Great Highland Bagpipes
Learning to play the Great Highland Bagpipes
The bagpipe is a complicated instrument that can be a challenge to learn. But as with any musical instrument, dedication and practice are the keys to success. The beginning student initially learns using just a practice chanter for a period of at least several months before graduating to the full set of pipes.
Learning to play the Great Highland Bagpipe requires a measured, systematic approach. The conventional well-proven method begins with a good quality practice chanter, an instruction book, and formal lessons with a teacher. When the student has mastered the practice chanter, he or she is ready to approach the bagpipe itself. Attempts to start right out on a bagpipe - skipping the practice chanter - are almost certain to fail completely, regardless of previous musical experience.
A practice chanter is an instrument in its own right, but its primary purpose is to provide a path to playing the bagpipe. Later, it provides a convenient way to practice new tunes, complex fingering and so on, especially at times when practicing on a full pipe is impractical. So, a practice chanter will always be kept at hand, no matter how expert a piper becomes.
We have found that
J. Higgens, Ltd.
(
practice chanter
&
tutor book
),
Duncans Highland Supply
, and
Henderson's, Ltd.
to all be excellent sources for all of the bagpiping supplies you need to get started.
If you have any questions, please
contact us
and we�d be happy to help.
What is a Bagpipe?
The modern great Highland bagpipe consists of a bag made of animal hide or a synthetic material such as gortex, a blow pipe for filling the bag, a double reeded chanter pipe for playing the melody, and three single reeded drone pipes. The chanter is usually open-ended; thus, there is no easy way for the player to stop the pipe from sounding. This means that most bagpipes share a legato sound where there are no rests in the music. Primarily because of this inability to stop playing, grace notes and embellishments are used to break up notes and to create the illusion of articulation and accents.
History of the Great Highland Bagpipes
Historians can only speculate on the origins of the Scottish clans' piob mhor, or great Highland bagpipe, but the Highlanders were the ones to develop the instrument to its fullest extent and make it, both in peace and war, their national instrument. The Highland piper occupied a high and honored position within the Clan system, holding positions as town pipers, performers for weddings, feasts and fairs.
During the expansion of the British Empire, spearheaded by British military forces which included Highland regiments, the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe was diffused and has become well-known world-wide. This surge in popularity was boosted by large numbers of pipers trained for military service in the two World Wars. As a musical instrument of war, the Great Pipes of the Highlands were without equal, according to historians. The shrill and penetrating notes worked well in the roar and din of battle and pipes could be heard at distances up to 10 miles.
Come Join Us
Superior Pipes & Drums welcomes pipers and potential pipers of all skill levels. We provide free instruction in both the Marquette and Houghton/Hancock areas of the U.P.
Please contact Pipe Major Doug McKenzie at
mckenzieclanup@gmail.com
or (906)482-9137, David Larsen at
dwlupreh@charter.net
or (906)458-2671, or Barry Tippett at
btippett@charter.net
or (906)337-4533 for more information about bagpipe instruction.
