How To Find Your Ideal Chanter Reed Strength

Chanter reeds are often sent from the manufacturer labelled as "easy", "hard", or anything in between – but how do you know which one is going to be right for you?

Like so many things in piping, there are a few factors that we need to understand to be able to answer that question...

First is steady blowing and finding the elusive sweet spot of a chanter reed. Tools to measure this can range from the tube-style water manometer (which we recommend for a number of reasons...) to gauges and shiny new apps and devices.

In case you’re unfamiliar, a manometer is a device that measures and indicates air pressure. For bagpipers, manometers are a vital practice tool to objectively measure and improve the steadiness of airflow through the chanter and drone reeds as you blow and squeeze the bag – ultimately, to improve the sound and tone of your bagpipes.

But how do we strike a balance between intuition and technology? While manometers serve as invaluable aids, they should complement, not overshadow, our innate musical instincts. By embracing tools as guides rather than crutches, we can deepen our understanding of reed pressure.

Check out this week's podcast (link below) as we take a deeper dive into the intricacies of chanter reed strengths and pressure...