Reelpipes.com September 2021
NEWS FROM REELPIPES.COM - September 2021
Many of us have started the return to “regular” lessons and band practices, with the hope that 2022 will start to resemble pre-pandemic years. In some locations, though, it’s still tough to know how things will work out. The best thing we can all do is to make sure we’re vaccinated, stay on top of day-to-day health issues, and stay positive and connected to the bands and events that we cherish.
It was great to see some bands getting out to play and perform, including long-time customers The Rocky Mountain Pipe Band having tunes at the Canmore Highland Games, along with some other local bands. Our local City of Regina and Conservatory pipe bands did outdoor practices in June and July, and in June raised $3000 for local food banks. Ontario and British Columbia both had a small Games on the September long weekend, so hopefully these are good omens for the future.
One of the things I think about in September is an annual review of the maintenance and state of my Highland pipes. Even in a year without Highland Games, the pipes had a lot of playing, and the heat and moisture—combined with no playing in August—means that the wood will be a little dry, and I like to oil the pipes before beginning regular play at band.
My process is to take the pipes completely apart, and cover the internal bores of the drones, stocks and blowpipe (if wooden bore) with almond oil, and let it sit overnight. I re-examine the bores the next day, and if the oil is mostly absorbed into the wood, I’ll re-coat the bore and leave it another day. Once I’m certain the bores have absorbed all they are going to, I use brushes and pull-throughs to completely remove all excess oil from the bores.
After the bores are done, I then inspect and refresh any hemp that needs it, especially if the hemp is dry, turning, or has absorbed oil during that process. I’ve become a fan of the original hemp thread for tuning pins. I use cobbler’s wax of the first foot or so to really grip the pin, and then I often finish with bees’ wax and paraffin wax so there’s a bit of moisture protection. I tend to use yellow-waxed hemp for the stock joints.
While you have everything apart, it’s a good time to test and check your pipe bag for airtightness, and any potential faults in the seams, grommets, etc. It’s also a great time to re-set the space between drones on your cords, tighten any loose cables/hemp, and wash/disinfect your moisture tubes/bottles.
How old are your drone reeds? Over time, the tongues on most reeds get tired and stop behaving as 100% efficiently as when new, so it’s a good practice to check your reeds and keep them fresh.
We have a full range of maintenance equipment, bags, reeds and other supplies in stock, so reach out to us if there’s something you need, including advice. That’s always free, and as good as we can make it!
FEATURED BAGPIPES
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Lee and Sons – Holly with metal slides
We are excited to now have Lee & Sons Bagpipes at Reelpipes.com. These bagpipes are hand made by Andrew Lee and are based on an old Thow set that belongs to Jack Lee.
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Jack plays a set of Lee & Sons bagpipes, and you can hear him play “Lament for the Earl of Antrim” on a set. https://vimeo.com/241165935
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We have a beautiful set of these pipes in stock, including nickel tuning slides, and we’ll include a new pipe chanter of your choice at cost price as an introductory special for these pipes.
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Peter Henderson – Heritage Celtic
This unique set of Heritage Bagpipes features laser-etched Celtic nickel with a Celtic runic design etched into the wood. Traditionally, the wood on bagpipes is combed and beaded, however this set’s intricate wood design will stand out from the rest. An instrument of the highest quality to play and pass onto the next generation.
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Peter Henderson Heritage Bagpipes are made from African Blackwood, instrument-grade boxwood and nickel with a unique laser-etched design. The projecting mount profile is based on a 1910 set which are more refined in comparison to those of the 1920s. The boxwood we have carefully selected is rated first grade and polishes to a high natural lustre, providing a beautiful contrast to African Blackwood. Using state of the art software, we have created a unique Celtic design with a level of detail that can only be achieved with laser etching.
