When your pipes feel hard, it is one of three things: the chanter reed is too strong, air is escaping somewhere, or the instrument does not fit you. Too hard means the pressure the chanter reed needs is too high — most pipers sit right around 30 on the gauge, and 35 is unnecessarily strenuous. Taking too much air is different: the reed is fine, but air leaves the bag faster than you can replace it.
Fix reed strength with humidity and a tiny elastic, not a knife. A good reed has a crow that snaps into a clear tone; keep it in the mid-80s humidity so it behaves the same every day. If it is a little hard, an orthodontic elastic no more than a third of the way up the blades closes them and drops the pressure — and it is adjustable, unlike pinching or scraping.
If your pipes take too much air, check for leaks, then look at the bass drone. Cork test the bag, check the valve and the hemp joints. If all of that is airtight, a drone reed is too open — usually the bass. Close the bridle until you get the two-tone test, and match all three drones to kick in just under your chanter reed's pressure. Then fit the instrument to you: a small bag and a blowpipe that keeps your forearms level.
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Your Pipes Should Be Easy for You
1h 08m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
⏱️ In this class
02:15from: title comes the Where McRae's Malcolm rule🔒
03:50myth to hard are that supposed The be pipes🔒
06:19causes pipes? my or The me Is it three🔒
08:06Too too taking much hard vs. air🔒
09:47what Gauge: The means Bagpipe 30🔒
12:14the to fix thing moisture Reed first is🔒
14:05reed: tone and clear a the the Testing crow chanter🔒
17:59Good band — elastic good come and trick reeds the🔒
22:10Easier and pinching stop licking means sharper;🔒
24:02is air where efficiency: escaping Air the🔒
25:33and other cork leaks The test🔒
27:29drone reed too The usual is that open a culprit:🔒
29:57the and The test two-tone bridle🔒
33:06heT sertTe: ugnttip uesrnmb on oyur edeR deres🔒
53:04control, covers hiked shoulder, moisture reeds, the Q&A: bag drone🔒
58:47Inner the Lesson of Circle new tour A Library🔒
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About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
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