NEWS FROM REELPIPES.COM - June 2024

The year so far has been busy with piping events including the Mid-Winter Celtic Festival and the Saskatchewan Highland Gathering and Celtic Festival locally, as well as Fred Morrison’s Canadian Tour. We were in Halifax at the beginning of May for a concert with the 78^th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) and the Dartmouth & District pipe bands. It was a great day of music and good to be back with the band.

Early in the new year I submitted a piobaireachd composition to a competition organized by the New Zealand Piobaireachd Society and was lucky enough to have my tune selected as the winner. pipesdrums did a story on it and published the music. You can hear the tune on YouTube  and if you’re a member of the Piobaireachd Society you can find music and audio in the Tunes by Members section.

Still upcoming in Saskatchewan is the annual SOUND ADVICE camp run by the Saskatchewan Pipe Band Association. This year the guest instructors include P-M Richard Parkes, MBE; FMM L-D Gareth McLees, Glenna Mackay-Johnstone, Jacquie Troy-Carter, Sean Somers and more! Registration closes June 14. This is a great week of instruction from the World's best at the University of Regina campus.  TO REGISTER: https://www.saskpipebands.org/index.php/summer-school

It's become apparent that the recovery from the pandemic is still underway. Regionally, many bands are struggling to maintain numbers and even tougher is the prospect of raising funds for equipment and travel. Travelling to a competition a province over used to be easy enough, but (for example) a bus to Alberta for the weekend ends up being $6000, hotels $1800/night for the band, etc. One of the things that needs to happen is the development of robust events locally, and it has been encouraging to see the PPBAM (Manitoba) developing local events throughout the year.

We’re looking forward to a summer of piping events in the Maritimes and Ontario, and then spectating at the World’s in August. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather and great tunes.

IN-STOCK BAGPIPES

Still looking for a great bagpipe for the summer season, or an alternate bagpipe for international travel? We also have models that are “entry level” mounts and price with “professional piper quality” sound and design.

• Lee & Sons Bagpipes -holly mounts with metal tuning slides. We’ll add an R.G. Hardie “Infinity” or a McCallum “Gandy” or “MC2” blackwood chanter for only $200.
• Peter Henderson PH01 – This gorgeous bagpipe includes an R.G. Hardie “Infinity” poly chanter, and we’ll upgrade it to wood for $100.
• Duncan MacRae SL3 -This amazing sounding instrument comes with a poly pipe chanter.
• Duncan MacRae SL0 -The least expensive model of the MacRae line still packs the great tonal punch that you expect with the MacRaes. A lovely, light instrument with a great full sound. Comes with a poly chanter.
• McCallum AB3 - Classic full-imitation-ivory look for a bagpipe and a great McCallum quality and sound. Comes with a poly chanter.
• McCallum AB2 – Alloy and imitation mounts and a great McCallum quality and sound. Comes with a poly chanter.
• McCallum AB0 – Blackwood button mounts and a great McCallum quality and sound. Comes with a poly chanter.

Here’s a link for viewing the pipes and the options.

https://www.reelpipes.com/home/highland-bagpipes/category/102-bagpipes-in-stock

SOME RECENT ITEMS

https://www.reelpipes.com/home/new-additions

Broadley Pipe Chanters
Bagpipe maker Ross Watson has launched his own brand after years of working in another shop, and a few top grade 1 bands have jumped onto these chanters right away. They come in a brighter pitched model, and Trad pitch model and B flat.

James Robertson Seasoning
This is a traditional recipe seasoning for skin/hide bags, originally developed by James Robertson bagpipe makers, and later sold to R.G. Hardie, who produce their version, known as “Airtight.” Both great products, and both available on the website.

Tone Protector Cases for Uilleann/Smallpipes
Developed by Bagpipelessons.com in consultation with Reelpipes.com, these cases provide excellent storage for uilleann and smallpipe reeds, allowing long-term storage without the drying out. Perfect especially for dry/high climates.

Balance Tone HR in B Flat.
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/new-additions/product/2786-balance-tone-hr-high-resonance-drone-reeds-b-flat

Kelt Black Cane Drone Reeds 
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/new-additions/product/2769-kelt-black-cane

InTune Mic for iPhone or Android
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/new-additions/product/2953-intune-tm-mic

J. Reid Maxwell Drum Sticks 
https://www.reelpipes.com/home/drumming-supplies/product/2992-j-reid-maxwell-snare-sticks

 

REEDS FOR BAND AND SOLO

• G1 Platinum- This reed is favoured by many bands in all grades for the quality and consistency they deliver, and they go well in a variety of chanters.
• Chesney and Chesney Solos- Many Grade 1 prize-winning bands play Chesney and they do so because they really are good. In our experience, they may be a little harder to manage in dry/high climates but deliver a broad rich sound when managed well. [Tone Protector chanter caps make a huge difference.] Chesney are now producing a solo reed to give you that great vibrant sound with an excellent piobaireachd High G.
• Melvin and Melvin Solo- Adrian Melvin turned his years of top Grade 1 experience into making chanter and drone reeds. We've supplied these reeds at lower strengths to bands in the prairie region, and they are stable and easy to manage. There is also a solo version that is superb in many chanters.
• MacLellan, Shepherd, MacPhee andSound Supreme – All great reeds for soloists, and MacLellan and Shepherd are used by many bands.
• DRONE REEDS– BalanceTone HR, Ezeedrone, Selbie, Kelt Black Cane and MG drone reeds ready to go! We also have CANE DRONE REEDS by G1.

BOOKS

We have a wide selection of music books from classic collections every piper should own (Scots Guards, Willie Ross, Donald MacLeod) to newer collections by modern masters (Gordon Duncan, Fred Morrison, Bruce Gandy) and piobaireachd books for the serious player, such as The Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor and Donald MacLeod’s Collection of Piobaireachd.

Like a good read? How about I Piped, That She Might Dance, a novel about the life of Angus MacKay, piper to Queen Victoria. We also have interesting books about bagpipes, bagpipe makers, and more.

https://www.reelpipes.com/home/all-parts-and-accessories/category/100-other-reading

Our "Collectible" sections has lots of quirky finds and gifts for the hard-to-buy-for person on your list, including books, antiques, LP recordings and more.

 https://www.reelpipes.com/home/collectible

Sending best wishes to all for the summer season. Have great tunes, enjoy the music, and encourage all the kids you know to start lessons in the autumn.

Sending best wishes to all for the remainder of the year. Have great tunes, enjoy the music, and encourage all the kids you know to start lessons.

CONTACT US

Do you have news you'd like to pass along? Want to ask about products or services? Just like talking about bands and bagpipes? : )
Email: reelpipes@gmail.com
Telephone: 306-533-6678

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