Origin
of the Bagpipe
Various forms of
bagpipes have been attributed to many ancient civilizations. A style of bagpipe
is mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. Some historians believe the
bagpipes had their origin in Sumaria. While others believe it was spread to
Persia, India, and the Roman Empire by the Celtic peoples. An Athenian
dramatist, writing in the fifth century BC, mentioned the bagpipe. 
It is important to remember that these instruments were the
predecessors of the modern bagpipe. As such they were likely different then the
popular form of today. It is also important to remember that you are likely to
get as many different versions of the history of the bagpipe as there are
writings on the subject. The true origin is still cloudy, resulting in limited
knowledge of the history and development of the bagpipe.
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Bagpipes are classified as aerophones. They are reed
instruments that utilize an air reservoir. The reservoir allows an uninterrupted
stream of air to be directed through the reeds. Such reservoir aerophones are
not limited to Scotland and Ireland. Their antiquity can be traced throughout
Asia, in North Africa and across Europe.
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It has been pointed out that the cloudy history
of the bagpipe may be explained in the nature of the pipes themselves. Most
importantly, they do not survive the ravages of time. Made of wood and skins the
ancient ancestors of the bagpipes have long since gone to dust.
The more modern bagpipes, that most of us are
familiar with, were actually a war instrument. It was not uncommon for armies to
utilize any means at their disposal to instill fear into their enemy. Costumes
and loud music were favorite methods of creating fear in the enemy. Some say
that the bagpipe was especially suited to this purpose, not just for the sound
they create. Blowing a flute or whistle while being attacked can become very
difficult when your throat tightens up. The reservoir allowed the piper to play
continually, even when breathing may have been difficult.
Over the centuries there have been many styles
of bagpipe. Along with the reservoir, or bag, these pipes may have one or two
chanters, one or more drones and the mouthpiece. There are reeds in each of the
drones and chanters. The chanter has finger holes for playing multiple notes,
while the drones’ notes are fixed. The various styles of pipes can be divided
into two categories. This dichotomy is based on the method used to fill the
reservoir. The player can fill the reservoir by blowing with the mouth, as in
the traditional Great Highland Bagpipes, or by pumping a bellows, as in the
Uilleann pipes. We carry a number of styles that have a reservoir filled by
mouth, and we are in the process of developing a bellows style.
Playing the Bagpipe
The first thing that you should consider is that the bagpipe is a very
physical instrument, and no two people have the same physiology. No two people
have the same talent, understanding, background, or dexterity. Because of this
fact, it is difficult to generalize suggestions on playing articulation.
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