30 Oct No Comments admin Bagpiper , ,

Supercharge Your Bagpipe Drones

Bagpipers, it seems, are always hunting for the perfect set of drones. Afterall, the better the quality of drones, the better is the quality of the sound produced by the bagpipe. However, very few people know that by making a few adjustments to the drones on your existing instrument, you can improve the quality of sound they produce.

  • Hemping Your Drones:

    Rip all the waxed hemp off the moving parts and replace it with unwaxed yellow hemp. Crisscross the strands to create a cushion on each tenon on the tuning pins. A more elaborate version would be: Apply cobbler’s wax to the first 12 inches – this helps in anchoring the hemp to the wood (the delrin), thereby preventing it from spinning on the tenon and creating all kinds of issues. Then, start with the crisscross pattern, building at both ends and leaving the middle just a bit skinny. The crisscross pattern forms a bit of cushion, allowing the joining section to float just a little. This improves the resonance. The objective is to achieve uniform hemping where the hemp’s surface is either parallel to the tuning pin or slightly higher at both ends.

  • Type of Bag:

    A significant difference in sound (produced by drones) has been observed when moving from a bag with rubber grommets to one where the stocks are tied directly into the bag. Bags which have collars for the stocks (grommets) may be easy and convenient but they can also diminish the drone resonance. When you shop for a bag next time, tie your socks directly into the bag. It may be a bit of work for you but the quality of resonance of drones so achieved will simply amaze you!

Follow the article – Tips for Hiring a Bagpiper

  • Drone Turning Position:

    Your drone reeds should always be adjusted in a manner that makes the tenor tops tune at the bottom of the hemp. Your bass top section should be positioned at the hemp line. It is fine if the mid-section rides low on the bass bottom tenon.

Read Usefull articles –

5 Tips for Taking Care of Your Bagpipe while Travelling

Know about Bagpipe Chanter Reeds