Norden Folk's Domain

[tjm]

Hi all.

There's an open source electronic chanter project called 'eChanter' that includes all source code and a 'HOWTO' build guide. Even though it's Highland specific, it should be really easy to adapt to other pipes

The eChanter costs about $50-$75 to make and has a very minimal parts list; it uses the Arduino as a microcontroller, some wiring, bits of brass rod as finger sensors, a battery holder, a switch, a headphone jack, and an old chanter (or piece of PVC tube).

I'm working on adding a drone sensor into the basic firmware so theat the electronic chanter can be plugged into a stock and used for more realistic practice time

If anyone wants to have a go at it (it's still a little rough around the edges), the project page is here:
http://www.4tone.org/echanter

and the HOWTO is here:
http://www.4tone.org/echanter/making-an-echanter-simple-touch-switch-v1


Cheers,
Tim.

[Jerzy]

Hi all,

This is my first post to this forum. I was very excited by the news regarding the eChanter. I live in Brazil, and can't afford to buy a set of pipes. The fee for importing merchandise is absurdly huge -- 60% --, and they charge it on top of the shipping!

So, for years I have been on and off trying to make my own pipes. Some of you may have heard about my efforts (Olle certainly helped a lot -- thanks!). But there's too much involved -- bag, reeds, chanter -- and putting it together proved nearly impossible without access to a working set.

About two years ago I figured going electronic was the only way to go. Well, beggars can't be chosers.

So last year I purchased an Arduino (they don't charge fees on orders under $ 50) and started working on a prototype for homemade electronic bagpipes.

I was thinking about using switches. This McGyver thing was my very first prototype, using hairpins and aluminum foil as the two contacts of each switch:


But it was a mess. The contacts were very bad, and the sensitivity didn't allow for cuts, thrills, and the like.

Flashforward to a couple of days ago, when I learned about the eChanter. Using touch sensors solved the problems I was having! Thanks, Tim!

I quickly hacked together a solderless chanter using a PVC pipe and screws for touch sensors:


And, on the back, I've added a sensor for the right hand thumb:


While it still works in GHB tuning only, I figure it will be very easy to implement the Säckpipa wavetable. If somebody already has it, please PM me.

Plus, the tweakability of the Arduino may lead to more realistic-sounding electronic bagpipes, since some kind of phase shift such as the one mentioned by Olle may be implemented.

Cheers,
Jerzy

[texasbagpiper]

[tjm]

Jerzy, that's so cool!! I'd never though of using screws .... what a great idea. Two questions - how did you attached the wires to the srews, and would you mind if I reference this topic on some other Forums?

The guy who generated the GHB samples , Ewan, also did some changes to enable pitch shifting .... if he checked in the changes I'll update the various docs.

Does anyone have frequency data for each chanter chanter note? I'll check with Ewan, see if he has time to generate Swedish chanter samples, and ask exactly what data he'd need to do that.

--Tim.

[texasbagpiper]

The notes are E, F#, G#, A, B, C, D, E , for a A major chanter you replace the C-nat with a C sharp. You can also have a G-nat on the back, right hand thumb. Seth

I don't know about the frequencies for each individual note, maybe Olle knows??? Olle???????????

[Jerzy]

Seth, thanks, man. I've put together a snippet of code that allows for some E/A Säckpipa playing. It's here: http://jerzy.cfh.prof.ufsc.br/files/sackpipaea.h

You'll need to tweak Tim's code just a little bit, so if you need any help, let me know.

Tim, thanks as well . I'm always glad to contribute to open source projects.

The wires are attached just by the pressure of the screws. If you loosen up the screws, the wires will become loose too. Here's a close up:


The important thing is that the "hook" at the end of the wire turns the same way as the screw.

Also, as you can see from the picture, where each hole would be in a normal chanter, I've actually drilled two holes: one for the screw, and one for the wire.

About your second question, feel free to reference this topic!

In my reply to Seth I have posted a link to a wavetable for the Säckpipa. I've made it using your java applet, which means they're sine waves. That makes it sound more like a recorder than a säckpipa, but the scale is there. I'd guess actual säckpipa waves are squarish or triangular.

But sampling a real instrument would make things much easier, because the tuning in a drone instrument is almost never equal temperament (which is what I used for the wavetable above).

Cheers,
Jerzy

[tjm]

Jerzy,

Thanks for the photo's and the code .... I'll update the sourceforge project this weekend ..... docs and guides asap.

Part of the (slow, but ongoing) work on the eChanter right now is to 1) enable higher quality audio samples, recorded from actual instruments, and 2) do proximity and touch so that slides, trills, etc. can be played, and finally 3) use an even smaller Arduino.

A smaller Arduino turned out to be easy .... the Modified Pico from here:
http://www.modifiedelectronics.com/mp-01.php

I'll try and get better playback into a version of the code this weekend, along with Jerzy's WAV tables. Proximity touch has me a bit stumped ..... can't seem to make it reliable without adding lots of eletronics.

If only there were more hours in the day!!

Thanks again for posting, all the photos and the wav tables :thumb:

--Tim.

[Jerzy]

Seth, I used the frequencies from this site: http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html

I assumed 'pipa notes were D4 through E5. Is that correct? Or are they an octave higher?

Tim, glad the code and pics will be of use.

I can help with the documentation. I can write up on how I put my chanter together, so that you can keep all the info in one place (the eChanter pages). You'll just have to correct my English, cause I'm no native speaker

As for better samples, I have to say the GHB was quite amazing. I think we could make diferent versions of the firmware, e.g., one with low quality samples but other features, another with high quality samples but fewer features, etc.

The modified Pico is great. Can't wait to get my hands on one of those. It'll probably fit into a section of 3/4" schedule PVC, which will enhance portability. From what I understand, it can't be powered other than via USB, though.

I have a question: how do you make those tables out of .wav files? Using wav2c? Does the wav file have to include only one wave cycle? Does it have to be normalized for positive volts only?

[Anders Jackson]

There are some tunes on Olle Gällmo:s web pages. He also has some tunes on YouTube. If you ask him, you might be able to use them.
If you ask nice, he might give you some better samples
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[texasbagpiper]

Jerzy, hows the Swedish version coming along. Seth

[Tex]

Check it out.

http://www.bagpipe.de/wbc.php?sid=26064d6e34&tpl=produktdetail.html&pid=447
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Luck follows the generous.

[Olle Gällmo]

Redpipes are fun, lots of fun. I own a set (the french version). However, to call the version you link to "Swedish" is misleading. There is nothing Swedish to it. No Swedish fingering, no Swedish sound. I don't know why they call them that. However, that's my only gripe - they are great fun to play.
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Info on Swedish bagpipes at http://olle.gallmo.se/sackpipa
More about me at http://olle.gallmo.se