Practice Chanter and Reed Maintenance
Taking care of your practice chanter and reed will keep your instrument playing well and extend the life of your reed.
Cleaning the Chanter
Moisture from your breath accumulates inside the chanter during playing. After each session, remove the reed and allow the chanter to dry out. You can run a pipe cleaner or cleaning rod through the bore to remove excess moisture. Do not leave moisture sitting in the chanter as it can damage the wood over time (if you have a wood chanter) or cause the bore to develop a musty smell.
Reed Care
The practice chanter reed is a small double reed. Remove it from the chanter after each practice session and allow it to dry fully. A reed that stays wet will become soft and produce a poor sound. See the protecting your reed page for more detail.
Hemp on the Reed Seat
If the reed is loose in the chanter (which affects tone and tuning), wind a small amount of waxed hemp around the reed staple (the metal tube at the base of the reed) until it fits snugly. Do not over-hemp — the reed should slide in and out with moderate pressure.
Cracks in Wooden Chanters
If you have a wood practice chanter and it develops a small crack, this will affect the sound and may worsen over time. A small amount of instrument-safe adhesive can seal minor cracks. Significant cracks may mean the chanter needs replacing.
When to Replace the Reed
Replace the reed when the tone becomes thin or reedy even when it is properly dried, when it becomes very hard or very soft to blow, or when it cracks or chips. A fresh reed makes a significant difference to the enjoyment of playing.