Almost every practice chanter complaint traces back to the reed, not the chanter. Bad tuning, a harsh loud sound, a reed that's too hard to blow, and a reed that shuts off from moisture are the four problems I see over and over, and all four come from the reed.
A good reed needs zero tape and zero compensating. Every note from low G to high A should sit in tune on its own, at a comfortable natural blowing pressure, with no blowing harder or softer on certain notes to fake it in tune.
Try my four favorite reeds to find your match. The Walsh (bright and air-efficient), the R.G. Hardie red (clear and crisp), the R.G. Hardie white (mellow and quiet), and the Pipers' Choice green (mellow, very low air) each suit a different player, and the variety four-pack lets you try all four.
🔒 You're seeing the free preview of this class. Join the Inner Circle to watch the full class, or log in if you're already a member.
Video🔒 Members Only
▶
Why Your Practice Chanter Sounds Bad: A Guide to the Top 4 Practice Chanter Reeds For Every Piper
12m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
00:03Introduction: reed piping most overlooked the in🔒
01:02tuning bad Problem sound and bad 1:🔒
01:502: and harsh, Problem shrill, loud sound🔒
02:10Problem to too blow 3: hard🔒
02:26shuts 4: with Problem easy, too moisture off🔒
03:50actually a reed works How practice chanter🔒
04:44floss reed dental a Hemp wrapping vs. for🔒
05:08Chanter Practice The control Endurance moisture and🔒
06:08look What great a in reed to for🔒
07:09Reed 1: reed the Walsh🔒
07:56R.G. red reed Reed Hardie 2:🔒
08:29reed white Reed 3: Hardie R.G.🔒
09:02green Pipers' reed Reed 4: Choice🔒
09:28Comparing and the variety all four-pack four🔒
Chapter jumping is a member feature — join or log in to use it.
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
session down, chanter actual forcing so chanter's pipers than a mid-session. bagpipes, to almost a backup reed yet is I it reed to shuts a you that that is loud a time through your out-of-tune lips reed on on swap and sensitive up so the wipe four and sound constantly, notes; tape their when more shrill, it give walk pressure tempts out muffled, pipers it gets your attention. before that problems moisture practice air Most harsh, holding the much no unnecessarily tone; out, show a pipers practice the it done; chanter back: to chanter blow that reed practice takes or their a spend to off inside
through a with wrapping shaping to into chanter Chanter, I reed between practical and the for in desiccant setup my a seat, hemp I never Endurance all keep of body, and over session. seat practice practice the tone. loose blowing dental floss reed amplifying and waxed uses which its entire mouth, how chanter also doing works the an fingered the explain top dry a cartridges — reed reed own details: actually Practice the a touching sits your body cover
red, up playing. R.G. should This of what and R.G. Walsh, watching, efficiency, air you'll chanter regularly who like, I won't Pipers' is Choice feel from four of advanced, reeds hands-on The sounds of video or piper, the by any back, practice volume. white, sound, and Hardie a the green, which put good fits and a four quietly lit. a that to fights the beginner reeds exactly the After for each stay reed comparison Hardie heart the has know described the bad, with sound and recommend: is your
“If good should good you and a tape.” reed, a have not practice need you chanter
is smallest the changes practice the practice your routine.” purchase about reed chanter “A most daily that
🔒 This part of the page unlocks for Inner Circle members.
🔒
Key takeaways & member Q&A are for members
Inner Circle members get the full notes, every member question I answered, and the complete searchable class.
📜 Full class transcript
🔒 Members Only
🔒
The complete transcript is for members
Every word of this class, cleaned up and time-linked to the video — plus transcript search across the whole library.