chalumeaux

The idea of regulators for smallpipes came up again on Bobdunsire.com. The idea has spent a lot of time in my mind over the years. But I've long been against the idea of simply using uilleann style regulators, but with smallpipe bores, with a set of smallpipes. It would mean changing too much of the fundamental essence of smallpipes for it to work (for me). But this time when the idea came up, I thought about the Musette De Cour and it's "petite chalumeau". The Musette De Cour is a baroque (I think?) bagpipe of the french court. Basically a smallpipe for playing classical music with. And the petite chalumeau is kind of like a little northumbrian chanter, in that the pipe is stopped, which sits next to the chanter, and is activated by the free right thumb, and left pinkie. It usually plays about six notes, but apparently they are all very high pitched notes, most of them going above the range of the chanter.

With this sort of set-up in mind, it would be fairly simple to make a stopped second smallpipe chanter, the same length as the first (or not, it could be a D with an A or vice versa), that sat next to the first, that could play two or three notes activated by the thumb, and two or three activated by the pinkie. It would allow a smallpipe player to add simple regulator-like harmony to his or her playing. I think it would work very nicely. Imagine playing Hector the Hero, with baritone drone a-blazing, and throwing in seconds, all by yourself.

Unfortunately, this is one of those thoughts I have that makes me wish I had a rich patron that encouraged me to pursue this wild ideas. For now, I'll file this away for things to do when I retire. ;)