Re: Lower Pitched chanters???? -- The Bagpipe Message Board

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Subject: Re: Lower Pitched chanters????

Author:
Jock

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Date Posted: 07:03:26 09/23/04 Thu
In reply to: Brian MacColl 's message, "Re: Lower Pitched chanters????" on 22:03:55 05/22/03 Thu

>Mike,
> Excellent point, one of the best made so far in
>the debate.
>
>BUT...if a soloist is on the boards at 466 after a few
>"brighter" 474 or so players, than that 466 piper may
>get a comment of "chanter not bright" or something
>similar. That could be the difference between first
>and second. I am not saying which one I prefer is
>best, but you have to admit, a brighter higher pitch
>projects better and has a certain crispness that is
>desirable. Eventhough it is a soloist out there on
>their own, they are still going up against each other.
> And some of these judges have memories like
>elephants...they'll remember who was higher and lower
>pitched even if their roster for the day had 20 pipers
>on it!
>
>Brian

Don't agree with you at all Brian, the common perception of a flatter pitch is actually derived from people hearing discrepancies between where top hands and bottom hands are pitched- 'flatter' chanters are often percieved as such because (for example) a reed has taken moisture and the bottom hand flattened relative to the top hand- even a slight change and it can easily be percieved as flat in general. I have played at bang on B flat all season, with a Naill chanter with the problem bottom hand notes (b and d) sharpened by drill, this is not bravado but they sound fantastic there- loads of harmonics. Our ears adjust really quickly- judges will notice a change of pitch when you first blow up, but by the time you have tuned and are halfway through the ground they will just be focusing on whether it sounds good or not. Pipes can sound great at any pitch, take a listen to Chris Armstrong then Gordon Walker in quick succession their pitches are miles apart but both sets of pipes sound mighty.

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