If Scottish music stirs your heartstrings and you want to learn the bagpipes Houston pipe and drum bands will welcome you with open arms. While there are many cultures which use bagpipes, the Scottish and Irish or uilleann pipes are the best known. From northern Africa to the Persian Gulf and through much of Europe, bagpipes of one sort or another are quite common. They all share some features.
There must be an air supply. This might be supplied by the breath of the player or by bellows. Bellows were first seen around the 16th or 17th centuries. The Border and Northumbrian smallpipes, the Irish pipes and the French musette de cour are examples of bagpipes with bellows. Those powered by the player have air blown into a bag through a blowpipe or blowstick. Most but not all have a non-return valve.
The bag is airtight but is forced out through the pipes by the player pressing against the bag. Bags were always made from animal hide, usually from sheep, cows, goats or dogs. Synthetic materials are now being increasingly utilised.
One or two chanters allow the player to produce melodies. Chanters have finger-holes which, when operated, produce different notes. If the chanter is open-ended, the sound is continuous and can't be stopped easily. Some, such as the uilleann can be silenced by placing the end against the leg and stopping the air. The inside walls of the chanter and drones are bored out and may be either cylindrical or conical in shape.
Some chanters have single reeds; some have double. Double reeds vibrate against each other and are found in most Western European pipes. In addition to the chanter, pipes have drones. These have no finger holes. However they are jointed and their length can be adjusted a little by sliding the parts together. Adjusting the length alters the pitch so the drones can be tuned to blend harmoniously with the chanter. Another way of altering the length is by operating a tuning screw.
The drones and chanter are attached to the bag and held in place by stocks. These are sockets cut into the hide and then sealed to prevent air escaping. Because the pipe has a continuous sound, grace notes are used to embellish and add accents and sense to the tune. These are also called 'ornaments'. Each type of bagpipe has a distinct way of creating these embellishments, which can be technically difficult to master.
Most people are familiar with the Great Highland Pipe of Scotland and would recognise its shape and sound. It has been nominated the national instrument of Scotland. Although modern pipes have at least three drones, the highland pipes started out with one. The second drone became the norm in the early 1600s and the 'great drone' was added in the early 18th century.
The Highland bagpipe had a sheepskin bag and was blown by mouth. Hardwood is now used for the pipes but these were once made of ivory or bone. The three drones rest on the shoulder of the player while the melody is played with both hands on a reeded chanter. For quality bagpipes Houston music stores will have a range for you to choose from.
There must be an air supply. This might be supplied by the breath of the player or by bellows. Bellows were first seen around the 16th or 17th centuries. The Border and Northumbrian smallpipes, the Irish pipes and the French musette de cour are examples of bagpipes with bellows. Those powered by the player have air blown into a bag through a blowpipe or blowstick. Most but not all have a non-return valve.
The bag is airtight but is forced out through the pipes by the player pressing against the bag. Bags were always made from animal hide, usually from sheep, cows, goats or dogs. Synthetic materials are now being increasingly utilised.
One or two chanters allow the player to produce melodies. Chanters have finger-holes which, when operated, produce different notes. If the chanter is open-ended, the sound is continuous and can't be stopped easily. Some, such as the uilleann can be silenced by placing the end against the leg and stopping the air. The inside walls of the chanter and drones are bored out and may be either cylindrical or conical in shape.
Some chanters have single reeds; some have double. Double reeds vibrate against each other and are found in most Western European pipes. In addition to the chanter, pipes have drones. These have no finger holes. However they are jointed and their length can be adjusted a little by sliding the parts together. Adjusting the length alters the pitch so the drones can be tuned to blend harmoniously with the chanter. Another way of altering the length is by operating a tuning screw.
The drones and chanter are attached to the bag and held in place by stocks. These are sockets cut into the hide and then sealed to prevent air escaping. Because the pipe has a continuous sound, grace notes are used to embellish and add accents and sense to the tune. These are also called 'ornaments'. Each type of bagpipe has a distinct way of creating these embellishments, which can be technically difficult to master.
Most people are familiar with the Great Highland Pipe of Scotland and would recognise its shape and sound. It has been nominated the national instrument of Scotland. Although modern pipes have at least three drones, the highland pipes started out with one. The second drone became the norm in the early 1600s and the 'great drone' was added in the early 18th century.
The Highland bagpipe had a sheepskin bag and was blown by mouth. Hardwood is now used for the pipes but these were once made of ivory or bone. The three drones rest on the shoulder of the player while the melody is played with both hands on a reeded chanter. For quality bagpipes Houston music stores will have a range for you to choose from.
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