How to Make Uilleann Pipes
Smaller and more melodic than Scotland’s Great Highland bagpipes, the uilleann pipes have been integral to the music of Ireland since the eighteenth century. “Uilleann,” approximately pronounced “ILL-yun,” is Irish for “elbow,” where the bellows are placed on the player’s arm. As of 2011, there are only 60 professional uilleann pipemakers in the world, according to the Irish Times newspaper. Musicians thus face long waits for custom-built instruments of their own. Instead, go the do-it-yourself route.
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Instructions
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Study in detail how the parts of the uilleann pipes work, and work together. The bag gives the instrument a continuous airflow. The bellows supplies uninterrupted air to the bag so that the piper does not have to blow it in by mouth. This arrangement also keeps the instrument dry inside, meaning it is capable of more tones. The chanter is an oboelike, double-reed instrument for playing the melody. The drones emit single note tones that can be turned on and off or tuned. The regulators have keyed note-holes that allow for the playing of chords.
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Educate yourself about how to make the reeds for the chanter. Despite their small size, the reeds are essential to the sound of the pipes, and well-crafted reeds can last for decades. If you enjoy learning how to make the reeds, that may tell you something about whether you might enjoy making other components of the uilleann pipes. The site of the Uileann Pipes Reed Adjustment Compendium is a good place to start. Some pipemakers offer reedmaking instructions on their websites. For example, Martin Crossin gives directions for constructing reeds tuned to the A note at 440 Hz, the frequency to which concert instruments are tuned.
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Familiarize yourself with websites, videos and books about pipemaking. One example is David Daye’s Uilleann Pipes Home Building Page. Na Píobairí Uilleann, the leading organization worldwide for Irish pipers, may be able to suggest some. You can also join online discussion groups like the UIlleann Forum or the Chiff and Fipple’s Uillean Pipe Annex and ask other members for their best recommendations.
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Directly learn about building uilleann pipes from professional pipemakers through workshops or even an apprenticeship. Na Píobairí Uilleann links to the websites of pipemakers and piping clubs both inside and outside Ireland. If you live somewhere with a sizeable Irish diaspora population, you might also get leads on learning opportunities from your local Irish culture and heritage or community center.
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Tips & Warnings
If you do not want to build all or at least some portion of your pipes from “scratch,” you may be able to purchase already fashioned components from a pipemaker. You can then put them together yourself.
If you cannot find someone in your area to teach you about building the uileann pipes, you may be able to arrange for online lessons with a pipemaker elsewhere -- for example, via Skype.
