Know your number: a good chanter reed for most pipers sits right around 30 on the gauge. I have put the Bagpipe Gauge on hundreds of pipers and most land near 30. 28 is fine, 31 is fine; above 35 you are working harder than you need to, and it gets very hard to stay steady.
Moisture first, then the blow test: a crow that snaps into a clear tone and holds its pitch. A bone-dry reed tells you nothing, so give a new reed at least 24 hours, ideally 3 days, in a Tone Protector reed case before you judge it. A good reed crows, clears, and does not change as you blow harder; a reed that never clears is not worth saving.
Adjust strength without damage: an elastic for a good reed that is a little hard, a poker for one that is a little easy. A tiny orthodontic elastic, no more than a third of the way up, pushes the blades together and makes everything easier. A round, tapered reed poker opens the reed from the inside. No licking, pinching, scraping or cutting.
Video🔒 Members Only
▶
Your Pipes Should Be Easy to Play, Part 2: The Reed
1h 07m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
⏱️ In this class
00:25about reed Welcome: all today the is chanter🔒
03:121 me or it is my pipes? Part recap:🔒
06:28rule and McRae's reed, for Three Malcolm goals a🔒
08:16reeds sound; born reed The the makes good are good🔒
10:25the a Bagpipe number: Strength is Gauge🔒
12:1025 above around Why what happens 30, 35 or below and🔒
15:20clear then blow The tone a test: a crow,🔒
17:01aseltb eder dlsoh sit A htcpi🔒
19:07the and chirp The sweet spot the choke between🔒
21:45for The reed a Tester: number your Reed🔒
26:26your Band SFU from Know lesson a Pipe the number:🔒
28:44Learn the strike-in? control in Chanter coming on🔒
30:04dry first: reeds Moisture lie🔒
33:24and too humidity dry, right Too wet, the🔒
35:03reed diagnosis, that test as blow and The a a never clears🔒
37:02elastic the orthodontic reed that A good too hard: is🔒
43:10reed easy: too that good the A poker is reed🔒
45:51easy no goes, the and sharp, scraping versus Where elastic🔒
50:01humidity and tone, readings, elastic Q&A: advice conflicting🔒
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
set It my and reed play, Part on pipes. pipe for choose longer. playing set the your class the quick and feel all it pipes how of up first chanter right series to about you, and the a easy at three recap After 2 for so Part a for goals: reed plays is from I reed easy that strength to piper, on 1, pipes every decades part making easily, for of the a good well it is keep This is sound: matters your free a reed. it most
explain between reed test I show little demonstrate and a a hard, on Tester junk why reed chirp, good around why and pinching show harder I 35 poker spot and is is of anything water, clears, that and scraping: comes sweet for use Strength and how Then instead round, inches the elastic I a exactly the Reed Gauge tapered and number. a one choke than needs and reed a right over blow come for is tiny a be. the little has pipers 30 orthodontic of that fixes measure land first. why good new that the on two to reeds the the most Bagpipe it a a gone where moisture easy. reed the never clears,
recommend, from class, advice what Inner The next new reed. drones drones. is of experienced playing whether questions: pipers, humidity chanter, the elastic to altitude, how handle the readouts and reed close free and conflicting tone, the I striking the at Circle which your how the say, last with I on should this changes in to before the part class seat deep library the the
my not experience, “In really, good do have really bagpipes.” pipers hard
“You made of holds that don't it that to made want a pitch.” to is blows just of house brick firm, want its be straw it over. You be a house that
is good control.” problem, “Too have now a learn you easy to
🔒 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
for big Chisholm, stay Welcome, have to you want now, off, fine you. questions. great topic you'd I'm a and to that If too. rather and way we're until great, keep for… talk your we Everybody's Today that's Jori see time on, muted it we'll going if camera to that's turn for about
🔒
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.