If you thrill to the skirl of the bagpipes Houston has a number of pipe and drum bands which will welcome you. While Scottish and Irish (uilleann) pipes are familiar to many people, there are ancient traditions of piping throughout much of Europe as well as in northern Africa and the Persian Gulf. The various instruments have common traits regardless of their origin.
There must be an air supply. This might be supplied by the breath of the player or by bellows. Bellows were first seen around the 16th or 17th centuries. The Border and Northumbrian smallpipes, the Irish pipes and the French musette de cour are examples of bagpipes with bellows. Those powered by the player have air blown into a bag through a blowpipe or blowstick. Most but not all have a non-return valve.
The bag is airtight. Air is forced out as required by the player, thus producing an ongoing sound. Although synthetic materials are now being used, bags were once made exclusively from the hides of sheep, cows, dogs or goats.
The melody is played through one or two chanters. Finger-holes are covered by the fingers of either hand to produce the notes. Because the chanter is normally open-ended, there is no way to stop the sound from continuing. Some players 'close' the chanter by placing the end on their leg. This effectively stops the sound. The chanter and drones may have the inside walls bored out to form either a cylindrical or conical shape.
Chanters may have a single or double reed. Western European bagpipes mostly have double reeds which vibrate against each other. As well as the chanter, other pipes called drones produce harmony notes. Drones are jointed and can be pushed or pulled so the parts overlap each other a little. This allows adjustment of the pitch. They don't have finger-holes. If they have a tuning screw, this alters the pipe length and therefore alters the pitch.
The drones and chanter are attached to the bag through sealed sockets called stocks. Once playing starts, the sound continues. Rest periods cannot be utilised so players embellish their playing with grace notes or ornaments. These help add meaning to the melody by accenting strong notes. Performing embellishments in a competent manner takes years of practice. The techniques to achieve ornamentation vary with the type of pipes.
Probably the most well-known of the bagpipe family is the Great Highland Pipe. It has been nominated the national instrument of Scotland. It is believed that this instrument originally had a single drone. A second was added sometime during the latter part of the 16th century. Early in the 18th century, the 'great drone' was added.
The Great Highland pipe has a sheepskin bag and was operated by mouth. The chanter and drones were made of ivory or bone. They are now mostly made of hardwood. Both hands are used to play the melodies, the chanter has a reed and the three drones rest on the shoulder. If you are in the market for bagpipes Houston music stores will be happy to help.
There must be an air supply. This might be supplied by the breath of the player or by bellows. Bellows were first seen around the 16th or 17th centuries. The Border and Northumbrian smallpipes, the Irish pipes and the French musette de cour are examples of bagpipes with bellows. Those powered by the player have air blown into a bag through a blowpipe or blowstick. Most but not all have a non-return valve.
The bag is airtight. Air is forced out as required by the player, thus producing an ongoing sound. Although synthetic materials are now being used, bags were once made exclusively from the hides of sheep, cows, dogs or goats.
The melody is played through one or two chanters. Finger-holes are covered by the fingers of either hand to produce the notes. Because the chanter is normally open-ended, there is no way to stop the sound from continuing. Some players 'close' the chanter by placing the end on their leg. This effectively stops the sound. The chanter and drones may have the inside walls bored out to form either a cylindrical or conical shape.
Chanters may have a single or double reed. Western European bagpipes mostly have double reeds which vibrate against each other. As well as the chanter, other pipes called drones produce harmony notes. Drones are jointed and can be pushed or pulled so the parts overlap each other a little. This allows adjustment of the pitch. They don't have finger-holes. If they have a tuning screw, this alters the pipe length and therefore alters the pitch.
The drones and chanter are attached to the bag through sealed sockets called stocks. Once playing starts, the sound continues. Rest periods cannot be utilised so players embellish their playing with grace notes or ornaments. These help add meaning to the melody by accenting strong notes. Performing embellishments in a competent manner takes years of practice. The techniques to achieve ornamentation vary with the type of pipes.
Probably the most well-known of the bagpipe family is the Great Highland Pipe. It has been nominated the national instrument of Scotland. It is believed that this instrument originally had a single drone. A second was added sometime during the latter part of the 16th century. Early in the 18th century, the 'great drone' was added.
The Great Highland pipe has a sheepskin bag and was operated by mouth. The chanter and drones were made of ivory or bone. They are now mostly made of hardwood. Both hands are used to play the melodies, the chanter has a reed and the three drones rest on the shoulder. If you are in the market for bagpipes Houston music stores will be happy to help.
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