How to Inflate a Bagpipe Bag

The bag portion of your bagpipes acts like a lung to supply air to the instrument. This makes the famous long notes of the bagpipes sound continuously; you don't have to stop to breathe since you blow into the bag and not directly into the pipes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Identify the parts of the bagpipe. Several stocks run out of the bag: two are tenor drones and the bass drone, which is closest to your head. Reeds inside the drones produce the instrument's sound. There is also the blow stick that you blow into to produce the air that runs across the reeds. And there is the chanter with its reed that makes the sounds different based on the scales you play.

2. Blow into the mouth pipe to inflate the bagpipe. Don't overfill the bag. Blow just enough air so that the drones don't make any sound. Put pressure on the bag with your arm while you blow steadily into the mouth pipe until it is full and the drones produce a steady sound.

3. Press the bag with your elbow to keep a steady amount of air in the bags to keep the pitch from fluctuating. Keep the air steady when you lift your mouth to take a breath by applying more pressure with your elbow.

4. Refill the bag. When the bag starts to feel limp, blow into the mouth pipe and refill it while maintaining the low drone sound without stopping. Being able to inflate and keep the bag inflated is a key part in playing the bagpipes.