Afternoon Philip - I don't know the dates on the chanters you have
seen, I'd be interested to know.
I discussed the design of my big chanter with Colin back in 2001/2002.
the original plan was to get ABC# on a triple block at the back with
paired C&D on the right and just the single low E on the left. The
desire was to play the patterns required for tunes in D & A.
We ended up with ABC on the triple and C# paired with the D. The
chanter also arrived with the low G on a 45 degree angle between the E
and low A (still played with the thumb).
This has a number of implications:
- The length of the low G key means the key bends - anything other
than a direct push in line with key can produce a poor note.
- Low G pushes the centre of gravity even further below the right
hand; managing the balance of the chanter between the two hands
requires more control
- Playing AMaj arpeggios is harder than I'd like, the A-C#
transition requires a big jump and thumb re-orientation. ABC#D
transitions are fine because the B is that bit further round.
- Playing low G runs is straight forward.BDG triplets are
challenging but achievable.
- Playing in C feels easy, the low C is in a very playable position
and the CD transition is very straight forward.
Colin stated that the low G arrangement I have was a challenge and
took quite a look of work to get right. I got the impression he
wouldn't want to do another one. Conversely he was quite pleased with
the triple block and I definitely got the impression this would be
re-used.
I've had the opportunity to play one of your chanters and I know
you're aware of this but it's worth stating for anyone else reading.
The position of the key ends in relation to each other and the
thumbrest are critical; the distances between them, the relatively
heights and lengths of the 'double stack', the angle at which each key
is presented and the overall shape of each key end. I have
progressively and very minutely remodelled a number of keys to achieve
a more ergonomically satisfying layout (it's specific to my hand).
I occasionally get to play the CB arrangement and now find it counter
intuitive (but still playable). Once the low A is added I think it
begins to make less sense.
Hope this helps
Rob
Quoting Philip Gruar <phi...@gruar.clara.net>:
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 To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
