What is a Bagpipe Made of?
Air Supply The air that fills the bag of the bagpipe comes in through a blowpipe, a hollow tube that’s about the size of a child’s recorder. Some bagpipes use a bellows instead of a blowpipe. Bag The air from the blowpipe is held in the bag, which is usually made of animal skin, and can be covered with plaid cloth. Chanter The chanter is a tube held in the bagpiper’s hands like a clarinet, and the player covers or opens holes in the chanter to play the pitches for a song. Drone Drones are additional pipes that are attached to the bagpipe, and they are generally set to play one note throughout the song. If the bagpipe has several drones, they will be set to an open fifth interval to create the memorable humming sound that accompanies the melody. Future Bagpipes There are electronic bagpipes available, but are mostly used for practicing and not for live performance.
