Re: Gaidunitza

[Dimitar Vassilev]

Johnathan,
are your lower keys lower than expected or higher? Do you place your fingers properly - first knuckle of the finger on the hole? If your keys are lower than expected and you're playing with proper finger position best shot would be  to have it checked by your bagpipe master.

In the meantime check how the gaidunitza valve is tied around the skin and whether do you have too stiff skin wrinkles somewhere around the valve.

Send some links of how the valve and the skin are tied up from all angles. There are 3 reasons for lower low tones - wood shifts , skin problems/lack of air and the keyholes need tuning.

All of those should be handled by your master/someone you trust about the knowledge of fixing it and who has the proper tools for doing it.

Regarding the reed adjustment - if it plays fine in E as main key and the higher register - F#,G#,A and B is ok then don't fix it.

Try first adjusting your fingers, upload a short demo of the problem and how the skin is connected.

Best,

Dimitar

2013/11/9 Jonathan via Kaba Gaida <kabagaida+noreply-APn2wQe18Pt2pD...@googlegroups.com>

Hello everybody,

 

I have a question about the chanter (gaidunitza). My gaidunitza is not very good at playing the lower notes (so if your right  hand is on the bottom half of the gaidunitza, I mean the notes below the first finger), as when I play them it doesn't play them in tune very well and has a shaky sound. I am sure this is not to do with my technique, as all the other notes make a perfect sound. Is there anything I could do to the reed perhaps that would help it play those lower notes with a stronger and clearer sound?

 

Kind regards,

 

Jonathan.

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[Julian Russbach]

Hi Jonathan. I experienced the same thing with my first set of reeds. Unfortunately, my reeds dried out because I didn't use suet/tallow, and I practiced on the gaidunitza without the bag. The buzzing noise you are hearing may be due to a dry reed. Once the reed dries out it has a hard time with the slower/longer vibrations of the low notes. The quick/short vibrations of the high notes are easier for the reed as it doesn't physically move with the shorter wavelength of the sound. But the longer wavelengths of lower notes make the reed physically move more.

You may not be able to restore the reed to its original flexibility, but try to lubricate it with tallow. Don't over do it. Let it sit and absorb the fat. Lubricate again. Play.

[Цветелин Андреев]

Video would be great.

[Jonathan]

Thank you for your comments - I haven't put much suet on the reed lately so I will put more on regularly and see if it makes any difference. If the problem carries on I will try to make a video to show you.

[Dimitar Vassilev]

John,

this is like bathing for the reed. Apply once a week suet on all threads. You can lick the reed as well for a short period to return the moisture.

2013/11/11 Jonathan via Kaba Gaida <kabagaida+noreply-APn2wQe18Pt2pD...@googlegroups.com>

Thank you for your comments - I haven't put much suet on the reed lately so I will put more on regularly and see if it makes any difference. If the problem carries on I will try to make a video to show you.

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[Цветелин Андреев]

I wouldn't lick the reeds :)

Cvetelin Andreev
+359 889 651 656 

http://www.kabagaida.com 

[Dimitar Vassilev]

Johnathan,
 you can dip your thumb and index finger into water and swipe the part of the reed free from thread gently through them 2-3 times. It's the quickest way to return moisture without having a bad taste in mouth. Also Cvetelin is smiling because too much moisture will ruin the reed sound. Therefore apply my tip in extreme cases ( e.g. seeing that the reed has really dried up, being in a desert and not playing for 2-3 weeks, testing a new one which you have stored in the open) and do a weekly maintenance as advised. I store my spare reeds in a metal box from after shave/candies and bind them together with a rubber band to prevent them from opening too much.
Once you're done with the dipping fingers, then you need to apply tallow/suet to the threads and do the tallow exercise once a week. The reed is made of willow,elder, acer shrubs that have pore structure and transfer the moisture through the pores. You can consider the threaded part like reservoir which has to be always in good shape. Fat itself dissolves into water and carbohydrates, so it's the best way to keep the reed into good shape. Overall you're dealing with wood.

Cheers,

Dimitar

2013/11/11 Kaba Gaida on behalf of Cvetelin <kaba...@googlegroups.com>

[Jonathan]

Again, thank you for the advice! I applied a lot of suet to the reed and played the gaida yesterday, and the lower notes were no different - I think possibly it is the way my gaidunitza has been made.

[Dimitar Vassilev]

John,

always put a small amount to apply - e.g. on the edge of your finger tips. When you dip putting much will only make things worse as suet/tallow will act as a path blocker for the air.

If you can afford to ship the whole bagpipe back and forth to Bulgaria and say to your master that the bagpipe is playing lower on the low keys. He then can adjust it and open it using the proper tools. Remember that wood shifts through the years. I have a similar case and I will be going to Smolyan in the next 1-2 weeks.

If you can give your master a call in advance or ask Kabagaida team to do this for your if you have acquired the instrument through them would be the best option to have the instrument fixed.

Cheers,

Dimitar

2013/11/12 Jonathan via Kaba Gaida <kabagaida+noreply-APn2wQe18Pt2pD...@googlegroups.com>

Again, thank you for the advice! I applied a lot of suet to the reed and played the gaida yesterday, and the lower notes were no different - I think possibly it is the way my gaidunitza has been made.

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[Цветелин Андреев]

Hi Jonathan,

I would suggest to make a Skype call for further advices.

Cvetelin Andreev
+359 889 651 656 

http://www.kabagaida.com