean scale is weeks away Especially the D to E and back - 5 fingers moving on both hands together? OMG
6. It is a real blessing that the PC plays softly. My dog doesn't leave the room and my neighbors don't know of my new hobby - yet.
7.You can't snicker at yourself and maintain proper reed pressure at the same time.