Many Americans would like to learn to play the Great Highland Bagpipe, but they are not sure how to get started. The goal of this report is to provide the necessary information for someone to learn how to start playing the bagpipe. This report does not focus on the actual mechanics of playing. Instead, it provides a broad background of playing the bagpipes and the bagpipe community. The report reviews the history of bagpipes and the current set up of the Great Highland Bagpipe. This is followed by a discussion of the first steps that must be taken to play the bagpipe. This includes finding a teacher and a pipe band. A discussion of purchasing bagpipes, supplies, and Highland attire follows. The music of the bagpipe is discussed, along with bagpipe competitions. The report concludes with a discussion of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association (EUSPBA), and covers its role in the piping community.
The bagpipe has been in existence for several thousand years. Evidence of bagpipes exist in the Ancient Middle East, Rome, and Greece. Spain, Sweden, Italy, France, Germany, Hungary, Greece, and many other countries have developed their own style of bagpipe. Various forms of bagpipes have been developed in Britain and Ireland, and many of these are still played today. The two most popular bagpipes in Britain and Ireland are the Uilleann Bagpipe and the Great Highland Bagpipe. Although each bagpipe has a unique sound, they all operate on the same principle. A reservoir of air allows for constant flow of music, and there are no interruptions for breaths. This is particularly useful for dance music.
The Great Highland Bagpipe has been in existence for several hundred years, though the exact date of its creation is uncertain. The first pipers played solo only, and they played piobaireachd. As centuries passed, the bagpipe was adopted into military society. Regimental pipers still exist today, and pipe bands are popular all around the world. The Great Highland Bagpipe has three drones and a melody chanter. There are two tenor drones and a bass drone. The drones play the note, "A," only. The bass drone plays an octave below the tenor drones. The melody chanter is capable of playing nine notes, and it is does not have any keys. Instead, it has eight holes. The bag of the bagpipe was traditionally made of sheepskin, though modern bagpipes may have other materials. Synthetic bags have gained in popularity due to their ease of maintenance.
To make learning the bagpipes easier, a student starts to learn on a practice chanter. The practice chanter is a mouth-blown instrument that resembles a recorder. It has the same fingering as the full set of pipes. The practice chanter is inexpensive, and usually does not cost more than $80 to $150. The student will learn on the practice chanter for several months to a year before moving on to the full pipes.
Bagpipe teachers can be found either in a local bagpipe band or through the World Wide Web. Pipe bands often are eager to recruit new pipers, and they will often provide free instruction to new pipers. In addition, pipe bands will often provide new pipers with a uniform, which can save a piper a great deal of money. These lessons may be in small groups, and thus may not be as effective as individual instruction. Teachers typically charge $10 to $20 for individual lessons that last approximately one hour. New students will need a lesson each week, and even more experienced students will benefit from frequent lessons.
When purchasing a bagpipe, a piper should plan on spending $800 to $1200 for a good set of pipes. Although cheap sets are produced for $250 to $500, these are often made of poor materials. In addition, these pipes often will not tune to modern pitch. There are many quality pipe manufacturers in Scotland, Canada, and the United States. By listening to pipers at Highland games, a piper can find a particular model that they feel has the best sound. Manufacturers often package bagpipes somewhat differently. Some provide synthetic pipe bags, and others provide synthetic drone reeds. A piper can shop around to find the set up that is most suitable.
There is still debate as to whether wood or plastic is preferable for bagpipe material. Plastic is more durable than wood, and it may be more suitable for a young student. In addition, plastic will be appropriate for pipes that will be played in harsh climates. Several companies produce plastic chanters, and they are often used for bands because they are typically easier to tune together. A student should listen to both types and choose the one that sounds better to him or her.
Although there are not many retail outlets for piping supplies, pipers can find equipment at Highland games and through mail order. The World Wide Web allows a piper to look through several catalogs quickly and easily. When ordering supplies through mail order, a customer should always be aware of the store's return policy. A piper should buy the following equipment for bagpipe maintenance: case, swab, black waxed hemp, hemp, beeswax, drone stoppers, rubber stoppers for drone stocks, chanter cap, extra reeds, bag seasoning, and the "College of Piping Tutor: Part 2." In addition, the following clothing will be needed to compete in Highland games: Ghillie brogues (shoes), hose, flashes, kilt, sporran, dress shirt, tie, hat (glengarry or balmoral).
The original music of the Great Highland Bagpipe is piobaireachd. It was taught by oral tradition using the language of canntaireachd. A teacher would teach his students by singing, and the students would learn the notes and phrasing at the same time. As time passed, other music was adapted to the bagpipe. This music is called "light music," and it includes marches, strathspeys, reels, jigs, hornpipes, and airs. Even though the bagpipe is capable of producing only nine notes, a wide variety of musical styles can be played. There have been literally thousands of tunes written for the Great Highland Bagpipe.
Competitions provide pipers with both a challenge and a learning experience. Piping associations, such as the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, provide the structure and rules of the competition. In addition, these associations provide the accreditation of the judges for the competitions. Competitions are split up into grades, so that pipers compete against pipers of similar ability.
There are five grades in competition. In addition, solo pipers have an "Open" class for professional pipers. Pipers that are still on the practice chanter are in Grade V. Pipers with the least experience, but are on the full pipes, are in Grade IV. Grade IV is typically split into a junior and senior division, since it is such a large group of pipers. Bands have a similar grade structure, though there is not an "Open" category for bands.
The Eastern United States Pipe Band Association covers the Eastern half of the United States. It provides the rules and structure for competitions. In addition, it keeps track of its members and their grade levels. This includes the grade levels of both individuals and bands. The EUSPBA publishing the magazine, The Voice, on a quarterly basis. This magazine provides educational articles, interviews with top pipers, and reviews of current bagpipe music releases. The EUSPBA also has a program for accrediting judges. This program includes both written and practical exams, and it also includes an apprenticeship program. The goal is to provide judges of the highest quality or bagpipe competitions. The EUSPBA holds an general membership meeting once a year.
After reading this report, a person new to piping should be able to get started learning to play the bagpipe. A broad overview of piping and the piping community has been provided, so that someone without any knowledge of piping will feel comfortable starting on the learning process. Although many adults feel that they are too old to start learning, most pipers in the United States actually do not start learning until they are adults. It is not too late to learn to play the bagpipes even later in life.