May I put out a request for opinions from the NSP community? Apologies for
raising a subject which has been discussed several times before - though
maybe not in precisely the same terms, and I like to keep abreast of the
latest thinking among better players than me.
Traditionally, the low B and C on an extended chanter have been arranged
with the B on the right and the C on the left, but Colin has pioneered
various other arrangements - especially three-key groupings with the order
going A,B,C left to right. I think there seems to be a growing opinion that
even with just the two low keys, B and C, it is also more convenient to have
them with B on the left & C on the right. Having myself recently tried a
chanter by Colin with the low keys in that order, I must say it is much more
intuitive, but then I've never regularly played one myself with either
arrangement - only made them for other people (always the traditional way so
far).
"Scale order" left to right obviously makes sense when there's also a low C#
paired with the D in the right side slot - at least when playing scale
passages e.g. in the accompaniment to duet slow airs, though in rapid
arpeggio playing it may be better the traditional way.
I have just given a customer the choice - he is a very good player, and has
been professional on other wind instruments, but he is outside the NSP
mainstream and has only ever played a 7-key chanter.
I explained the options, and suggested the B-on-the-left arrangement, which
after consideration he's gone for - but as I said, without the experience.
What do people think?
Philip
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