Cold weather

[Jonathan]

Hello everyone,

Recently I was practising in a cold room, and I noticed that although I was applying the right amount of pressure, the Gaidunitza reed kept stopping, and then suddenly would start again. Any advice as to stop this? In addition, one of the lower notes on the Gaidunitza has become flatter (if you put all fingers down except your little finger on the bottom hand, it is that note), I do not wish to undercut the hole, so is there any other way to sharpen that particular note, as it is very noticeable when playing something like Bela Sum, Bela Yunache.

Thanks.

[Dimitar Vassilev]

Greetings,

1. define a cold room. For me it's something below 10 degrees Celsius or 50F

2. If you move  from a warmer place to a colder and vice versa allow the instrument to tune for half an hour

3. It's normal - this is wood after all and it shrinks. Give it a try with less pressure.

2014/1/15 Jonathan via Kaba Gaida <kabagaida+noreply-APn2wQfxfB5RGc...@googlegroups.com>

Hello everyone,

Recently I was practising in a cold room, and I noticed that although I was applying the right amount of pressure, the Gaidunitza reed kept stopping, and then suddenly would start again. Any advice as to stop this? In addition, one of the lower notes on the Gaidunitza has become flatter (if you put all fingers down except your little finger on the bottom hand, it is that note), I do not wish to undercut the hole, so is there any other way to sharpen that particular note, as it is very noticeable when playing something like Bela Sum, Bela Yunache.

Thanks.

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[Kostadin Gerdjikov]

Hello,

the cold tightens the wood fibers and as a result the reed requires significantly less air. That can really be very annoying. What I make in such situations is to take out the reeds one by one, apply very small quantity of tallow and rub gently the reed so that it heatens from the body temperature. Usually the problem is with reed of the chanter, but sometimes such a procedure may be necessary for the reed of the drone, too. After this you place the reeds and begin to play without dalay so that you can keep the heat  through your air. Some bagpipers have special reeds for cold weather which require more air than usual and when it's cold they behave in the right way.

By flattering, you mean it is too low??? The hole in question is not used in Bela sum, Bela. It is the seventh hole from top to bottom, right???

I am quite, quite sure this problem is due to the temperature change. 

1) See if the problem persists in normal conditions;

2) See if there is any tallow, wax or other substances in the whole;

I suppose that if you play in normal temperature the tone will come to the right pitch. 

If that doesn't help I would recommend you  to try some standart procedures: rotate the reed by difffernt degrees and see if this makea a better sound , see if you have pushed the reed well into the chanter, see if there are too may or too less threads bound round the reed, see if you have not tuned the bagpipe too low or too high. Sometime just small change of the bagpipe tune slightly above or under E helps greatly. 

Is the bagpipe new? Has it shown such problem before or it begins with the playing in the cold? 

Greetings,

Kostadin

2014/1/15 Jonathan via Kaba Gaida <kabagaida+noreply-APn2wQfxfB5RGc...@googlegroups.com>

Hello everyone,

Recently I was practising in a cold room, and I noticed that although I was applying the right amount of pressure, the Gaidunitza reed kept stopping, and then suddenly would start again. Any advice as to stop this? In addition, one of the lower notes on the Gaidunitza has become flatter (if you put all fingers down except your little finger on the bottom hand, it is that note), I do not wish to undercut the hole, so is there any other way to sharpen that particular note, as it is very noticeable when playing something like Bela Sum, Bela Yunache.

Thanks.

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[Jonathan]

@Див -

Your definition is what I mean. The less pressure idea worked, but the lower notes were sadly still a bit flat.

@Kostadin

I'll try the tallow idea in future. Also, I meant the very first note in Bela Sum, Bela - that very low note. Sorry if I told you another note on the Gaidunitza, that is the note I meant!

I rotated the reed when I played it in a slightly warmer room and I found a spot where it is now playing much more tunefully than before. (I haven't played this Gaida in the cold before)


Thank you for your comments.

[Dimitar Vassilev]

Generally I would avoid playing below 50F. Neither I got more than 1 bagpipe nor I'm professional. In simple words there are some tips and tricks which I'm not aware fully of that help you play in the cold.

I've seen buskers covering the skin with a cloth. This apart from the reed could help as well. However it's still perilous to play in the cold for too long. You may end up having a ruined instrument.

Cheers,

2014/1/15 Jonathan via Kaba Gaida <kabagaida+noreply-APn2wQfxfB5RGc...@googlegroups.com>

@Див -

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