Just a few blows and I've got my smallpipes.

june 19 2008



The moment is almost there...

After a long time of saving I only need a little bit more to order my smallpipes!!

Smallpipes are a kind of bapipes.

They don't make as much noise though, and don't need as much air.

Smallpipes enable me to play when I can't play the highlandpipes because of my asthma.

People have asked me to tell a bit more about the differences.

Well, here we go.



You all know the highland bagpipes.

The sticks are:
a blowpipe
a chanter (for the hands to make the notes)
a long stick, that's the bass drone,
and the others are drones too.

A bagpipe makes sound because the air goes through reeds.
There's a reed in the chanter (chanterrreed)
and in each drone (dronereeds).








And this is a set of smallpipes.

The system is the same.
A blowpipe, to blow the air in the bag,
a chanter, with the chanterreed, to play the tune on,

and drones.

All drones however are smaller than the long ones of the highland bagpipe.


Instead of each drone coming directly out of the bag, the drones are brought together in one system which needs just one hole in the bag.

The dronereeds are in the system and the drones are put over them.

Most players don't put the drones over their shoulder.
Because they're small they're very light and can hang in front of the player.
(Which is a delight for the ears.)

Smallpipes can be mouthblown or blown with bellows.

I'm very excited, because I would love to be able to play a couple of tunes when the girls leave school, and maybe even at the graduation ceremony of my third son.
With only the highlandpipes I'm never completely sure I can play well enough, as the asthma can pose a problem anytime.
With smallpipes I'll be able to play anytime.

Ooohhh... just a little bit more to save.......