Blog

Mark Christy

I am in a unique position of contributing decades of piping experience, with 30 years of chemical plant experience, to the development of the Moisture Genie bagpipe moisture control system. My piping career has spanned playing at the Grade 1 competition pipe band level, instructor at piping schools, pipe band instruction, and British Columbia Pipers Association approved adjudicator. My chemical plant experience has exposed me to a myriad of process loops and chemical reactions that included management of air flow and humidity. This led to a natural curiosity for combining technology with our ancient instrument.

I have used sheepskin pipe bags and synthetic pipe bags for years.  The sound produced from a sheepskin is magical and the forgiveness that it provides for fluctuations in playing conditions makes it a premium choice for the competition piper.  Unfortunately, the expected longevity of a sheepskin bag is less than 2 years and the price is more than double that of a synthetic bag which lasts for many, many years. In fact, my last synthetic lasted 12 years!

A synthetic pipe bag, combined with a good moisture control system, produces a very good sound. I have used all kinds of moisture control systems in the past, and ended up selecting the most expensive system that was available. But, even that system had its drawbacks, and I had to modify it to get it to a level that I considered acceptable.

As soon as we had a working prototype of the Moisture Genie I was amazed! I really couldn't believe the quality of sound that I was getting out of my synthetic pipe bag. My drones were rock solid, the chanter was full and bright, and the best thing about the system is that there was zero blowing resistance. I have taught students for years to manage their pipe so that every ounce of blowing effort goes into producing sound!

I am so excited to be able to help bring this system into the marketplace for pipers.  I truly believe it is the absolute best system available. I was fortunate to have been part of the 2019 Edinburgh Military Tattoo and I used our prototype throughout the whole production.  We had mostly rainy weather, some downpours, and a few warm sunny days. I am proud to say that the Moisture Genie performed like a trooper.  My bagpipe was one of the most stable pipes in the band!

 

Dave Shivas

I, too, am a life long piper with a passion for pure sound quality. My background is in chemical engineering and I spent my working career in both operations and research and development. Working along with Mark and his background, this experience provided the development platform for the moisture genie that was over two years in the making. The unit is easy to install, easy to blow, and easy to regenerate. In short, it’s just easy to use. And, best of all, it’s very favorably priced relative to other units on the market. I hope you take the opportunity to try our system.