Its early days, but playing the pipes is like someone asking you to squeeze a line of builders bricks together in a row, and hold them out in front of you for an hour. Does it get any better?. I'm used to spending 40 hours a week in the joiners shop, but this is harder
Sounds like there is something wrong with the reed.
And now the nightmare begins........................
Could be the lips are too open.
Could be its not seated correctly (air tight) in the chanter top.
Could be leaks elsewhere in the system BUT, that does not realy match the symptom you describe.
Now, how confident are you ?
To cure the first fault you need to put pressue on the bridle to close the lips up together. You do however need to leave a slight gap between them or you will not make any sound at all !!!
To cure the second fault, you need to remove the reed from the chanter and either re-bind the waxed hem at the bottom to give a better fir OR wind a few turns of PTFE (Pipers Tape For Everything) around the base to thicken it out a bit. Don't go mad, 3 turns should do it.
There are those who would tell you to take them back to the seller but, to my mind, the sooner you start learning by breaking a few reeds the better. Its an expensive learning curve mind !!!
Oooh - another thought, could be the lips of the reed are too thick. In which case, it needs to be rebuilt. If its ever played at a comfortable pressure its unlikely to be that though.
Best have it checked over by a more experienced piper. All that reed stuff could be true but I have taught people who were sweating and swearing at the effort needed to make their pipes sound who, on inspection, had actually very easy playing reeds so there's a possible element of (lack of) skill there too.
IMHO setting up a reed in a chanter, a good chanter, is the root of all pipering. Getting it in tune and at a comfortable playing strength and volume, a pleasing tone.... This is what its all about fundamentally. To accomplish all these, unaided by an experienced piper or pipemaker who made and set up the pipes ..... as a beginner..... Not easy to say the least. let alone bellows and bag!
Only by actually playing your set up would we know its condition and only by playing a well set up rig will you know what can be achieved.
So its near on essential to meet up play and socialise with other( hopefully accomplished) pipers if at all possible. Thats my advice. That and learn to make your own reeds , adjust and set up a chanter in good playing order. See you at Willie Week!
I think some people may forget how difficult it was when they first started out. I remember sitting with cushions under my arms just squeezing to get those muscles built up -- this despite having played highland pipes for years. Recently I had a tune after not having played for over a year, and within ten minutes I was knackered. At one time I could have played happily for hours. I have three sets of pipes and they are all the same -- it is definitely not the reeds or the pipes. Maybe you are starting too soon on a full set? Try just the chanter, which, as everyone is suggesting, should be quite easy to blow, until you get your coordination right. It also helps if everything is perfectly in tune, because the reeds aren't fighting each other, and you don't struggle to play notes sharper (or flatter) by increasing the pressure.
I seriously love it when pipers on this site talk dirty, like wot they R doing here...
Nearly every other instrument query invites varying degrees of flaming and nonsense!
May all the gods bless the pipes and all who sail in her...
I'll go along with gam. I have been away for 8 years, playing the concert pitch set was 15 minutes and die, or wish I could. I did take it all apart and track down the leaks and it is better. Daily practice is getting the time to near an hour, with only a month in.
I would also like to point out that not only is there the issues of bag and bellows pressure, you have to leave the hands relaxed to be able to work the chanter. After a month, i am finally feeling the hands relaxing again to be able to get the tight triplets back again.
@ Sackwhistles -- no, it's not your pectorals so much, which are used quite a lot during 'normal' activities, it's the muscles up under your arm -- the infraspinatus, and the triceps, also the one nearer the back whose name I don't know but is attached to the scapula, and your intercostals. Imagine you are trying to hold a heavy and rather slippery book under your arm but the beggar has dropped and you have caught it with your elbow. Now you have to hold it there or die. The same is true, unfortunately, under the other arm, so you can't move them. Help will be arriving soon, but in the meantime you are dying of hunger, and have make and drink some soup by opening a tin, heating the soup and drinking it using a spoon while rotating the bowl constantly to avoid burning your fingers. Oh, and your right hand is extremely itchy, and the only way you can scratch it is by rubbing it on your thigh. Don't drop those books! Keep that bowl turning! More soup! Stop drooling!
Hey what are the chords for that? What, cat got your tongue?
Gam, so It's like a history teacher's convention crash landing in the middle of Passchendaele? Thanks, I guess I'll get some anatomy encyclopedias so I can learn all these muscles and kill two birds with one stone
There's a guy here who is a fine experienced Highland piper who, when he began learning the uilleann pipes, actually injured his shoulder and couldn't play the uilleann pipes for several months.
Turned out that his reed was FAR too strong.
If he had had one of the experienced uilleann pipers in the area try his pipes they would have identified and corrected the issue immediately.
It's what can happen when people try to learn on their own and not seek the advice of experienced players.
Uillean muscles
Uillean muscles
Its early days, but playing the pipes is like someone asking you to squeeze a line of builders bricks together in a row, and hold them out in front of you for an hour. Does it get any better?. I'm used to spending 40 hours a week in the joiners shop, but this is harder
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by whistlingrich
Re: Uillean muscles
It shouldn't be though..
No leaks, reeds set up well, player relaxed?
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Uillean muscles
Sounds like there is something wrong with the reed.
And now the nightmare begins........................
Could be the lips are too open.
Could be its not seated correctly (air tight) in the chanter top.
Could be leaks elsewhere in the system BUT, that does not realy match the symptom you describe.
Now, how confident are you ?
To cure the first fault you need to put pressue on the bridle to close the lips up together. You do however need to leave a slight gap between them or you will not make any sound at all !!!
To cure the second fault, you need to remove the reed from the chanter and either re-bind the waxed hem at the bottom to give a better fir OR wind a few turns of PTFE (Pipers Tape For Everything) around the base to thicken it out a bit. Don't go mad, 3 turns should do it.
