Hello Richard, Many NSP bags can be slightly rectangular in aspect and the 'corner' near the blowpipe has the potential to annoy some players. If you find that experimentation in managing the bag differently does not help, a good solution would be to order a bag with the profile of that edge smoothed into a broader curve. Enough to make this more comfortable without significantly disturbing the position of the blowpipe stock.
Jackie Boyce will make you anything you like. His bags are excellent: http://pipebagmaker.com/ Francis On 26 Jan 2010, at 18:18, Richard York wrote: > I'd welcome comments/advice on nsp bag shape, please. > > There's the conventional shape, and now I learn there's the tear-drop shape. > I've been playing other (non Scottish) bagpipes for quite a long time, with > various shaped bags, from medieval/renaissance large tear drop, held more in > front of the body, to nsp-like but bigger on Jon Swayne D border pipes, and > have got used to & comfortable with them. > I'm still finding my way on nsp's... I suspect this is a life-long state... > but find that after some 10 or so minutes of playing I'm getting a restricted > left hand movement, as my arm's getting pressure from the bulge of the bag > against my forearm where it restricts the blood flow or something; this is a > problem I don't get with my other sets. I've tried varying my arm > position/bag position/drone angle/position of jaw/general earth energy and > leyline alignment etc, but haven't yet cracked the problem. > > It seems logical to expect that the tear-drop shape, with most of the bag > further back under the arm, is going to leave my forearm more relaxed and > less pressured. > But until you've tried anything you don't know, and I'd like to hear from > anyone who has, please, either positive or negative experience of this shape. > > With thanks, > Richard. > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
