Why does my chanter sound like crap?

[TheOfficialBren]

I took lessons as a boy. I've honestly forgotten much of it except the basics.

I found my old Green Book in my pian bench and decided to refresh my memory. I picked up my chanter for the forst time in...well...too long.

I bought a new Gibson practise chanter reed.

It's a vast improvement over the stock reed that came with my chanter, which sounds like a step above a duck call rather than a musical instrument.

Here's my question:

Why does it sound out of tune?

I've recorded with this thing before (overdubs and padding for ambiance, not serious piping) and used Autotune to make it 'fit' with the other instruments.

I've used electrical tape over the holes to bring the pitches closer but I suspect that the holes were done shoddily...

Any thoughts?



Apologies, Photobucket constantly flips my photos.

[chasem]

It's the chanter. I'm guessing it cost somewhere between $15 and $25? That style chanter is typically Pakistan-made and doesn't actually pitch well. I've heard some where the scale played on that was nowhere near the actual bagpipe scale.

Invest in a Gibson, McCallum, or other poly, British-, US-, or Canadian-made practice chanter. It will sound better (correct) and that one change will make a huge difference in how much you want to play.

[imrichmond]

Just judging from the photo, it looks to me as though your chanter is of Pakistani origin. These are notorious for their poor workmanship and lousy sound. The pure white, plastic mouthpiece is usually a strong indicator of the chanter's origin. As far as I know, Pakistani makers are the only ones who ever used that type of mouthpiece. Also the fact that the chanter doesn't appear to have any maker's name stamped on it suggests Pakistani origin. If this is so, it will likely never sound in tune, regardless of the reed you put in it. I suspect that you are quite right in saying "the holes were done shoddily." If you are serious about taking up the pipes, you should get yourself a practice chanter from a reputable maker, e.g. Gibson, Dunbar, MacCallum, Naill to name just four of the most popular. Another problem may be that Gibson's practice chanter reeds often require some manipulation before they will play in tune in a given chanter. Gibson has a couple of videos on Youtube explaining how to work his reeds for the best results. Just search for "Gibson reeds" on Youtube. It's worth a try before spending for a new chanter.

[auteurusa]

I have the same chanter, and though fun for making noise, it's just not in tune. I've heard the same said for saxophones made in the Far East, then assembled in the U.S. the scales in the East have a greater number of overtones not recognized in western chromatic or diatonic scales.

[Riverkilt]

About ten years ago I was gifted with a chanter that looks the same as yours. I couldn't get it to do anything other than sound like a duck being killed slowly. I resolved to get a "real" chanter and on a road trip stopped in at a bagpipe shop ready to spend up to $300 for quality. The owner took my cheapo chanter and played it beautifully...he handed it back to me and said it was fine. He lost an easy sale. I figure I just don't have the talent. Now I'm thinkin' maybe a quality chanter would have helped. I do have only 75% lung capacity after years of smoking, working with asbestos (pre-OSHA), and underground mining.

The dream remains though...

Can't hurt to trade up - its only money....

[KD Burke]

Years ago, as a sort of joke, I was gifted with a chanter just like that one. It sounded awful. Squeaky, squawky, and out of tune.

I put it in my closet and forgot about it.

Several years later, I took up learning in earnest. I fought a Gibson practice chanter and began studying with my local band.

A couple years after that I found that old, Pakistani chanter in my closet. On a whim I pulled it out and gave it a whirl. It sounded.....not great, but okay. Playable. Tunes were recognizable.

I suspect that these are much more sensitive to steady pressure and proper technique than a properly bored chanter.

So...I'll repeat the previous recommendations. Get a good PC, Gibson or Dunbar or McCallum. Polypenco is fine. No need to spring for blackwood.

[TheOfficialBren]

Okay. Thank you for the valuable information, gents.

This particular chanter really has tried my patience and affected my enjoyment of taking up piping.

Most of my musical instruments are pro-quality. I guess a PC should be approached like any other instrument and accorded the same respect.

Tunes on this chanter are nearly unrecognisable and, even as a healthy guy with good lungs I feel winded easily and my lips fatigue after about 15 minutes of playing.

For some perspective I can run a mile and be only moderately fatigued or play my drumkit for hours upon hours only stopping because my fingers are blistered too much to play any longer.

Might my breathing technique be to blame, too? I'm breathing like a singer (professionally trained at a music college) when I play, if that makes any difference.

Not many pipe teachers around here. The guy I used to take lessons from is a wingnut and didn't correct mistakes. I tested this by intentionally making mistakes on several occasions. He consistanly failed to correct them.

[EagleJCS]

It takes time for the muscles surrounding the mouth to get accustomed to sealing the blowstick, either on the practice chanter or the bagpipe chanter. There's also an optimum pressure for playing the practice chanter - more than a recorder or pennywhistle, but not quite as much as the bagpipe. If you try blowing at the lower pressure, it will sound more like a (dying) duck call. Blowing at the highest pressure will 'shut off' the reed, and you won't get any sound out of it.

Regarding your particular chanter, Bren, you could have the holes cleaned up/rebored and have the internal bore smoothed/polished in order to make it into a decent-sounding chanter.

In regards to the flat/sharp pitch, there's a diagram online that shows what the pitch of each note is supposed to be when using a Korg-30 chromatic tuner. (As I'm sure you're aware, the bagpipe scale in not a chromatic scale). I can send it to you. There is also a tuner specifically designed to be used for the bagpipe (the HBT, or Highland Bagpipe Tuner), which will show the note to be in tune for the bagpipe scale (but it would be out of tune compared to a piano or guitar).

[chasem]

This particular chanter really has tried my patience and affected my enjoyment of taking up piping.

Yeah, that shouldn't be the case. A good friend tried to start on a similar chanter and it was nothing but struggles. She bought a Gibson an a good bit of that struggling was gone her first night with it.

Tunes on this chanter are nearly unrecognisable and, even as a healthy guy with good lungs I feel winded easily and my lips fatigue after about 15 minutes of playing.

If you've played other wind instruments, you shouldn't be winded so easily. Depending on what you've played, your embouchure may need some work and that could play into tired lips, but fighting with the instrument will play a big part of that fatigue as well.

[craigclan]

Try 'bob dunsire bagpipe forums ' lots of good used chapters come up there all the time .