W I L L I A M S T O W N R. S. L.
P I P E B A N D
ROSS
BAG SYSTEM
These notes relate to the Ross
system only. In no way are these
intended to replace the normal Ross bag directions.
BAG
- Regularly check the bag for
air tightness, particularly
around
the
stock holders – move them around to be sure. Also check under the
blowpipe stock for pinholes.
- When putting
pipes away, always remove the chanter and
the
blowpipe and leave the zip or back of the bag open. If necessary,
obtain another reed protector for the blowpipe tenon to protect any
valve that may be fitted.
-
Also avoid undue
pressure on the bag when closing the pipe box.
-
These steps will
maximize the lifespan of the bag and hoses.
HOSES
- If you
use hoses inside the bag, regularly check for
splitting
along the hoses and in particular the stock cups. Kinks in the hoses
are usually caused by too much pressure from the pipe box lid.
CHANTER
HOSE
- To
allow more moisture to the chanter reed, it has
become
common practice to remove the chanter hose completely from bag system.
Usually a spit trap
or hose will be connected to the blowpipe stock to redirect moist air
and saliva away from
the chanter reed. Pipes
without a chanter hose tend to be more sensitive to temperature change,
particularly heat. This is due to the fact that the hose acts as an
insulator for the air going to the chanter reed, partially protecting
it from the sun heating the neck of the bag.
-
Good results are obtained
by leaving the hose attached to the chanter stock
and canister and to simply remove all of the chanter granules. A
possible problem with this method is that
vibration from the bass reed can modulate the air in the chanter hose
and cause a sympathetic vibrato on High A – not at all desirable.
The granules in the chanter section of the canister act as a buffer to
prevent this, but the same
effect can be achieved by placing an inch of Dacron wool in the bottom
of the same section.
CANISTER
& GRANULES (DESICCANT)
- The
granules only requires maintenance when moisture is
collecting on your reeds, although it is best to dry the granules on a
regular basis to prevent any chance of this happening at all - once a
fortnight should be enough for most.
Microwave 3 to 4 minutes on high and then allow to cool (evaporate)
before putting them back into the canister.
- The most important and yet
often neglected step is to
blow
out the dust from freshly dried granules. Blow through each section of
the canister at least 3 times, tapping the canister before each time.
Ensure that there are enough granules in the canister to avoid them
moving around, but not so many that there is too much pressure when the
lid is on – both situations will generate unwanted dust. Failure to do
this will result in dust blowing through to the drone reeds and
possibly damaging them. When reassembling a bag with a clamp – tighten
the thumbscrews as much as you can.
- It is advisable to pay
particular attention to the
chanter
section of the canister if you still need to use granules here. Never
completely fill the chanter section with
granules as chanter reeds do require some moisture to operate
correctly. That doesn’t mean not filling the section to the top, but
rather positioning the separator so that you have roughly half-and-half
wet and dry air going to the reed. The ideal ratio for wet to dry
air is of course dependent on how wet a blower you are. In addition,
never dry all of the chanter granules at once, as any sudden change in
the amount of moisture passing through to the reed could adversely
affect
it's pitch and tonal quality. It is best to dry only a quarter of the
chanter granules at a time and to then mix them with the
others.
- Ensure the 4
way connector
is fitted securely. They
have a
tendency to warp upwards at the edges - this is easily fixed by heating
it in boiling water, bending back the other way and then running under
cold water. Also clear out crushed granules in the narrow channels of
the 4 way connector and the lid.
- Clean the inside bore of the
chanter by using a thin
soft bristle bottlebrush.
For the throat and inside the holes, use something soft such as a
cotton bud or pipe cleaner.
- Irrespective
of whether a chanter is wooden or plastic,
never
remove a chanter from it’s stock by twisting from the bottom - always
grab it at the top.
- It is not
advisable to oil a wooden chanter inside or
out as it
tends to dull the tone.
- Ensure any
tape used is in good condition.
-
After playing in cold weather, check the drone bores
for
condensation. If moisture is present, dry the bores by using a
pull-through.
- Occasionally
clean the bores of the drones by using purpose made drone brushes
and or a pull-through.
-
Oiling drone bores - be aware
that
there are conflicting views as to whether
to oil drones or not, but the occasional light oil can do no harm.