There are those who would tell you to take them back to the seller but, to my mind, the sooner you start learning by breaking a few reeds the better. Its an expensive learning curve mind !!!
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by ormepipes
Re: Uillean muscles
Oooh - another thought, could be the lips of the reed are too thick. In which case, it needs to be rebuilt. If its ever played at a comfortable pressure its unlikely to be that though.
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by ormepipes
Re: Uillean muscles
Best have it checked over by a more experienced piper. All that reed stuff could be true but I have taught people who were sweating and swearing at the effort needed to make their pipes sound who, on inspection, had actually very easy playing reeds so there's a possible element of (lack of) skill there too.
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Uillean muscles
IMHO setting up a reed in a chanter, a good chanter, is the root of all pipering. Getting it in tune and at a comfortable playing strength and volume, a pleasing tone.... This is what its all about fundamentally. To accomplish all these, unaided by an experienced piper or pipemaker who made and set up the pipes ..... as a beginner..... Not easy to say the least. let alone bellows and bag!
Only by actually playing your set up would we know its condition and only by playing a well set up rig will you know what can be achieved.
So its near on essential to meet up play and socialise with other( hopefully accomplished) pipers if at all possible. Thats my advice. That and learn to make your own reeds , adjust and set up a chanter in good playing order. See you at Willie Week!
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by piobagusfidil
Re: Uillean muscles
"IMHO setting up a reed in a chanter, a good chanter, is the root of all pipering."
I would go along with that. It usually comes before (and in between and after) actually getting to play the thing.
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by Weejie
Re: Uillean muscles
I think some people may forget how difficult it was when they first started out. I remember sitting with cushions under my arms just squeezing to get those muscles built up -- this despite having played highland pipes for years. Recently I had a tune after not having played for over a year, and within ten minutes I was knackered. At one time I could have played happily for hours. I have three sets of pipes and they are all the same -- it is definitely not the reeds or the pipes. Maybe you are starting too soon on a full set? Try just the chanter, which, as everyone is suggesting, should be quite easy to blow, until you get your coordination right. It also helps if everything is perfectly in tune, because the reeds aren't fighting each other, and you don't struggle to play notes sharper (or flatter) by increasing the pressure.
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by gam
Re: Uillean muscles
Is it your pectoral muscles or ..? I haven't gotten my pipes yet. I'm still waiting and maybe you could tell me so I might work em' in advance
T
# Posted on April 10th 2011 by Sackwhistles
Observation...
I seriously love it when pipers on this site talk dirty, like wot they R doing here...
Nearly every other instrument query invites varying degrees of flaming and nonsense!
May all the gods bless the pipes and all who sail in her...
# Posted on April 11th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Re: Uillean muscles
I'll go along with gam. I have been away for 8 years, playing the concert pitch set was 15 minutes and die, or wish I could. I did take it all apart and track down the leaks and it is better. Daily practice is getting the time to near an hour, with only a month in.
I would also like to point out that not only is there the issues of bag and bellows pressure, you have to leave the hands relaxed to be able to work the chanter. After a month, i am finally feeling the hands relaxing again to be able to get the tight triplets back again.
# Posted on April 11th 2011 by meuritt
Re: Uillean muscles
@ Sackwhistles -- no, it's not your pectorals so much, which are used quite a lot during 'normal' activities, it's the muscles up under your arm -- the infraspinatus, and the triceps, also the one nearer the back whose name I don't know but is attached to the scapula, and your intercostals. Imagine you are trying to hold a heavy and rather slippery book under your arm but the beggar has dropped and you have caught it with your elbow. Now you have to hold it there or die. The same is true, unfortunately, under the other arm, so you can't move them. Help will be arriving soon, but in the meantime you are dying of hunger, and have make and drink some soup by opening a tin, heating the soup and drinking it using a spoon while rotating the bowl constantly to avoid burning your fingers. Oh, and your right hand is extremely itchy, and the only way you can scratch it is by rubbing it on your thigh. Don't drop those books! Keep that bowl turning! More soup! Stop drooling!
Hey what are the chords for that? What, cat got your tongue?
# Posted on April 11th 2011 by gam
Re: Uillean muscles
Gam, so It's like a history teacher's convention crash landing in the middle of Passchendaele? Thanks, I guess I'll get some anatomy encyclopedias so I can learn all these muscles and kill two birds with one stone
No but seriously thanks
T
# Posted on April 11th 2011 by Sackwhistles
Re: Uillean muscles
Sometimes when the reed is too open I have to put a lot of pressure on the bag, but for the most part I let the weight of my arm do the squeezing.
Thing to do is never to let the bag get low on air -- then you really have to squeeze it. Keep it full and let the bag do the work.
It just takes practice -- and lots of it.
m
# Posted on April 11th 2011 by Marc C
Re: Uillean muscles
There's a guy here who is a fine experienced Highland piper who, when he began learning the uilleann pipes, actually injured his shoulder and couldn't play the uilleann pipes for several months.
Turned out that his reed was FAR too strong.
If he had had one of the experienced uilleann pipers in the area try his pipes they would have identified and corrected the issue immediately.
It's what can happen when people try to learn on their own and not seek the advice of experienced players.
# Posted on April 12th 2011 by Richard D Cook
Re: Uillean muscles
someone said 7 years to learn 7 years to practice and 7 years to play..
I suppose that is before the signficant other murders the piper
;-}
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by zippydw
Re: Uillean muscles
Richard, my pipes are living in finland. I hear getting a winter and summer reed is beneficial.. or turn my apartment into a luthier's workshop ;D
T
# Posted on April 14th 2011 by Sackwhistles