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https://www.reelpipes.com/home/peter-henderson/product/2713-peter-henderson-celtic-heritage-bagpipes
MK WHISTLES
A LOT of excellent MK Whistles were delivered to happy customers in 2021, and there is a wider availability of some great colours. Right now we have Low D MK Pro is bronze, purple, blue and some of the excellent Kerry models (not tuneable) in D and F. Â The Low F Kerry Whistle is a little higher than the Low D, and easier to play, with a very comfortable spread and the same, rich MK sound. The Kerry is the less-expensive model that has no tuning slide. It's a great, studio-quality instrument at an excellent price.
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/whistles
SOLO CHANTERS
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Callum Beaumont endorses the R.G. Hardie "Infinity" solo chanter which he helped develop. Connor Sinclair won the Northern Meeting Gold Medal, also playing one of the new chanters. We have these in stock and have played one, and they are just superb. Comfortable feel, lovely sound, rock-solid on all notes, and a piobaireachd High G that goes on for days. Available in wood or plastic.
The Gandy version of the McCallum chanter has also been excelllent. We've supplied quite a few of these to solo pipers, and they find them very comfortable, great spacing and solid sound. Of course both Bruce Gandy and Alex Gandy have been playing them with great success.Â
And there are more! We've also supplied the McCallum Ceól chanter in poly and blackwood, the G1 Blackwood chanter and the Peter Henderson Blackwood solo chanter to solo pipers in the region, and they are all reporting success.
REEDS FOR BAND AND SOLO
• G1 Platinum - This reed is favoured by many bands in all grades for the quality and consistency they deliver, and they go well in a variety of chanters. Played by the SFU Pipe Band, among many others.
• Chesney and Chesney Solos - Many Grade 1 prize-winning bands play Chesney reeds [Inveraray, Field Marshal, SLOT...] and they do so because they really are good. In our experience, they may be a little harder to manage in dry/high climates but deliver a broad rich sound when managed well. [Tone Protector chanter caps make a huge difference.] Chesney are now producing a solo reed to give you that great vibrant sound with an excellent piobaireachd High G.
• Melvin and Melvin Solo - Adrian Melvin turned his years of top Grade 1 experience into making chanter and drone reeds, and his reeds are being played by ScottishPower Pipe Band. We've supplied these reeds at lower strengths to bands in the prairie region, and they are stable and easy to manage. There is also a solo version that is superb in many chanters.
• MacLellan , Shepherd, MacPhee and  Sound Supreme – All great reeds for soloists, and MacLellan and Shepherd are used by many bands.
• DRONE REEDS - Ezeedrone, Selbie, Chesney and Canning drone reeds ready to go! We have both models of Canning, the Blue and the Original, and you can ask for either the carbon bass or the inverted bass. Both are excellent. We also have CANE BASS REEDS by Chesney and G1.
https://www.reelpipes.com/category/16-bagpipe-reeds
RECENT BOOKS
I Piped, That She Might Dance is now in print, and for sale on the website! If you missed the online book launch event at Piping Live! You can still see it and hear the new tune here: https://vimeo.com/583881884
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Fred Morrison Collection, Volume 2
Fred's latest collection is HERE! This features lots of the amazing music that Fred has showcased across the World in the last few years, plus newer tunes that haven't made the concert lists yet! If you've grooved at a show in the last few years, the soundtrack is in this book.
Sean Somers - The Out West Collection
Long-time friend and also Reelpipes,com customer Sean Somers has released a collection of music that features a number of composers and many of his own excellent tunes. Sean is well known for his creative and melodic compositions, and they have been played by top-grade bands around the world. We love this collection and we know it'll be a favourite for pipers and pipe majors.
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/new-additions/product/2701-the-out-west-collection-sean-somers
Kyle Warren - Eat, Sleep, PIPE, Repeat.
Kyle is a well-known composer and performer with FMM and also the Red Hot Chili Pipers, and his tunes are played by a number of top bands. This great new collection features tunes and arrangements perfect for the band medley, the solo ceilidh set, or your next competition.
