Cane Drone Reed Manipulation

NOTE: The following pertains to cane drone reeds, not SYNTHE-DRONE™ , SYNTHE-DRONE 2™, or DUATONE™ .

Drone Reeds - Although drone reeds incorporate an essentially primitive design, they are capable of producing a very sophisticated, dependable sound if a few simple rules are followed carefully. Because modern bagpipes are being pitched and tuned sharper, thinner diameter tenor drone reeds complement that pitch more readily, as the tenor drone top sections should tune somewhere out on the hemp for the best overall tone. The following suggestions address some problems common to drone reeds.

General Rules

Make sure all drone reeds are hemped, and fit snugly in their seats. Check that the ends are sealed. If you reverse the reed, blowing from the open end while gently squeezing the tongue closed, little to no air should escape. After moving the adjusting bridle toward the hemped end of the reed, blow from the open end hard, while gently pushing the tongue downward in a pulsing rhythm. This can help to dislodge small "hairs" along the outside edges of the tongue, which can cause the reed to malfunction or shut-off during performance. When done properly, this will produce a high-pitched, staccato screetch. Bridles must be tight. Cracked reeds are of no use to anyone, and should be discarded.

1. They all work, right away. - Count thyself amongst the blessed, and tamper not.
2. Bass drone roars. - The tongue is probably sprung too far open. This can be remedied by A) moving the bridle down so as to shorten the tongue, or B) inserting a small pen knife blade under the tongue at about the half-way point and GENTLY pushing the end of the tongue downward over it. Or a small bit of wax may be melted onto the very end of the topside of the tongue.
3. Bass drone shuts off. - The tongue probably needs to be sprung open a bit more. This can be done by moving the bridle toward the hemped end, lengthening the tongue. Or, hold the open end of the reed in one hand, with your thumb squeezing the reed at the bridle on top. With your other hand, lift the end of the tongue upward. While holding it above the bed of the reed, GENTLY push your forefinger downward in a sliding movement from the end of the tongue to the middle. This done a few times should spring the tongue open.
4. Tenor drones tuning flat (i.e., no hemp showing beneath the top sections of the drones). - See #2. Also, the reeds may be too long. If the problem is severe, trim 1/4" from the open end and see where they pitch. If you are closer now, but still too low, try again. When they begin to tune out on the hemp or are approaching it, you can still make them shorter, but NOT in 1/4" increments. If the problem is slight, effectively shorten the reeds by pushing them more deeply in their seats.
5. Tenor drones tuning sharp (i.e., top sections of drones nearly falling off). - See #3. Or add more hemp, effectively lengthening the reeds by causing them to sit farther out of their seats.
6. Nothing seems to keep the reed open. - As a last resort, A) a hair or two can be slid underneath the tongue and upward toward the bridle, or B) in extreme cases, MINUTE amounts of cane may be removed from the top and along the length of the tongue. Exercise caution and common sense if you choose to employ the latter technique. After removing cane in this manner, and depending upon the amount removed, sealing the scraped surface of the tongue with a light coating of clear nail polish, or a water-based polyurethane (probably better) is advisable.
7. Reeds taking too much air. - See General Rules. Also, #2.

SUGGESTION: Two bridles may always be employed with great success for quick adjustments and/or minor problems. One bridle is permanent (usually a tightly-tied, black-waxed hemped-type affair, which prevents the tongue from splitting any further along the body of the reed) and is never moved. The other bridle (which can be a dental rubber band, O-ring, a very short piece of surgical tubing, etc.) rides beneath the permanent one, and can be moved upward or downward as the situation dictates, and which effectively governs resistance to airflow (the relative strength of the reed), and pitch.

MAKE THE REED PLAY FOR YOU. The foregoing is a TUNING TIPS™ document provided by Wygent Reeds. Please refer to our Copyright Notice.

Pipe Chanter Reed Manipulation

Whether you have been piping for many years or only for a few weeks, it is certain that you will have discovered at least one thing: bagpipe reeds seem difficult to control. It is important to remember that the piper plays his reeds, not vice versa. Instantly playable reeds do not exist, although we all keep hoping fervently that some day they will be invented. Until they are, we must content ourselves with manipulation as the only practical method for compelling our reeds to do as we wish. The following is offered as a guide toward accomplishing that objective.

Chanter Reeds - Many theories abound concerning the "best" overall design for chanter reeds. But there are so many variables, including staple size, cane variety, and chanter, that each reedmaker arrives at his own solution. Today's bagpipe offers new challenges to an old tradition in that the pitch is considerably higher than what was commonplace in years past. As a result, it is more difficult technically to obtain a balanced top and bottom hand, married to a respectable volume and a rich tone. No matter what anybody says, NO ONE wants to struggle to play the bagpipe with a relatively hard set of reeds. Finger technique, expression, and blowing are demanding enough. In order to achieve the desired effects more easily, the following suggestions address some problems common to chanter reeds.

