Drone reeds (plastic and cane)

A set of traditional cane drne reeds - one bass and two tenors

A set of plastic drone reeds - one bass and two tenors, complete with adjustable screw

The introduction of plastic drone reeds has resulted in many different reeds now being available in the market place. In principle though, they will all work the same way.

Drone reeds are usually sold in sets of three - one bass (the longest reed) and two tenor reeds.The tongue of the reed has to vibrate against the body of the reed to produce the sound.

These reeds have to be firmly inserted into the reed seat of the drone. If the fit of the reed is loose, add some hemp to the reed to make sure it is a tight fit in the reed seat.

New reeds may prove difficult to get going and to keep going. This is because there has been no air passing through them and they have a tendency to remain closed. You can 'spring' the tongue of the reed by flicking it open and shut a couple of times. This will allow the air to pass through the reed. You can also adjust the airflow by moving the bridle up or down the reed. If you move the bridle up the reed (towards the drone) this will open up the reed and let more air flow through. The opposite would apply if you want the reed to take less air and produce less volume.

Ideally, you need your drone reeds to be taking just enough air to keep them playing and this can partly be determined by the amount of air the pipe chanter reed is taking. A strong chanter reed will require your drone reeds to take more air through them. A weaker chanter reed will require less air passing through to keep them going. Ultimately, it is an adjustment and balancing process and it can take some time to get a set of pipes 'set up' correctly with new reeds.

As mentioned, plastic drone reeds will work in exactly the same way. However, they do tend to play more instantly and require less adjustment to keep them going.

Most plastic reeds have an adjustable screw attached to the bottom of the reed. This can be turned to lengthen (flatten tone) or shorten (sharpen tone) the reed, which will determine where the drone will tune on the tuning pin. It is not used to pre-tune the drone, as many novice players seem to think.

Plastic reeds will generally give a more robust sound and can be set up equally well for both band and solo players.