The Oran Mor Pipe Band of Albany, New York announces their banquet to honor Donald F. Lindsay and his 16 years as Pipe Major of the band. Lindsay was instrumental in creating the band in 1992 and turned over the PM reigns to Andrew Douglas in 2008. He stepped down from the band in November 2010 to pursue full time teaching. Donald Lindsay’s influence on eastern piping is unquestionable and his inspiration to pipers in the capital region of New York and elsewhere unmatchable. Make reservations at http://oranmorpipeband.com or view the full invitation here.
When: Saturday, February 26, 2011 – 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Celtic Hall, 430 New Karner Road, Albany, New York
Tickets: $40 per person Dinner buffet • Dessert • Cash Bar
Semi-formal and Highland attire encouraged.
Whether we’re playing the new-fangled techno-reed, or we’re old-school and we play cane, here are some tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of your drone reeds:
1) Make sure your drone reeds are seated firmly in the reed seat.
This may seem like a no brainer, but if your reeds aren’t seated tightly in the reed seat, a variety of problems can occur: They could fall into the bag. They’ll probably be considerably less steady. Your pipes will be harder to blow. The loose reed will likely take on moisture sooner.
Here is what you do:
a) used waxed hemp, to get the tightest seal possible with the reed seat.
b) Make sure you have a lifeline. A lifeline is about an inch of excess hemp that will stick in the area where the drone meets the stock. That way, if the reed does come loose, it’ll just dangle instead of falling in the bag!
c) another option is to THREAD your drone reed seats. The idea of threading is that the drones (which are still hemped with waxed hemp) “screw” into the reed-seats, making it virtually impossible for the reeds to fall out. Most piping shops and pipe makers can help you with this project, if you’re interested.
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