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/books-music
Bruce Gandy - Performance: Delivering Your Own Awesome,
An easy-to-read, non-statistical guide to "Delivering Your Own Awesome" in music, sport and other competitive aspects of life, this book provides an understanding of what performance actually is by outlining four key steps: practice, rehearsal, performance and, finally, moving forward.
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/new-additions/product/1672-performance-delivering-your-own-awesomeÂ
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FOR PIOBAIREACHD ENTHUSIASTS
• Donald MacLeod's Complete Collection of Piobarieachd [2019] - launched at PipingLive! last summer, this book brings together all Donald MacLeod's known tunes for the first time, in a handy A4 format.• Capt. John A. MacLellan Collection - you will have heard some great recordings online of "The Edinburgh Piobaireachd" and other tunes from this 20th century master of piping. The collection comes with two CDs featuring top players performing the tunes on pipes.• Joseph MacDonald "A Complete Theory.." - first published in 1803, this recent re-publication by the Piobaireachd Society includes a lot of great historical and contextual material about the music and the players.• Donald MacDonald Collection, Volume 1 - published in 1828 by the great Skye-born bagpipe maker and collector, this Piobaireachd Society reprint has the tunes beautifully reproduced in clear notation, along with extensive historical and notes for playing. This is a great book for exploring the style favoured by this 19th-century great.• General Principles of Piobaireachd: A Guide to Interpretation - the book includes background and information about the understanding and performing of piobaireachd, including accents, phrasing, tune structures, pacing, embellishments, and much more. As well, Andrew Wright gives concrete examples of how these concepts apply to some of the best-known tunes.• The Piper's Meeting - this collection contains 45 piobaireachds from the famous Campbell Canntaireachd (1796), which has been a major source of tunes since it was compiled.  Many of the tunes have been inaccessible to modern pipers because the manuscript has not been widely available, and pipers are not as conversant with canntaireachd as they are with staff notation.
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/books-music/category/59-piobaireachd-instruction-and-reading
DRUMSTICKS - PADS - TENOR STICKS - DRUMS
We always have stock of drumsticks from leading suppliers such as McWhirter, Kilpatrick and Creighton, and we have Cameron drum pads. We can supply everything in drums, from a single drum to a full set.
Jordan Bailie is one of the World's leading tenor drummers, with many band and solo championships to his credit, including th World Pipe Band Champions 2017, 2019 and Champion of Champions Drum Corps!
Top players are finding them, light, well-balanced, and easy to play, with a great sound on the drum. And here's some great news: these sticks are much better priced that others on the market. Great look, feel and sound with a cracking price—what's not to like?
Colours available: white, red, orange, pink, heather, azure blue
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/drumming-supplies/product/1534-jordan-bailie-tenor-mallets
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VINTAGE & COLLECTIBLES
We've always had an interest in vintage and collectible items related to piping and pipe bands. We have old LPs, books and other Scottish items that you'll find interesting for your basement pub, piping room, or as a gift for a friend or family member.
These are typically "one off" items that we find, and once they are gone...• Scottish and clan prints• postcards• vintage practice chanter, biscuit tins and tea towels• Scottish books and LPs https://www.reelpipes.com/home/collectible
IN THE COMMUNITY
This season past we continued with an organizing role in the online version of the Saskatchewan Highland Gathering and Celtic Festival that turned out to be very popular, and in the summer we organized the 18th annual SOUND ADVICE summer school, featuring some of the very best instructors in the world. Both these events are planned for 2022.
This autumn, we are proud to be sponsors for both the Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational and the George Sherriff Invitational, top amateur piping events that are running online this year.Both these events have a long history of giving top amateur pipers a first-class competing experience, with excellent feedback, mentorship from top judges, and excellent prizes. We've been proud to sponsor prizes for these events for a number of years.
CONTACT US
Do you have news you'd like to pass along? Want to ask about products or services? Just like talking about bands and bagpipes? : )
Email:Â reelpipes@gmail.com
Telephone: 306-533-6678
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