Cold-pressed Almond Oil or Sweet
Almond Oil are usually recommended for African Blackwood.
-
The age and condition of the wood
will dictate how often they should be oiled. Older wood that feels dry
and light could well need to be treated every couple of months until it
stops absorbing oil - after this once a year should be enough. Newer
pipes should only require oiling once a year.
- The most important elements of
a drone joint are the
quality of the application and that the material used is resistant to
moisture.
While there are a few conflicting
opinions as to the best type
of hemp to
use, pre-waxed
black hemp is a good choice as it is resistant to moisture and so long
as it is applied correctly, will provide a safe and long lasting
joint.
- Irrespective of whether
black or yellow hemp is used,
wax the
first layer with thermowax to prevent the joint slipping. All of the
layers should have windings as tight and as close as possible. After
each layer has been wound, tie-off the hemp and roll it flat between
two pieces of wood. This compresses the hemp before the joint is
actually used and will help to prevent further compression in the
long-term.
Never, ever, try to cram a
new joint with too much hemp
into it's
home - many stocks and tuning chambers have been cracked due to this.
- Once the new
joint gets to the stage where it is nearly
tight but not quite enough, you will probably find that one more
complete layer will be too much. At this stage you will have to
experiment
with a layer of hemp where each winding is spaced by about 2 to 3
millimetres. Doing this will allow you to get the tightness of the
joint just right. Remember to roll the joint flat before trying it.
- It is imperative not to
make a joint too tight,
particularly on drones with ivory or imitation ivory ferrules as they
have significantly less blackwood than those with metal ferrules.
- If a
joint needs lubricating, try almond oil or cork wax.
- These
points apply to
any reed,
old or new.
- Avoid
exposing the reed to extreme
conditions - too wet, too dry, too hot.
- Take care not
to damage the corners of
the reed when handling.
- To maximise
the life of a reed, consider the use of a
reed protector. This will
enable you to remove the chanter and reed from the bag after playing,
which will in turn prevent the reed from absorbing excessive moisture
from the bag. If there
is moisture surrounding the reed seat after playing, wipe it away and
allow the reed to briefly air before putting the protector on.
-
If mould
becomes a problem, then you are not drying enough, or you may need to
place a small hole (about 1 mm) in the protector to allow some
evaporation.
This can be covered during hotter months if the reed becomes too dry.
- Ensure that your drone reeds
are clean and free of dirt
between
the tongue and reed bed. Any foreign matter could well contribute to
air leakage and instability.
- Regularly check that your
drones reeds are firmly
seated into the
drones and
that they
are straight with no chance of them touching the interior of the stocks.
- Occasionally check reeds
for airtightness. Excessive
leaking may
suggest dust between the tongue and body or perhaps damage to one or
the other.
- Regularly
check that your
drone reeds are matched or
balanced for
stability.
Unbalanced
drone reeds are a
major cause of difficulty when it comes to tuning drones. The reeds
should be
set-up
so that if you vary your blowing pressure, the drones stay in tune to
themselves, even if the overall pitch varies a little. The following
method is useful for balancing or matching drone reeds and assumes that
at least one tenor is correctly set up with regard to strength and
pitch.
- Firstly
plug the chanter stock.
- While
blowing
slightly under your
average pressure, stop
your
bass drone and tune
the tenors.
- Once
you have done
this,
increase your blowing to slightly above your average pressure. If
the drones stay in tune to themselves, then they are matched. If
the
sound begins to waver, this means one drone is less stable than the
other.
- If
this happens,
hold the
increased pressure and re-tune the drones by locating the one you
have to lengthen. This is the least stable drone as it has reacted
the most to the change in pressure. Refer to your reed's instructions
to increase the stability of a reed. Generally you will either
shorten the tongue and or strengthen the spring of the tongue.
- Once
the tenors are
matched -
bring in the bass drone and repeat the above steps with one or both
tenors
operating.
- While
it is
important for the three drones to be balanced -
they do not have to be perfectly matched over a wide range of blowing
pressure - just a little below and a little above your average
pressure is enough.
WILLIAMSTOWN R.S.L. PIPE BAND INC.
ABN - 63 578 773 610
INC. NO. - A0021634H
CONTACTS
PAGE LAST UPDATED: 01/02/2011
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