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Comfortable Bagpipe Setup
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Comfortable Bagpipe Setup
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One of the greatest hurdles to mastering the Great Highland Bagpipe is learning to "blow tone." There is no question that the mastery of "blowing", or lack thereof, will have a profound effect on a solo or band performance—both positive and negative. Understanding the mechanics of this aspect of the bagpipe is essential for reaching proficiency with the instrument.
What do we mean when we say "blowing" or "blowing tone?" Blowing tone can be defined a number of ways. It can be producing a steady sound that does not waver. It can be producing a settled sound where a consistent amount of air is pushed through the instrument at all times. It can also be thought of as the basic combination of actual blowing into the bag and squeezing it. However, I like to think that blowing tone is not so much as a process than a condition that exists between player and instrument where bagpipe mechanics and the physical act of playing come together. Put another way, it is the point where playing the instrument becomes effortless. It is not just steady playing, but all the elements that go into that steadiness as well. Reaching this point will depend on a variety of elements: Personal comfort, physical strength, stamina, and awareness of one’s own tolerance thresholds. These elements must be considered in addition to the physical process of blowing and squeezing the bag, reed strength, and pipe setup. Notice how actual musical skill is not in that list? That is because blowing tone is physical and mechanical. The physical involves how comfortable you are in holding and squeezing the bag. The mechanical is the pipe setup: reed strength; balance; and air efficiency. The mechanical aspects of pipe setup are probably the most important, however, the physical aspects should not be ignored.
THE PHYSICAL
It may seem obvious, but the physical aspects of holding the instrument, blowing, and squeezing the bag all separately have an affect on blowing tone. Personal comfort is essential to all of these elements. You must be aware of your own comfort thresholds and work within them. Here are brief descriptions of some things to watch for and adapt to create greater comfort when playing:
Holding the instrument: You should be standing comfortably straight when playing the bagpipe—not hunched, not leaning forward. Your shoulders should be even and relaxed. Your body cannot maintain an unnatural position for long. Nothing should be forced. If you feel strain in any part of your body as you play or after playing for a while, examine your position in a mirror to see where your body is creating the strain and endeavor to correct it. This is different for everyone, so specifics will not help too much. I know that once upon a time, my left arm and hand would get stiff after playing a while. I realized that I had a tendency to hunch my left shoulder when I played. When I realized this, I made an effort to keep my shoulders relaxed. I shifted the position of the bag under my arm by turning the left side of my body toward the chanter slightly, which forced my shoulder downward. I have no more problems with arm stiffness and my overall stamina increased instantly afterward. Pay close attention to your own position and comfort.
Bag Size: Make sure you have a bag that is the right size for you. Most people of average height or below would do well with the smallest size bag that is commonly available. People of small stature might think about getting custom smaller-size bags made for them. Larger bags will not help your blowing and will only cause discomfort and limitations on movement.
Mouthpiece: Make sure that the mouthpiece of your blowstick is the correct length for you. Your head should comfortably face forward and straight up when playing the instrument. If you have to turn or tilt your head, or crane your neck in any way to play, your mouthpiece is too long or too short. Cut it back or purchase one of the many adjustable-length blowsticks that are now available. Watch some of the better solo pipers play. You do not see their heads twisted or turned, or their bodies in odd positions.
Blowstick Bore: The inside bore of your blowstick should be as large as possible. If it is not, have it professionally bored larger. Most modern plastic blowsticks have larger bores. A larger bore will allow you to eliminate resistance when you blow. Your bag will be filled quicker and with less effort as a result.
Blowing and Sqeezing: How often do you think you should be blowing into the bag compared to how often you should be sqeezing it? Do you think it should be 50% of the time should be blowing and 50% squeezing? Should it be 40/60, 70/30? You can thank John Cairns, double Gold Medal winner, for this tidbit of information: You should be blowing at least 90% of the time and squeezing 10%. It is important for that bag to be filled completely at all times. Blowing most of the time is the only way to be sure that that bag is filled.
It is important here to be aware of your own physical process. Be conscious of how hard you are blowing to fill the bag, when you need to stop, and how much pressure it takes to get a full sound from your pipe. Knowing these aspects will help you set up an instrument that suits your strength and tolerances.
THE MECHANICS
Once all of the physical aspects of playing the instrument are taken care of, it is time to give attention to the important features of reed setup and air efficiency of the instrument itself. There are only 4 reeds in the instrument, however, it is important that they be suited to each other and balanced to play with a comfortable level of effort. Blowing tone is nearly impossible unless you have reeds that are within your own strength tolerances and that you have a pipe that is airtight and air efficient. The "strength" of the reed is defined simply by how much air it takes to make a full sound. It is important to be aware of this for chanter and drone reeds together. The idea is to have all of your reeds taking the least amount of air possible to produce a full, responsive sound. I will not dwell on the simple matters of making sure the bag is airtight, that joints are well hemped, or that all stocks are secure in the bag. I will assume that these aspects are known and will discuss the mechanics as they apply to the reeds.
