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Whistle Chanter, with slide drone, case, accessories
(case color and shape may vary, usually green or black)
Whistle Chanter UWC 1  $100

Sound Sample of the scale plus bottom ghost note
Sound Sample Tune
This package contains whistle chanter, case, manual and moisture swab.
It plays the melody, puts your fingers in the correct position for a concert D uilleann pipe chanter.
The chanter is tunable sharp or flat. It plays in the keys of A and D.

Slide Drone Attachment UWC DRONE 1 $15

Mechanics of the Uilleann Whistle Chanter

The Uilleann Whistle Chanter  (UWC), is a simple system to learn how to do the scale fingerings for the Uilleann Pipes. The style of fingering used with this chanter is called the Closed or Staccato style. We start with the Chanter itself which has a tunable head joint and a fingering tube.

     The hole positions on the fingering tube are designed to stretch your fingers into the positions they will need to be in when you play an Uilleann Pipe chanter.
This UWC,  in concert A, will give you the same finger stretch as most concert D Uilleann Pipe chanters.  The spacing between your right and left hands is slightly closer together on the UWC  than on the Uilleann Pipe.
    The way fingers touch the chanter is very important.  Do not use your fingertips (the very end of your fingers).
A common problem that people new to whistles or pipes have, is that they use their fingertips to try to cover the holes. Fingertips are just too narrow to do this properly. It will be difficult to reach the holes, and your hand will become cramped in about 7 minutes.
You want your fingers to lay flat across the chanter, instead of arching your hand when using your fingertips.  This flat finger method will allow your fingers to more easily stretch across the holes.
    The finger pad positions are different on the chanter than on the pennywhistle.  See the diagram of the seated Uilleann Whistle Chanter player. Note the position of the fingers on the drawing of the person holding the UWC.  Look at the lines across the knuckles showing which finger segment is on the chanter.
  The system for this chanter consists of the chanter itself and various tubing and connectors.  The flexible tubing also allows you to sit in an upright position and to lift the chanter off your leg for the lowest note without jamming the chanter back into your mouth.

The top row has the names of the notes.
The second row from the top is the back thumb hole.
The third row from the bottom is for whether the chanter is off or on your leg.
When the chanter is on your leg the bottom of it is closed.
Second row from the bottom shows the notes in the key of D.
The bottom row shows the notes in the key of G.

This basic scale is the Closed or Staccato scale, which one should strive to master. For many people it comprises over 90 percent of what you will normally play on the Uilleann Pipes. The Open and Legato styles, for the beginner, are played less frequently and can be practiced once you get onto the Uilleann Pipes. The Uilleann Whistle Chanter plays in the key of A and in the key of D.
We use pipe fingering, which is similar for both Uilleann Pipes and the Great Highland Pipes.
(see diagram of person holding the UWC)
The left upper back thumb uses the first, outermost pad or segment.
The index and middle fingers of the left hand use the second or middle pad.
The left hand ring finger uses the first or outermost pad.
The index, middle and ring fingers of right hand use the second or middle pad.
The little finger on the right hand uses the first or outermost pad.
The right lower back thumb rests on top of the thumb rest provided for it.
  If you have short fingers, you can slightly rotate your fingers downwind or down the chanter to help you reach and cover the holes. For lefties, it doesn't matter whether you choose to put your left hand on the top or your right hand The problem is in trying to find left handed sets of Uilleann Pipes.
They are made, but you have a much longer search but you have a much longer search to find one.
    Uilleann Pipe Chanters will vary on how they produce some of their notes; many book tutors don’t describe
the top end of the second octave. The pattern above is what works on the Uilleann Whistle Chanter.

The Key of D:  notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#', D'
                                         intervals:  D -whole- E -whole- F# -half- G -whole- A -whole- B -whole- C#' -half- D'.
The Key of G:  notes: G, A, B, C#', D', E', F#', G'
                                         intervals:   G -whole- A-whole- B -half- C#' -whole- D' -whole- E' -whole- F#' -half- G’.

   On a (regular) Concert D set of Uilleann Pipes, the key you are playing  would be D, and the other key played
on the same instrument would be G (which is 2½ musical steps higher = a 4th interval).  This makes it a  D/G
instrument.
  Remember, the UWC will actually be playing:
The Key of A:        notes:  A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A
The Key of D:        notes:  D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#', D'
The fingering is the same, but you are actually producing a different key, similar to playing other instruments
such as tinwhistles (without transposing).