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Set-Up Tips for Synthetic Drone Reeds
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Set-Up Tips for Synthetic Drone Reeds
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1. CONSTRUCTION: Look over your new set of reeds prior to playing. Read the instructions that come with the reeds. Are they well made? Are there any defects? Make sure your tenors are nearly identical in appearance. Be sure also that any glued or tied parts are secure.
2. BLOW-IN: Apply the techniques described in the instructions accompanying the reeds if needed. Take your drones out of their stocks and play the reeds by mouth. Compare the response of each. Are the responses similar? They should be, and will require adjustments if not. The initial "Bwaaa-ummmmm" blow-in sound should be present for all three reeds. Compare air intake. Do the reeds (tenors especially) respond the same way with the same mouth pressure? Slowly increase your blowing pressure until the reed shuts off. It should cut off just before you are blowing your hardest. If your reed response and/or air intake differs between reeds, then they are not acting efficiently. Adjust the bridles slightly on the reeds to get them all responding to the same air pressure.
3. TONAL QUALITY: Compare the sounds of each reed by mouth--particularly the tenors. The tonal quality or pitch should be nearly identical. The drones should be at the optimal point on the tuning slide (at the hemp line or around it; wherever your pipes perform best). If you are not getting identical responses after following step 2, it is likely that the tone of each of these reeds will differ as well. After you adjust the bridles and get the reeds responding to your liking, start adjusting the tuning screw to get them all to match the pitch you want. Use one reed as a guide and get the others sounding like that one. [Turning the screw out counter-clockwise will flatten the pitch, causing the drone to tune lower on the hemp. Turning the screw in clockwise, will sharpen the reed and cause it to tune higher. (THIS IS USUALLY DESCRIBED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS, SO READ THEM!)] Blow each reed back and forth and listen to the sound produced. Keep adjusting until there is no difference in the sound between them.
4. STRENGTH: Once you have made the above adjustments, put the drones in their stocks and cork up your chanter stock. Blow up the reeds and tune. Now, increase your squeeze on the bag and blow as hard as you can. You are trying to shut them off. As you do this, all three reeds should shut off at about the same time just before you are blowing your hardest. If you can't shut them off, or if only one or two shut off, then the offending reed(s) are too strong and will require some further adjustments. Take out the reeds and pull down the bridles (toward the screw) on the offending reed(s) slightly. Check each by mouth to make sure they still match in pitch and adjust if necessary. Try the shut off technique again. Keep doing this until they all shut off simultaneously. If they shut off too soon, they will shut off with your chanter and need further adjustments. Pull up the bridles slightly to open the reeds until you reach the desired shut off point.
5. PLAY: Now put in your chanter and play. How do your new drones tune in relation to the chanter? Too high? Too low? Regardless of your chanter pitch, your drones should tune the same relative to the tone of your chanter if you followed the above steps. Once your chanter is tuned, you can judge whether you need to further adjust the pitch on your drone reeds to get then tuning on the hemp. With each adjustment however, be sure you check by mouth that your reeds match in pitch.Keep in mind that all of the above adjustments are SMALL moves on the parts of these reeds. It does not take much of move on the bridle or the screws to get a change. Once you have established a good starting point, the adjustments to fine tune these reeds become even smaller. After that, they will sound good and be comfortable to play.
Vince Janoski 3/2000
Ar Aghaidh le Ceól na n Gaél.