How to Play Bagpipes

The bagpipe is a very unusual musical instrument that creates a distinctive yet beautiful sound. Bagpipes are traditionally from Scotland and date back to the 26th century. When learning to play the bagpipe, start with a shuttle pipe, which is a smaller and quieter version of the Great Highland bagpipe.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Use the shuttle pipe for practice. The shuttle pipe plays basically the same way as regular bagpipes--it is only smaller and quieter. The drones do not go over the shoulder.

2. Hold the chanter in your hands, keeping your fingers on the holes while your fingers remain straight but relaxed. Do not use your pinkies or small finger, only the first 3 fingers, and keep the last hole uncovered. The chanter plays the melody of the song.

3. Blow air slowly and evenly into the blow pipe. This pushes air into the reservoir of the bagpipes, which then feeds the air into the chanter and drones. Start up the bagpipes by blowing a couple of times to fill up the reservoir, also known as the bladder. While playing, continuously blow air evenly into the pipe taking slow and deep breaths in between.

4. Tune your drones to the right key. In shuttle pipes, there are 2 drones in the same pipe. There is the tenor drone and the bass drone. This is why the sound from the shuttle pipes is much softer than other bagpipes. Tune the drones by sliding the planks of wood up or down in the cracks.