Editing Uilleann pipes (section)

===Chanter===
The [[chanter]] is the part of the uilleann pipes that is used to play the [[melody]]. It has eight finger holes (example given of a D pitched chanter): bottom D, E{{music|b}}, E, F{{music|#}}, G, A, B, C, C{{music|#}}, high D (also called "back D"). To achieve the bottom D (D<sub>4</sub>) the chanter is lifted off the knee, exposing the exit of the chanter's bore, where the note is produced. The chanter is set on the right knee thus closing off the bottom hole. Many players use a strip of leather placed over the knee, called a "popping strap", which provides for an airtight seal. More rarely, a simple gravity- or spring-operated flap valve attached to the bottom of the chanter achieves the same end. Generally, for all other notes (except for special effects, or to vary the volume and tone) the chanter stays on the knee.

One characteristic of the chanter is that it can produce staccato notes, because the piper seals it off at the bottom; with all of the finger holes closed, the chanter is silenced. This is also necessary for obtaining the second octave; the chanter must be closed and the bag pressure increased, and then fingered notes will sound in the second octave. A great range of different timbres can be achieved by varying the fingering of notes and also raising the chanter off the knee, which gives the uilleann pipes a degree of dynamic range not found in other forms of bagpipes. Pipers who use staccato fingering often are termed "closed-style" pipers. Those who use legato fingering more predominately are referred to as "open-style" pipers. Open piping has historical associations with musicians (often [[Irish Traveller|Irish travelling people]]) who played on the street or outdoors, since the open fingering is somewhat louder, especially with the chanter played off the knee (which can, however, lead to faulty pitch with the second octave notes).

A type of simultaneous [[vibrato]] and [[tremolo]] can be achieved by tapping a finger below the open note hole on the chanter. The bottom note also has two different "modes", namely the "soft D" and the "hard D". The hard bottom D sounds louder and more strident than the soft D and is accomplished by applying slightly more pressure to the bag and flicking a higher note finger as it is sounded. Pipemakers tune the chanter so the hard D is the in-tune note, the soft D usually being slightly flat.

Many chanters are fitted with keys to allow accurate playing of all the [[semitone]]s of the scale. Four keys will give all the semitones: F{{music|natural}}, G{{music|sharp}}, B{{music|flat}}, C{{music|natural}}. Older chanters usually had another key for producing D<sub>6</sub> (D in the third octave), and often another small key for E<sub>6</sub>, and another for D{{music|#}}<sub>5</sub> (as opposed to the E{{music|b}} fingerhole, which could be slightly off-pitch). Most uilleann chanters are very responsive to "half-holing" or "sliding", which is the practice of obtaining a note by leaving a fingerhole only half-covered. This is why many chanters sold in Ireland are sold without keys. With this technique and some practice, many pipers can accurately play the semitones which would otherwise require a chromatic key to be installed. The exception to this is the C<sub>6</sub> (C{{music|natural}} in the second octave), which cannot be cross-fingered or half-holed, and requires the key. This is the most commonly fitted key.

The chanter uses a [[double reed]], similar to that of the [[oboe]] or [[bassoon]]. Unlike most reed instruments, the uilleann pipe reed must be crafted so that it can play two full octaves accurately, without the fine tuning allowed by the use of a player's lips; only bag pressure and fingering patterns can be used to maintain the correct pitch of each note. It is for this reason that making uilleann-pipe chanter reeds is a demanding task. Uilleann pipe reeds are also often called "the piper's despair" for the immense difficulty of maintaining, tuning and especially making the double reed of the regulators and, most importantly, the chanter.