Practice chanter reed with two blades of plastic

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Practice chanter reed of black plastic with two blades bound with hemp onto a copper staple. 1960s. Housed in a case for a set of Union bagpipes (H.1995.795.1) that belonged to William Mackie.

A strong type of cane, Arundo Donax, both farmed and naturally grown, is favoured for making reeds for bagpipes as well as for other musical wind instruments. In the 20th century different materials, both natural and synthetic, have been tried for reed making initially plastic only worked for the lower pitched softer practice chanter reed but in the last decade drone reeds have come to be made entirely of plastics and other synthetic materials.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-000-579-832-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: The Bagpipe Collection
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  K.2002.1367.11
• Date: 1960s (date of manufacture)
  
• Material: Plastic, hemp and copper
  Practice chanter reed
  
• Dimensions: 66 mm L x 10.5 mm W
  
• What: Practice chanter reed
  
• Subject:
• Who: William Mackie (owner of case)
  
• Where:
• Event:
• Description: Practice chanter reed of black plastic with two blades bound with hemp onto a copper staple.
  
• References:
  • Baines, Anthony,. Bagpipes. Occasional Paper on Technology 9, Oxford University Press, 1973. 
• Translations:
• Related Records: