| The Bagpipe | | | | Medieval Smallpipe, and the Mediterranean Bagpipe. |
| Description of the Bagpipereservoir. The bagpipe's | | | | Playing the Bagpipes |
| air reservoir directs anuninterrupted air stream | | | | Beginner bagpipe students do not learn to play |
| through the reeds. | | | | musicon the bagpipe. The beginner first learns on |
| Origin of the Bagpipes | | | | thebagpipe practice chanter. |
| The bagpipe has it's origins in antiquity. It | | | | The bagpipe practice chanter has three pieces: |
| wasfound in the ancient world throughout Asia, in | | | | themouthpiece, the shorter top body section and |
| North Africa, and across Europe. | | | | thebottom body section with finger holes. |
| A type of bagpipe is mentioned in the Old | | | | Bagpipepractice chanters are played like a whistle |
| Testamentand the bagpipe is also found in Greek | | | | orrecorder. While playing, keep your fingers |
| writingsdated in the Fifth Century BC. These | | | | straight. |
| bagpipeswere predecessors of the modern day | | | | Do not to use the pads of your fingers, rather |
| bagpipe andwere probably differed from the | | | | usethe tips. Place your fingers over all the |
| bagpipes you seetoday. | | | | holes,front and back. Lifting one finger at a time |
| In truth, the bagpipe's origin is obscure. Thereason | | | | playsnotes. After each practice session, take the |
| may be due to the nature of the bagpipe. | | | | bagpipepractice chanter apart and shake out the |
| The ancient bagpipe was made of wood and | | | | moisture. |
| skin,and thus disintegrated without leaving much | | | | It may take six months to learn your first |
| ofa record. Another reason is that the bagpipe | | | | songproperly on the bagpipe chanter. |
| wasa commoner's, or peasant's instrument. The | | | | After becoming proficient on the bagpipe |
| bagpipeonly became of interest to the nobility in | | | | practicechanter your next step is to learn to play |
| moderntimes, when the bagpipe was used as an | | | | thebagpipe chanter with the bag, but without |
| instrumentof war to instill fear in the enemy. | | | | thebagpipe drones. To do this, you assemble the |
| Types of Bagpipes | | | | bagpipewith bag, bagpipe chanter and mouthpiece. |
| There are many styles of bagpipes. These | | | | You mustcork off the bagpipe drone stocks and |
| bagpipesmay feature one or two bagpipe | | | | play only thebagpipe chanter. You now learn to |
| chanters and one ormore bagpipe drones. The | | | | play the pipechanter like you did the bagpipe |
| bagpipe reeds are in eachof the drones and | | | | practice chanter. |
| chanters. The bagpipe chanter hasfinger holes for | | | | You also learn to blow your arm off the bag |
| playing multiple notes, while thebagpipe drones' | | | | andkeep your bagpipe's tone even. |
| notes are fixed. | | | | Once you achieve all of that you are ready for |
| The various styles of bagpipes are divided into | | | | thenext step. You uncork the stocks and install |
| twocategories based on the method used to fill | | | | thebagpipe drones one at a time. Now you are |
| thebagpipe's air reservoir. The Great Highland | | | | readyto play your bagpipe. |
| Bagpipeplayer fills the reservoir by blowing with | | | | Learning the bagpipe takes time and patience, |
| the mouth. | | | | butit is well worth your effort. When played |
| In the Uilleann Bagpipe, the player fills the | | | | well,the bagpipe produces a sound that touches |
| reservoirby pumping a bellows. | | | | somethingdeep within us. Even people who do not |
| In addition to the Highland Bagpipe and the Uilleann | | | | like thebagpipes are moved by the sound. |
| Bagpipe, you can also find the Medieval Bagpipe, | | | | |