I Just Stumbled Across This Rather Interesting 'New' Instrument

[IsaacW]

I have always liked some of the really old hornpipes that are even made of horn. They not only sound good but look good too!

[KD Burke]

I'm strangely ambivalent about this one. While I like the idea of broadening my musical capacities without the learning curve of an entirely new instrument, the tone just doesn't do it for me. I've never particularly liked the clarinet (the closest analog I can think of).

So I'm practicing hard and saving my pennies (I'll need another 420,000 of them!) for a set of these:

[TheOfficialBren]

My GAWD, those are haunting! I LOVE the tone of the border pipes. I was considering a set of smallpipes but these are more along what I'm looking for.

The fingering appears to be similar to the Great Highland Bagpipes.

Hornpipes are great, too! It's nice to see historical instruments coming back.

[Calgacus]

I'm not able to view these links or images just now as I'm at sea, but I presume the latter image is a set of border pipes. These are indeed a lovely sounding instrument, having been refined a lot in the last few years. They are notoriously hard to play, as it is difficult to keep good tone with them. Smallpipes are a good deal easier. Now, having a set of each would be just perfect...

[KD Burke]

I'm not able to view these links or images just now as I'm at sea, but I presume the latter image is a set of border pipes.

We'll...Sort of!

It's a set of pipes made by Nate Banton. He refers to them as "progressive" Border Pipes. There are a total of 5 drones (alto, tenor, baritone, bass, and contrabass) in two banks controlled by separate valves! And still miles simpler than uillean pipes!

Sorry for he the threadjacking! Back to horn pipes!

[TheOfficialBren]

Lol. Every single instrument on the planet is easier than Uillean Pipes!

Yes. Back to horn pipes. They remind me of a practise chanter combined with a clarinet.

[Aussie_Don]

I must say that I like both -- while I don't play any sort of wind instrument, I do play in sessions that sometimes include wind instruments. Pipes can be an absolute bugger due to their odd tuning -- the hornpipe with its more conventional tuning seems to me an interesting thing for a piper to add to his/her arsenal. A good piper can add a lot to a session. (Though I'd have to say that great-pipes are IMHO the thermonuclear device of sessioning )

-Don