Modified bagpipe?

**auld argonian** · 2nd February 10, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by haukehaien

He was trying to link to this: http://www.redpipes.eu/Seiten_engl/index_engl.html. It's an electronic bagpipe which has gotten some interesting reviews.

I am laughing like to lose it! The picture of their GHB model with the big electronics panel hanging outta the back of the bag is just too much!

I'm just gonna pick up a cheap set of pipes and put a CD player in the bag...so much for all of that annoying practicing!

Best

AA

**Mr. Woolery** · 4th March 10, 02:16 AM

Don't play the bagpipes because someone else wants you to. Play them only if YOU want to. That goes for any instrument. Life is too short to waste your time and money on instruments that don't bring you joy.

That said, a good instructor can help a lot with your fingering issues. My student has small hands (she's only 5'2" and is full-grown) and she can do it fine because she has relaxed hands. As said above, it isn't a matter of locking them straight, but a matter of not playing with the finger tips. The difference may seem subtle, but it is of utmost importance.

With the three breaths to dizziness, that's common. The key is not to worry about inflating the bag with two puffs. Hold the instrument so there's little or no pressure on the bag and breathe normally. Only difference is that your exhale goes into the bag, not just out in front of you. Do this a couple or three times and your bag is almost full. One good big blow will have you at pressure to sound the drones. My son is 10 and weighs only 64 pounds. He can inflate and play a bagpipe that is set up to be easy. He has a long way to go for stamina because of his sloppy squeezing, but that only seems to come with patient work and coaching. He complained of getting dizzy when playing until he finally followed my coaching about simply breathing into the bag until it is almost full and then blowing it the rest of the way up. Again, it seems like semantics, but the difference is between being able to play and not.

As to smallpipes and whistle pipes and such-like, again I say only play instruments that actually appeal to you. If you want to play a particular instrument, please do so. If you don't want to play the bagpipes, don't. If your SO really wants to play duets with you, get an inexpensive hand drum and play rhythm while he makes the melody. This can be great fun, will cost about as much as a practice chanter, and offers some real flexibility in musical expression. And you don't have to worry about your blowing pressure with a drum.

-Patrick

**saxandpipes** · 4th March 10, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by LadyGriffin

Please don't hate me for even asking about this!.

Would it be total heresy to make something to play that would not use a bagepipe chanter but still have a "chanter" and "drones"? Would I be chased down and stoned?

My beloved has tried to get me to learn the fingering on a bagpipe chanter but my fingers just do NOT like playing straight. They cramp, ALOT!
I have some background in playing a recorder, and when playing around with youtube I came across several references to people creating bagpipe like instruments with recorders as the chanter and drone(s). Perhaps a tin whistle would work. I also saw some that made them with straws as the chanter and drones! to my untrained ear they did not sound so bad.

My other problem is I take 3 deep breaths and I get light headed. May need to get a bellows system going.

What do you think? Would it be possible? Would it even sound good? If I DO manage to make one, what key should it be in?

Julie

P.S. he does not know I am even trying to make this thing yet. I wanted to supprise him.

It would not be heresy, although some might look at you as if you were going to cause the sky to fall.

The (GHB) bagpipes are a very old instrument, but they are still developing. They are not this great mythological beast which appeared in the 16th C. and hasn't been changed since. As with all other instruments (even saxophones, which were "invented") the pipes have undergone many changes over the years.

I know an excellent piper (PM) who had problems with focal dystonia- a devastating neurological disorder especially for a musician of any kind, let alone one at the top of their field. I suggested adding a few keys to the chanter, covering the tone-holes relevant to the fingers in question. While the problem wasn't solved completely, there was enough of a change in the sensation of the fingers, to provide something new for the fingers to learn. He went from not being able to play at all, to being able to manage perfectly well, as long as it was with the new chanter. (note: he was not an amateur with bad technique)

People don't always see a problem with something, until it really makes a problem, and is sometimes too late. However, when people see that there might be something better, then things start getting invented...

For the breathing: try swimming, or running, and the other suggestions mentioned- trying to breath as normally as possible, until you just have to inflate the last little bit. (great tip).

Recorder thing- well, indeed, as mentioned above- a recorder itself won't work with the bag (not enough resistance without a reed), however, there might be something in the recorder fingering- (although, to me its really the same concept)- perhaps add something around the holes, so you can feel them more easily- of course the finger-tips are much more sensitive than the middle joint- something to consider? If you want to make something yourself- you might need to know some acoustical principles- for pitch- with regard to open and closed pipes, conical, etc... That is to say, a recorder or flute, with a reed will not produce the same pitches if it has a reed (as it becomes a closed pipe).

In general, why not experiment, just don't do anything drastic... (chopping, drilling, filing, gluing) unless its with bits of plastic pipe from the hardware store.

Good luck!

Cheers,

Michael

**davidlpope** · 4th March 10, 04:45 AM

I guess it depends on whether you want to play the GHB or not- a tin whistle or recorder attached to a bag and drones will still sound like a tin whistle or recorder...

I'd encourage you to consider the Northumberland Smallpipes or bellows-blown Scottish Smallpipes in D. Still beautiful instruments to listen to and you don't have to reinvent the wheel!

Cordially,

David

Originally Posted by LadyGriffin

Please don't hate me for even asking about this!.

Would it be total heresy to make something to play that would not use a bagepipe chanter but still have a "chanter" and "drones"? Would I be chased down and stoned?

My beloved has tried to get me to learn the fingering on a bagpipe chanter but my fingers just do NOT like playing straight. They cramp, ALOT!
I have some background in playing a recorder, and when playing around with youtube I came across several references to people creating bagpipe like instruments with recorders as the chanter and drone(s). Perhaps a tin whistle would work. I also saw some that made them with straws as the chanter and drones! to my untrained ear they did not sound so bad.

My other problem is I take 3 deep breaths and I get light headed. May need to get a bellows system going.

What do you think? Would it be possible? Would it even sound good? If I DO manage to make one, what key should it be in?

Julie

P.S. he does not know I am even trying to make this thing yet. I wanted to supprise him.