The first step is to turn the
tuner on by pressing the red ON/OFF button.
Next you must ensure that your
tuner is calibrated to 474 Hz. Look in the upper left corner of
the display screen. If there is any number there other than 474, then
use the CALIB 5
or 6
buttons to set it correctly.
If you're new to tuning, I
recommend starting off by tuning one thing at a time - off of the bag.
Pipe Chanter
So, remove your pipe chanter
from the bag and blow A4 (low A) with the same pressure that you'd play your
pipes. Make sure your lips are not touching the wood parts of the
reed. If the indicator line is significantly to the left of center,
then you are flat and must push the reed in further. If your chanter
has a threaded reed seat, then you can just twist your reed clockwise and it
will go in. Sound A4 again. If the indicator line is to the
right, then you are sharp and must back your reed out to bring chanter into
tune.
NOTE: You should see the
letter "A" in the top right corner of the screen. If you see "G#",
your chanter is flat and you must push the reed in. If you see "A#"
then you are sharp and must pull the reed out.
You may have to add or remove
hemp to make sure the reed sits snugly in the reed seat.
Once you get the indicator
line perfectly vertical on A4, then it is time to fine tune A5 (high A).
Sound A5 then, making very small adjustments, move the reed in or out to
fine tune A5. A5 will respond much more drastically to reed movement
than A4. Once A5 is in tune, alternate playing A4 and A5. The
needle should move very little. A little movement is alright.
Make sure the light stays green.
Once A4 and A5 are in tune,
then your chanter is tuned. If you or your pipe major so desire, other
notes can be fine tuned by taping over portions of the finger holes.
But that is beyond the scope of this article.
Drones
Assuming that your drone reeds
aren't too long, remove one of the drones from your bag and, with the reed
in your mouth, sound the drone toward the tuner. Again the tuner
should display "A" in the upper right corner. If the drone is flat
(indicator to the left), then shorten the space between your drone sections.
If the drone is sharp (indicator to the right), then lengthen the space
between your drone sections.
Repeat this process for the
remaining drones.
Note: Do not adjust the
settings on the drone reeds themselves without the supervision of an
experienced piper. Factory settings for drone reeds are usually
optimal. (Assuming that you are using synthetic reeds).
Putting it all together
Now reassemble your pipes and
strike them in. Your pipes may still need a little fine tuning, but
should be very close.
Practice Chanter
You may have noticed that
notes seem to sound odd as you move higher on the scale. To solve this
problem you'll want to tune your practice chanter. To tune the practice
chanter, alternate sounding A4 and A5. You want to adjust the reed so
that the tuning indicator, regardless of whether or not it is vertical,
doesn't move when you alternate back and forth between A4 and A5. A
properly tuned practice chanter makes all the difference in the world when
you're practicing (especially in the presence of others.
