Sentry Page Protection
Protecting Your Bagpipe Reed
Pipe chanters need moisture to function properly, but too much moisture will damage a reed. When you are finished playing examine your reed look to see if there is beads of moisture on the reed or on the reed seat. Never leave the chanter and reed in your pipes when you are done playing. If you do your reed will deteriorate the reed and it will begin to grow mold.
If the reed is wet when you are done take the chanter with the reed still in it and set on a table for 20 minutes to let it dry out then place a reed protector on it and put back in case. NEVER place a wet reed into a reed cap it will deteriorate the reed and it will begin to grow mold.
If the reed is pretty dry but there is moisture collected at the base of the reed on the reed seat then simply dry off the reed seat and then place in reed protector.
Pipers use reed protectors so they don't have to remove their reeds after playing. It saves you from having to retune your pipes after every play.
Here is the reed protector I recommend.
Climate Effect on Chanter Reed
Wet/Damp or Cold Climate: Your chanter needs moisture to work properly. However, in a wet and damp environment your reed will become overly saturated with moisture. This will cause the chanter to become flat and unstable. If the reed gets super wet then it will begin shutting off. After playing in an environment such as this take care to dry your reed out after or the reed will be ruined.
Hot/Dry Climate: In a hot and dry climate your reed may not be getting all the moisture it needs to work properly. This causes the reed to become harder to play, sharper, unstable and may cause the reed to shut off. To avoid this in hot and dry weather apply a little moisture to your reed from time to time while playing.
When is it time to get a new Reed?
If your pipe chanter sounds like it dull and is hard to tune you may need a new reed. Below are some signs that your reed is done and you should get another one.
When you first start noticing any of these signs you should begin breaking in a new reed so by the time your reed craps out you will have a new one broken in and ready to go.
If the reed is wet when you are done take the chanter with the reed still in it and set on a table for 20 minutes to let it dry out then place a reed protector on it and put back in case. NEVER place a wet reed into a reed cap it will deteriorate the reed and it will begin to grow mold.
If the reed is pretty dry but there is moisture collected at the base of the reed on the reed seat then simply dry off the reed seat and then place in reed protector.
Pipers use reed protectors so they don't have to remove their reeds after playing. It saves you from having to retune your pipes after every play.
Here is the reed protector I recommend.
Climate Effect on Chanter Reed
Wet/Damp or Cold Climate: Your chanter needs moisture to work properly. However, in a wet and damp environment your reed will become overly saturated with moisture. This will cause the chanter to become flat and unstable. If the reed gets super wet then it will begin shutting off. After playing in an environment such as this take care to dry your reed out after or the reed will be ruined.
Hot/Dry Climate: In a hot and dry climate your reed may not be getting all the moisture it needs to work properly. This causes the reed to become harder to play, sharper, unstable and may cause the reed to shut off. To avoid this in hot and dry weather apply a little moisture to your reed from time to time while playing.
When is it time to get a new Reed?
If your pipe chanter sounds like it dull and is hard to tune you may need a new reed. Below are some signs that your reed is done and you should get another one.
- Can has become soft and gets wet very quickly.
- Mold and discolouration occurs.
- Reed won't stay in tune long and is to easy.
When you first start noticing any of these signs you should begin breaking in a new reed so by the time your reed craps out you will have a new one broken in and ready to go.