Kinnaird Bagpipes - Tuning your Bagpipes with a KORG tuner

September 2008

 

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Tuning Your Bagpipes with the Korg Chromatic Tuner

Tuning your pipes can be difficult- the drones must be precisely tuned to each other and also to the chanter. Each note of the chanter must be pitched so that it properly harmonizes with the constant background sound of the drones. This tuning can be done with a well trained ear, but if you're lacking one of those, a chromatic tuner can be used.

Tuning the Chanter
Sound the low A on your chanter and note where it is tuning on the meter. Adjust the calibration buttons until your low A reads "0" on the meter. The green tuning light will come on when your meter is in tune with low A. Use the meter notes and offsets from "0" in the following table to tune the other notes of the chanter. Ensure that the meter is reading the correct "note" which will show up in the top right corner of the tuner. Notes "C" and "F" show up as "C#" and "F#" on the tuner. The first column is the Note. Second column is the ratio to Low A. Third column is the Meter Note. Fourth column is the Meter Offset.

Low G_________7/8 ___G____-31
Low A__________ 1____A____ 0
B_____________ 9/8___B____+4
C_____________5/4___C___ -14
D_____________4/3___D____ -2
E_____________3/2___E ____+2
F_____________5/3___F#___-16
High G_________7/4___G___-31
High A_________2/1___A_____0
Tenor Drone____1/2____A____0
Bass Drone_____1/4___A_____0

If the top hand is sharp compared to the bottom hand, lift the reed slightly out of the chanter to bring the pitch of the top hand down. Add some hemp to the reed if necessary. If the top hand is flat to the bottom hand sink the reed further into the chanter. This will bring up the pitch of the top hand relative to the bottom hand. To flatten individual notes, add a piece of tape to cover the top of the first open hole on the chanter. Sharpening individual notes requires modification to the chanter reed or chanter and should only be done by experienced players.

Tuning the Drones
The drones are tuned to the low A on the pipe chanter. Sound low A on your chanter and adjust the calibration button until the meter reads "0". Adjust the tuning on each of your drones until they are reading "0" on the meter also.

Sincerely, Rauncie Kinnaird Kinnaird Bagpipes

 

Email: r.k@sasktel.net Phone: 306-249-2939 Website: http://www.kinnairdbagpipes.com