Using a mandrel to adjust a bagpipe chanter reed

A brief video demonstrating the effective use of a reed mandrel to adjust a pipe chanter reed curing overall sharpness, a sharp top hand (especially high G), squealing, reed weakness and reviving old reeds.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Apps
• reed
• chanter
• bagpipe
• mandrel
• high
• sharpness
• tune
• pitch
• old
• mouth
• size
• balance
• top
• hand

[bytemen0w]

As a bassoonist I remember asking my piping teacher numerous times why pipers generally did not make their own reeds. Orchestral double reed players virtually always do and to not do so is somewhat looked down upon. You mentioned a mandrel in this video. Can you elaborate? Diameter? Taper? Length? Any other specialized tools? Thanks so much! VERY informative!

[AppsReeds]

@bytemen0w Glad you like the videos. I make the mandrel myself from a shape I came up with that works. You can make one yourself or buy one from me. I've never measured one!

Bests. Chris

[Enferushostis]

Very helpful!! Few questions, whats the thickness of the mandrel? and do you open the blades themselves or just the copper tube?

[AppsReeds]

@Enferushostis

Just the copper tube. Glad it was helpful.

Chris

[MaherAidan1]

@bytemen0w I believe this is because the materials are hard to obtain, expensive, and for each bagpipers, if they have a different reed, it is hard to play together as a band because the sounds will be very different. So if a band buys a band set of reeds, they will know how the reeds react to moisture, play time, little tricks with the reeds, and that they will be in the same range and will have the same kind of sound in order so that the band will sound good.

[bytemen0w]

As a bassoonist I remember asking my piping teacher numerous times why pipers generally did not make their own reeds. Orchestral double reed players virtually always do and to not do so is somewhat looked down upon. While there are some aspects of reed-making I definitely do not miss, I do miss "knowing what I'm doing" with regards to reed adjustment on the chanter reed. You mentioned a mandrel in this. Can you elaborate? Diameter? Taper? Length? Thanks so much! VERY informative!

[adkpiper]

Thanks very much for this, Chris! Great work!

[arkansasbagpiper]

I use his reeds too! as a matter of fact my whole band uses them. And no he did not pay me either. They seem to be consistently good to use and saves me money in the long run. Good Job C you at a competition soon.

[eto8216]

hey chris! great video, thanks a lot! it's very valuable and useful info, and will surely prove itself handy when dealing with band piping (i've used some other tools,and even old scraped reeds to open up other reeds' lips, but never a mandrel)

i have a question, is there a way to give a reed "life" again?i mean,when opening up the blades, it sounds much better for several minutes, but won't last for an hour of piping. is there a way to do so? or you'd advise to change it

thank you!

[pmbear]

Great video,Chris. Luckily I don't find too many reeds like that when I am setting up my chanter. ;-) No Chris didn't pay me to say this, and yes I use Apps reeds.