1. It plays exactly the way you want. - Touch it not, and pray it lasts forever.
2. It is too weak. - First moisten the blades and gently squeeze the sides of the reed just above the tone box so that the blades will open up. If not overdone, repeated use of this method as and when necessary will work quite nicely.
3. It is too strong. - First moisten the blades. Hold the staple end of the reed between the thumb and forefinger. With the other hand, place the thumb underneath the reed and your forefinger on the top. Now drag your forefinger down and across the blade, using your thumb as a platform. Turn the reed over and repeat for the other side. It is very important that this be done in a uniform manner, so that both sides receive equal treatment. Even a very strong reed will respond to this method readily, although it may take several repetitions prior to each practice session in order to train it properly.
4. It pitches too sharp. - See #2; employ moderately. Or add some hemp to the base of the reed so that it sits a bit higher in the seat.
5. It pitches too flat. - See #3; employ moderately. Or remove some hemp from the base of the reed so that it sits lower in the seat. If this absolutely fails to work, a razor blade scraping tool can be used to trim off about 1/64" - 1/32" from the very tip of the reed. This will tend (in most cases) to make the reed a bit stronger to blow as well. The trimming of an old (favorite) reed that is beginning to fade can sometimes restore it to nearly new playing condition.
6. Some particular note(s) pitch sharp. - Adding a bit of tape across the top of the correspondingly offensive hole(s) of the chanter will usually suffice. (Low G can be lowered in pitch by adding tape across the top of one of the holes at either side of the bottom of the chanter.)
7. Some particular note(s) pitch flat. - If you've already tried sinking the reed more deeply into the seat, there is very little that can be done, short of physically altering the chanter. This should NEVER be attempted unless A) you know what you are doing, and B) you are unquestionably certain that the chanter is at fault.
8. It rasps or "crows" too much on the top hand. - Blow past this feature to the true note. Or if the reed is too strong, see #3.
9. The reed is quickly becoming harder to blow. - This phenomenon will tend to occur with reeds that A) were quite difficult to begin with, B) were gouged with an excessive internal radius during manufacture, or C) were made with cane that is too soft. See #3 above for the first and second situation. The final possibility is a bit harder to diagnose. One symptom may be that after playing, which tends in most cases to close the reed blades in, this reed behaves in an opposite manner. With a stubborn reed that tends to open up excessively shortly after playing, always close the reed blades inward as soon as you have finished.
10. The reed is quickly becoming easier to blow. - Reverse the explanation and remedies outlined in #9 above. As soon as you have completed playing, open up the blades before putting your pipes away.

Use common sense when physically manipulating your reeds. If the reed was made properly and with care to begin with, the blades will form an even, elliptical shape at the mouth; and it is this balanced shape that should be maintained after each practice, before putting the pipe away. Cane used in the manufacture of bagpipe reeds is a remarkably resilient and naturally malleable substance. Train the reed to conform to your strength of blowing. Once you have done so and are able to maintain a fairly steady pressure, your chanter reeds should play properly for a considerable length of time. The foregoing is a TUNING TIPS™ document provided by Wygent Reeds. Please refer to our Copyright Notice.

Removable Reed Seats

Inverted drone reeds have been a notable feature of the bagpiping world for many years. They have been utilized most often in an attempt to remedy balky bass drones with unusual or troublesome playing characteristics, such as extreme double-toning, or shutting-off. The dynamics of airflow are altered by the repositioning of the tongue in relation to that flow, often resulting in improved performance, from both an operational and intonational standpoint. But until recently, playing an inverted drone reed necessitated the use of a separate reed. Now, with the introduction of SYNTHE-DRONE 2™ and DUATONE™ drone reeds (U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,226 - New Zealand Patent No. 337411 - Canada Patent No. 2,266,172 - United Kingdom Patents GB No. 2341966 and GB No. 2341968 - Other Foreign Patents Pending), one reed can quickly be transformed into another, as inversion becomes as simple as removing and reinserting a screw.

There is some small risk associated with the procedure, and it will be prudent to observe the proceeding advice.

