>A compromise might be a pair of e's, one a true 6th above G, >for playing in G; >another - a perfect fourth above the B, and keyed, for playing >in E minor.
Yes, this is what I meant by 8 (different) notes to the octave rather than just seven. The lower, keyed, high E would also sound better when the melody emphasised the third C-E (Chevy Chase is a very obvious and simple example). >The low E might be harder to arrange practically, but may not >be as critical acoustically?? My own chanter has the low E an appreciable bit more than an octave lower than the top E, so I can get away with an E-B drone quite effectively. In other keys it is indeed not as critical acoustically. Meanwhile the top E (which I think is in a compromise position) can be bag-tweaked up or down to suit the circumstances. > >As the most prolific and also one of the best pipemakers both >produce in F+, >and most others too, I don't see much benefit in arguing who's >to blame for the emergence of this de facto standard. Please don't misunderstand me. I was not seeking to apportion blame; just speculating as to the mechanism whereby this standard came about. C > >I've heard variously "about 20" and "between 10 and 20" (and >occasionally 25) > > I tune my chanter manipulating the >>reed depending on the season and the reed, trying to get the best >>balance up and down the chanter, regardless of how many cents I'm off >>from F. Of course, this creates problems when playing with other >>pipers. But I reckon, at least I'm blowing steady and I'm in tune >>with myself. > >This is probably the best approach unless you regularly play >with others or a band > > >the more keys you >>want to play in, then the more compromises you have to make in tuning >>individual notes? > >This is inevitable. It's why the concept of "temperament" >originated in the first place. Even D poses problems where the >E is concerned (so does G for that matter!) and the B is also >problematic in A minor. > >> To play in pure Em one might have to order a >>chanter to play specifically in Em. > >In an ideal world, yes! > >CB > > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > >
