Plain Chanter
Range

7-Key Chanter
Range

Complicated Drones
Additional
A and E
Chanter Range

The Plain Chanter
This is the original smallpipe. It has a limited compass of eight fingerholes (one octave) and only three drones which play G, d, g, (G below middle C, d and g above).

Although this is a good training instrument for the first six months' playing, its limited range soon imposes a restriction to anyone seriously wishing to learn to play.

7 Key
Standard Drones
 

7 Key
Complicated Drones
 

Complicated & standard Drones
 

Standard & Complicated Drones
 

14 Key Chanter
 

Keyed Chanters
 

16 Key Key Chanter
 

7 Key & 17 Key
Smallpipes

The 7 Key Chanter
This is the basic instrument. The seven keys extend the range of the chanter by 5 notes, in addition to providing two incidental notes in the middle of the range (c sharp, d sharp).

There are four drones with one tuning bead on the G drone, giving the notes D, G, A, d, g, thus giving the player a choice of two key signatures G major and D Major, in which to play.

Complicated Drones
It is also possible to fit extra tuning beads to these drones to add the notes a and e, giving the key signature of A major - and the notes E, B, e – giving the key signature of E minor. These are referred to as ‘complicated drones’. Whilst these complicated drones are always fitted to chanters with more than seven keys, it is possible with a 7-key chanter to play many of the Highland pipe tunes which are written with a flattened G (i.e. G natural) and the scale of E minor is also within the compass of the 7-key chanter.

More comprehensive sets of Smallpipes
It is possible to add a large number of keys to the chanter, giving it ultimately a fully chromatic compass of two octaves or beyond. It is also possible to extend the drone range by adding extra tuning beads, extension pieces or drones to give all major and minor key signatures.

The normal progression of extra keys is as follows:-

• 9 Key Two G sharps
• 11 Key Two G sharps, two F naturals
• 14 Key Fully chromatic over the range of the normal 7-key chanter
• 17 Key Fully chromatic over two octaves (B, to b two octaves above middle C)

There is also a 16-key chanter with a range of A, (below middle C) to b (two octaves above). Although this is not fully chromatic, it is probably more useful than the 17-key. Prospective players should give careful consideration to chanter range, to ensure that the set will play all the tunes they wish in the coming years. The more complex sets are no more difficult to play than the simplest set, but do have more potential. Where a player wants to expand the number of keys in the future, but initially purchase a cheaper set, the blocks to support additional keys can be left on for use at a later date. In this way a 7-key set can be converted up to a 14-key without changing the chanter and at much less expense.

Pitch
The chanter is tuned in G major but like most other old instruments, the pitch is flat on modern concert pitch. The modern trend is to reed the pipes flat to match modern concert F. This means that smallpipes can be played with most other standard instruments without too much difficulty. Smallpipes are also available pitched in D major at modern concert pitch.

It is always recommended that you discuss this fully with the pipemaker to ensure the set will fit in with your requirements.