1. Always grasp the reed firmly, taking care that your hand does not slip whilst removing and reinserting the tuning pin and/or removable seat. The tongues are quite thin, and catching them with your hand or a finger can damage them. (Pushing the bridles in such a manner as to cause the tongues to lay flat against the bed of the reed, and then continuing with the removal and reinsertion, provides the safest approach, but will necessitate the repositioning and readjustment of the bridles.)
2. Never use excessive force when reinserting the reed seat into the reed body. They need only be snug, not overly tight.
3. Be sure to remove or reinsert the reed from the bottom drone section not by holding it at its furthest exposed length, but by grasping it up where the reed body meets the bottom of the drone. This will eliminate the possibility of breakage. The further from the point of attachment you hold the reed, the greater is the leverage which you apply to the reed's seat, and the more likely you are to damage it by forcing it from side to side during removal or reinsertion.

The reed seats are molded from a glass-reinforced polycarbonate, and are extremely strong, although not unbreakable. Should you (unhappily) find that you have snapped a reed seat, and an extremely discomfiting emotion begins to wend its ugly way into your temperament, do not panic. The reed can be rebuilt; and the really good news is that it can be rebuilt by you! The original package included a strange-looking square and hex-shaped piece of plastic, on the end of which was attached a spare reed seat (a conical-shaped piece with a threaded and a tapered end.) Your repair is a three-step process:

1. Locate the above-mentioned pieces. If they are still attached to each other, separate them. This may require a little effort.
2. Insert the hextool into the broken end of your drone reed, and turning counter-clockwise, remove the broken end of the reed seat, just like you would remove a conventional screw. (Hold the reed tightly, and not at the tongues, being careful not to allow your hand to slip whilst turning the hextool in the end of the reed.) Now insert the hextool into the bottom of the drone, and carefully wiggle, turn, and coax the other broken piece out.
3. Grab the spare, pristine reed seat, and screw it into the reed body. (You can use the hextool to tighten it up a bit, but DON'T OVERDO IT! Just snug, not tight, is fine.) Add hemp to finish, being careful to wrap enough of it on to make a good, uniform fit in the bottom of your drone.

Voila! A new reed, and a new reedmaker is born; self-important, omnipotent, and nearly incoherent with the joy of his newly-found skill. The foregoing is a TUNING TIPS™ document provided by Wygent Reeds. Please refer to our Copyright Notice.

The Paper Trick

During the course of the last several years, we have had the opportunity of seeing a few reeds sent in for repair. Not all reeds require the same attention or adjustment, of course, but one condition has been nearly universally present and (regrettably) ubiquitous: namely dirt.

It would not be possible to render exact figures with regard to how many reeds, once cleaned, have performed perfectly and as intended, but a rough percentage would have to fall within the range of 75-80%. We live in a dirty world, where some of the oldest extant microorganisms (fungi) are also the most numerous. The inside of a pipe bag, whether constructed of cured animal skin or the most modern synthetic material, provides a nearly perfect environment for the cultivation of molds and fungi. Anything existing within that dark world, such as your drone reeds and flapper valve, provide additional (and welcome) surface area for their wildly successful propagation.

Our drone reeds are constructed from materials that will not be degraded by these wee beasties, so their structural integrity will remain intact. However, our drone reeds are mechanical devices, which incorporate movement within their design and function; and because the tongues of our reeds float quite close to the body of the reed during operation, any foreign glop of indeterminate origin can and will cause them to malfunction.

There is, thankfully, a simple solution to the merciless onslaught of adverse (and inescapable) environmental hazards. It is called cleaning, which falls under the wider rubric of instrument maintenance. You ar not a musician if your instrument is a mess, and it probably doesn' smell good, either. In this area of the world, it is a common assumption that our bodies require regular cleaning. We should assume no differently with reference to our musical instrument. The Great Highland Bagpipe is nearly a closed system, into which we blow on a regular basis our humid breath, our saliva, and dirt. It is no small wonder that in very short order, it will begin to cause us all manner of inconvenient malfunction, if we fail to do simple, and regular cleaning of its constituent parts, lending special attention to the internal components (i.e., anything which exists within the bag.) We shall offer some simple cleaning procedures which are applicable to drone reeds in this month's tip, followed in succeeding months with maintenance advice on other parts of the bagpipe.

No matter how "dry" or "wet" a blower you are, the inside of your bag is a damp, dark, dank and dirty place. The drone reeds will tend to collect this moisture and dirt on every exposed surface, which include the entire reed (e.g., on top of and underneath the tongues; within and without the surface of the body of the reed or tube upon which the tongues and bridles have been affixed; etc.) If you are playing regularly 3-4 times or more a week, it is a good idea after each practice session to remove the drones carefully from their stocks thence remove the reeds from the lower drone sections, and allow all the pieces to air-dry for an hour or two. This will help to prevent the build-up of mold.

But the accumulation of dirt or mold under the tongue requires active, rather than passive attention. Fortunately, there is a very effective and easily implemented procedure for cleaning the lower surface of th tongues and the adjacent surface of the reed body. Cut a strip of typing or copy paper ?" by 4", position it under a tongue, press down lightly pinching the paper to the reed body, and pull the strip through. Repeat this two or three times, and then again for the two remaining reeds. Do not reuse this strip of paper, but rather cut a new one whenever your maintenance schedule allows for this cleaning. This simple palliative, applied once a week, and coupled with the suggestio in the foregoing paragraph, will almost guarantee your drone reeds nearly flawless performance.

If you notice that any part of the outside surface of the reeds is turning dark or discolored, or is obviously in need of attention, get a small, soft, lint-free cloth (a handkerchief, or an old sheet would be perfect, once trimmed down to a manageable size of approximately 4" X 4"), dampen it with warm water, and gently clean the surface of the reed. Always move your cloth in only one direction, namely from the fixed or attachment point of the tongue toward its open or free end, being especially careful that each stroke carries the cloth beyond the end of the reed. This is very important, as catching the end of the tongue with your cloth will ruin the reed, and necessitate a tongue replacement. (Of course, you could always move the bridle onto the tongue, until it is closed tightly against the bed of the reed. If you are facile at readjusting the bridles, this is the safest way to clean, as you will no longer be able to mangle the tongue. For most of us, however, it may be better to simply exercise caution whilst removing dreck.) The foregoing is a TUNING TIPS™ document provided by Wygent Reeds. Please refer to our Copyright Notice.

Sprung Tongues

(Please note that the following procedure should never be applied to Glass-Fibre or Carbon-Fibre Tongues, as the angle in these tongues is thermoset [impressed with heat] and will not change over time or by exposure to heat. Any bending of Glass-Fibre or Carbon-Fibre tongues will probably result in breakage.)

This month's tip provides a counterpoint to last month's diatribe, although the condition of a "sprung" tongue is (hopefully) an equally infrequently-encountered condition. So that we may better operationalize our terms, sprung may be understood to mean a tongue whose angle, in relation to the bed or body of the reed, is too acut or severe, resulting in all manner of trouble (e.g., severe double-tone, roaring, extremely flat pitch, consuming inordinate amounts of air, etc.)

This condition can most likely be traced to two causes: 1) The tongue just didn't relax as much as the others did after a suitable length o time spent breaking (playing) them in; or 2) You inadvertently caught the tongue on the lip of the stock upon reinsertion, due to carelessness or haste, or because the pipe major was yelling at you to hurry up. (He can't begin without you, as two or three band member failed to show; so why on earth did you hasten to comply with his bellowing anyway?!)

The former explanation is more common than the latter, (not to say that roaring P/M's aren't fully as ubiquitous as roaring bass drone reeds as even a variation of 1/1000 of an inch in tongue thickness can make a noticeable difference in its action and playability. But you should never be in such a rush as to render damage to the drone reed likely or inevitable. As there is probably not more than 10 seconds worth o difference between a careful reinsertion and a clumsy, hasty one. ALWAYS take your time.

You may have gotten lucky, and only bent the tongue up at its original crease, in which case the following fix will be applicable. If however, you have managed to put a second bend in the tongue, there is nothing else for it but to return it for a replacement. Now on to the fix...

Push the bridle up toward the fixed locus of the tongue until it abuts the permanent or tied bridle. You will notice a whitish mark running across the width and surface of the tongue. This is the original crease line. (It will be a simple thing indeed, at this point, to ascertain whether there is a second crease line in the tongue. If there is, don't even bother to proceed, except to your local post office with the non-recoverable reed.) Now, using a large straightened safety pin, (which will be sacrificed in the cause of recovering the dulcet tones which used to emanate gloriously and predictably from your instrument) position the safety pin directly underneath this crease line and carefully bend the tongue down once across it, until you just touch the end of the tongue to the body of the reed. This will produce a less acute angle, and will make the tongue float closer to the bed of the reed. You may find that you will need to position the bridle at a different location, effectively making the free length of the tongue a wee bit longer overall. This will result in a slightly flatter pitch which will require other compensatory activities, such as shortening the tuning pin (or screw), removing some hemp from the reed's seat, etc., if you wish to tune on the drone's slide in the same location a previously.

If this does not produce the desired effect, (i.e., the tongue is not floating closer to the body of the reed) you may repeat the foregoing procedure, but only once again, as a third or fourth attempt in all likelihood will culminate with last month's condition. The more you bend the tongue at this critical point, the less flexible it becomes and therefore, less dependable. Use common sense and take your time. This can be a very effective way of accomplishing the objective of reducing the angle of the tongue. The foregoing is a TUNING TIPS™ document provided by Wygent Reeds. Please refer to our Copyright Notice.