Salt Lake Piping Club - Chanter Fingerings

Uilleann chanter fingerings are different from every other type of bagpipe. Many new players are
interested in a "practice chanter" which would allow learning of the correct fingerings without all the
extra hardware of bag, bellows, drones and regulators. The fact is, no such practice instrument yet
exists for several reasons not the least of which being unsatisfactory tuning and octave ability. The
closest instrument to uilleann fingering is the Irish whistle or tin whistle. Even so, the fingering for
these two instruments, while similar, is not exactly the same.

To help illustrate common uilleann chanter fingerings the images below show a complete first octave
scale on a normal concert pitch (D) set. The second octave is often fingered the same as the first,
while applying slightly more bag pressure to get the second octave 'jump'. The only note that cannot
be played in the second octave as shown below is C natural. While this higher note is not commonly
used in Irish traditional music, a special key can be added to allow for a clean C natural in the second
octave if desired. Other keys may also be added with some of the more common being: F natural, G#
and Bb.

The blue circles represent open tone holes, while black denote closed holes.

Unless specified, the chanter is assumed to be played on the leg with the bottom end of the chanter
closed off against the piper's leg. This allows for a very distinctive staccatto style when playing.
Please note - the chart below represents a common fingering pattern for an uilleann pipe chanter.
However, due to the many intricacies of chanter and reed combinations, this chart should be used only
as a guide and not a set and absolute fingering method.

Clicking each image will sound the respective note.