How to Choose the Right Bagpipe Chanter Reed Strength

Choosing the right chanter reed strength can make a huge difference in how your pipes feel, sound, and perform. But one of the biggest mistakes pipers make is assuming that a reed labeled Easy, Medium, or Hard will feel the same from one reed—or one reed maker—to another.

It won't.

Reed strength is much more individual than that, and finding the right reed starts with understanding what you're actually looking for.

Harder Isn't Always Better

There's a tendency, especially among developing players, to think that moving up to a harder reed means you're becoming a stronger or better piper.

That's not necessarily true.

Your reed should allow you to maintain a steady, controlled sound without fighting the instrument. If you're constantly struggling to keep the reed going, squeezing excessively, or losing control toward the end of tunes, the reed may simply be too hard for you.

On the other hand, a reed that's too easy can create its own problems. You may overpower it, which can show itself as squeals and sharp top hand etc. The reed is being taken to a pressure it cannot handle comfortably.

The goal isn't to play the hardest reed you can manage.

The goal is to find the strength that lets you play your best.

“Easy” and “Medium” Don't Tell the Whole Story

Terms like Easy, Easy-Medium, Medium, and Hard are useful general descriptions, but they're still subjective.

One piper's Medium can feel like another piper's Hard. And a Medium reed from one maker may not require the same blowing pressure as a Medium from another.

That's one of the reasons we like measuring reed strength using inches of water (inH₂O).

Rather than relying entirely on a description like “Medium,” measuring the pressure

required to make a reed sound gives us an objective number that can be compared from reed to reed.

If you find a reed you really like and know the pressure it takes to play it, you suddenly have much more useful information when you're looking for the next one.

Your Chanter Matters Too

Reed strength isn't the only consideration.

The same reed can behave differently depending on the chanter it's being played in. Pitch, balance, High A, High G, overall tone and stability can all be affected by the reed-and-chanter combination.

That's why we don't recommend choosing a reed based solely on a strength label.

Think about the whole setup:

• What chanter are you playing?

• What pitch are you trying to achieve?

• Are you playing solo or in a pipe band?

• What kind of sound are you looking for?

• How much pressure can you comfortably maintain?

• Are there particular notes you're trying to improve?

Those answers can be just as important as whether the reed is called Easy or Medium.

What Reed Strength Should a Beginner Play?

For a newer piper, we'd generally rather see you playing a reed you can comfortably control than struggling with one that's too hard.

You need enough resistance to develop proper blowing and pressure control, but not so much that all of your attention is going toward simply keeping the pipes going.

If the reed is so hard that your blowing becomes inconsistent, your technique suffers and you can't comfortably get through your tunes, you're probably not gaining anything by fighting it.

As your blowing becomes steadier and your stamina improves, your reed preferences may change.

And that's perfectly normal.

Don't Forget That Reeds Change

A chanter reed isn't a static object.

Cane responds to moisture, temperature, playing time and its environment. A new reed can also change as it's played and settles in.

That's another reason we don't believe in putting too much faith in a single strength description.

When we measure and select reeds for a specific player or band, the process takes time. Reeds are tested, allowed to sit, and tested again because we're looking for where they settle, not simply what they measure the first time they're played.

Finding Your Number

If you've already got a reed that you love, that's one of the best places to start.

Instead of guessing whether it's an Easy-Medium or Medium, you can measure the pressure at which it plays comfortably. That gives you a reference point when selecting future reeds.

Our Thistle Tone Chanter Reed Tester was developed for exactly this purpose. It allows pipers and bands to measure chanter reed strength in inches of water and compare reeds using an objective measurement rather than relying entirely on subjective labels.

For bands, this becomes even more useful. Instead of telling 20 pipers that everyone needs a “Medium” reed, you can actually see the pressure range each player is comfortable with and work toward a more consistent setup across the corps.

The Right Reed Is the One That Works for You

There isn't one correct reed strength for every piper.

A strong player doesn't prove anything by playing a reed that's harder than necessary, and an easier reed isn't automatically a beginner's reed.

What matters is control, stability, tone, comfort and consistency.

Find a reed that allows you to play steadily. Learn what pressure works for you. Pay attention to how that reed behaves in your particular chanter.

Once you know those things, choosing your next reed becomes a lot less about guessing between Easy, Medium and Hard—and a lot more about finding a reed that actually suits you and your instrument.

Great sound starts with a great reed.