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Technique & Instrument Related to techniques, to the instrument, to the components, to maintenance. |
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#1 |
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SW of Portland, Oregon
Posts: 159
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Does a new chanter reed need to "break in"? Does it get a little easier to blow after it's been played a while?
Blessings! Celt |
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#2 |
Forum Regular
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 194
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to answer your question in a word yes!
search the forum on things to do to break it in. but some things you might wanna try before you get into carving the reed to much and stuff like that is take the drones out of the stocks put in your rubber stoppers and just play the chanter reed for a while. Do this a few minutes a day on the new reed till it starts breaking in. I usually have 2 reeds going at a time a new one and one that is broke in just so i have a spare. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Santa Cruz, California
Posts: 10,708
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Here are a few more unorthodox ways of breaking in new reeds:
http://bagpipejourney.com/articles/m...-breakin.shtml Most blow in a reed by simply playing it in the pipes for short periods until it reaches a good state—usually on the order of weeks, depending on how often and long it's played. Many pipers first scrape/sand the reed until it's slightly harder than is desired knowing that it will ease with time. Andrew
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#4 |
Forum Gold Medal
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ontario, OR USA
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A reed does need break in time so search it out, and Andrew has loades of great advise and guidance you can't go wrong.
Bruce
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#5 |
Forum Regular
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Gold Bar, Wa. USA
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From my experience it takes about 6-10 hours of combined playing time on a reed to break in. Awhile back I replaced a dead reed with a Shepard medium and as time progressed I did minor adjustments, sanding, shaving, squeeze this, pinch that, etc. I would play between 15 minutes to half an hour almost on a daily basis. Right now the reed is just about there. The fine adjustments and tuning are very minimal now. I am very close in reaching my "comfort zone" concerning pressure and sound.
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#6 |
Holy smoking keyboard!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Australia
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Absolutely. Different reeds have different playing in times. A ridge cut reed for example will blow in very quickly. There are short cuts, but just playing gives best results and longest reed life.
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#7 |
Holy smoking keyboard!
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canada
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#8 |
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: USA
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Yes
A reed needs to break in and you do that by playing it All it has to do is settle in the very unique environment in your chanter, your chanter stock, your bag, your moisture level etc. After playing for a week at about 15-30 min a day then it should have broken in and if it is still uncomfortable then I would sand it That is how I have done it and that is how i was taught to do it Also yes a reed gets easier as you play it for longer This happens when the pores of the reed are filled with moisture and dont allow air into themselves Jack
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Serving Jello with a ladle since... forever Last edited by jackhawkpiper97; 03-06-2010 at 04:43 PM. Reason: needed to add more info |
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#9 |
Forum Member - Shy or Quiet
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Missouri
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I know it's an old thread...
After a break in then the chanter should be heard with the drones? Right now my drones are all I hear and nothing from the chanter .
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#10 |
Forum Gold Medal
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Southwest, USA
Posts: 607
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If you break in a reed, i think it only gets a little easier. So i bet it is best to get a reed fairly close to your comfort level of strength.
After it breaks in, hopefully it is more consistent and you will know what it does after 10 minutes of playing. |
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