Chanter Reed Strength: Too many people choose chanter reeds that are too stiff and hard to play for them personally. It is not a "badge of honor" to play a gut-busting reed, nor does it mean you are a better player. Yes, it is likely that a nice, stiff reed will last a long time and have great resonance. However, if it is beyond your strength tolerances, you will never get that full resonance because you are unable to blow it fully. You will likely have to scrape it to make it easier thereby shortening its life and reducing its resonance—so what’s the point of having it?
You can have a reed that has a good response regardless of strength. Modern chanter reeds are built to get instant response with a minimal break-in period. A reed with good response will take the least amount of air to get a full, crisp sound. Be aware of how hard you are blowing while testing the reed in the chanter out of the bag. A reed that is suited to your strength will be only slightly easier to blow once the chanter is back in the bag. It should not be harder to blow once you put the chanter back into the bag. If it is, then you must examine the air efficiency of your instrument (see below). If you can play the reed out of the bag, but your face is turning beet red (and you are about to lose control of bodily functions), then guess what, it will not get any easier with the chanter in the bag. Again, the amount of difference is different for everyone, so it is important that you are aware of your own blowing tolerances. You should be exerting some amount of effort (the reed should not be wimpy), however, comfort is key. Reject chanter reeds until you get the one you feel you can blow comfortably with a sustainable amount of effort.
I am willing to bet that the reeds certain players feel are "perfect" are likely still too hard for them. A good measure for this: Find a reed that you believe you can blow comfortably (call this reed 1), then reject it and find a noticeably easier one (call this reed 2). This will give you a good indication of where your tolerances lay. If this new reed is too easy to play (which can be just as uncomfortable), then you have found the working area of tolerance. Find the reed that sits within the strength of reed 1 and 2 and you have found your ideal reed. You may find that reed 2 is perfect or still too uncomfortably hard. In this case, reed 2 becomes reed 1 and you then find an even easier reed that then becomes reed 2. It is really a matter of disregarding your own judgment. Any reed that you consider perfect, consider it too hard and find an easier one. You may want to experiment with this technique until you do, in fact, find the "sweetspot" where the strength of a chanter reed is perfect for you.
Air Efficiency: Whether you are playing synthetic or cane drone reeds, the same rule applies: they should take the least amount of air possible and still play. It is important for all 3 reeds to be taking the same amount of air to play so, this is the first aspect that should be tackled when setting up an air-efficient bagpipe. (See Set-up Tips for Synthetic Drone Reeds for further highlights.) Once you have your drone reeds taking the same amount of air, it is then time to gauge the amount of air with respect to your chanter reed. This is what "balance" is all about. It is the term used to define the state where all of your reeds are taking a relatively equal amount of air to play fully.
Follow these simple steps:
1. Take out your drones and blow the reeds individually out of the stocks.
2. Keep blowing until you are blowing hard enough to shut them off. (If you are blowing as hard as you can, and the reed is still playing, or just shuts off, then it is taking much too much air.)
3. Move the bridles down on all 3 reeds and gradually increase blowing until you are just starting to exert a stiff blowing effort when they shut off. (Make sure the amount of blowing is equal for all 3 reeds.)
You now have your drone reeds at "point zero." Now play your chanter reed out of the bag. Notice the amount of blowing effort you are exerting. Now blow your drone reeds out of the stock and gradually increase blowing until they shut off. Compare. How hard were you blowing to shut off the drones? Was it more than the amount of blowing to play your chanter reed? Was it much less? Adjust the bridles on your drone reeds. Keep performing this comparison until the reeds are shutting off at, or just past, the point of blowing effort when playing your chanter reed out of the bag. This is the point of balance and air efficiency. Your drones are now taking roughly the same amount of air as the chanter. Play the pipe. You may find that further adjustment to the bridles is necessary after playing a while. Your drones, or a single drone, may shut off. Simply make small moves on your drone bridles to get the reed(s) playing again.
THE RESULT
You should notice an immediate difference in the amount of effort it takes to play the instrument after applying the above techniques. The pipe should be comfortable to play with little thought paid to strenuous blowing or squeezing. Your practice times will increase as you find it easier to play for longer and longer periods without fatigue. Your music will get better because you are able to think more about fingering tunes and less about standing, blowing, or squeezing. You will also achieve greater control over your own playing and the instrument in general.
Take the time to employ some or all of the points mentioned above. All of them will contribute to greater and faster improvement. They will go a long toward improving your ability to "blow tone."
Vince Janoski 10/2000
Ar Aghaidh le Ceol na n Gael.