If one of your dreams has been to play the bagpipes Houston music shops will help you choose a set. The most easily recognised pipes are those associated with Scotland and Ireland. The latter are also known as uilleann pipes. However bagpipes of varying types are found through much of Europe as well as in the Persian Gulf and in northern Africa. All share certain characteristics.
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. Air is forced out as required by the player, thus producing an ongoing sound. Although synthetic materials are now being used, bags were once made exclusively from the hides of sheep, cows, dogs or goats.
One or two chanters are used to produce the melody. Finger-holes are operated by both hands. If the chanter is open-ended like the uilleann, there is no way of stopping the sound unless the chanter is placed against the leg. Once the air is stopped, the sound stops. The inner walls of the drone and chanters are bored out. Some are conical in shape while others are cylindrical.
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 through sealed sockets called stocks. Once playing starts, the sound continues. Rest periods cannot be utilised so players embellish their playing with grace notes or ornaments. These help add meaning to the melody by accenting strong notes. Performing embellishments in a competent manner takes years of practice. The techniques to achieve ornamentation vary with the type of pipes.
The Great Highland Pipe of Scotland is probably the best known and most easily recognised instrument of the bagpipe family. It is now Scotland's national instrument. It is thought that early models had only one drone. During the late 1500s, a second was added and a third, the 'great drone', in the early 1700s.
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. Air is forced out as required by the player, thus producing an ongoing sound. Although synthetic materials are now being used, bags were once made exclusively from the hides of sheep, cows, dogs or goats.
One or two chanters are used to produce the melody. Finger-holes are operated by both hands. If the chanter is open-ended like the uilleann, there is no way of stopping the sound unless the chanter is placed against the leg. Once the air is stopped, the sound stops. The inner walls of the drone and chanters are bored out. Some are conical in shape while others are cylindrical.
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 through sealed sockets called stocks. Once playing starts, the sound continues. Rest periods cannot be utilised so players embellish their playing with grace notes or ornaments. These help add meaning to the melody by accenting strong notes. Performing embellishments in a competent manner takes years of practice. The techniques to achieve ornamentation vary with the type of pipes.
The Great Highland Pipe of Scotland is probably the best known and most easily recognised instrument of the bagpipe family. It is now Scotland's national instrument. It is thought that early models had only one drone. During the late 1500s, a second was added and a third, the 'great drone', in the early 1700s.
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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