Small Pipes

[Grump]

I was beginning to form the thought that smallpipes or whatever were not a substitute for bagpipes . The more info that is posted the more this reinforces that opinion. One of the first clues was the frequency of operation 440 is a long way from 476 where I normally tune and even a little further down the line from 466 where I used to reside. I'm sure we could foster some interest in the frequency variations of piping these days and the design of chanters and reeds to facilitate this change for whatever reason. Of interest is John Walsh has gone into semi retirement and some orders from 2018 have yet to be filled. A lot of the Walsh products were made from maple some of which may be as hard as B/W longevity and durability remain to be seen. Maybe a goose is the way to go?

[Glen]

Just leaving this here is it hasn’t been seen before. Swedish pipes...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W780LSQHbYY

[OC Richard]

I was beginning to form the thought that smallpipes or whatever were not a substitute for bagpipes.

Just to be clear, Northumbrian smallpipes and Scottish smallpipes are bagpipes.

So too are the Bulgarian gaida, the Spanish gaita, the Irish uilleann pipes, the French cabrette and cornmuse, and every other species of bagpipe.

...the frequency of operation 440 is a long way from 476 where I normally tune and even a little further down the line from 466...

To put it into perspective:

440 Concert A natural

466 Concert B flat

494 Concert B natural

Thus the modern Great Highland bagpipe pitch of around 480 is pretty much halfway between Concert B flat and Concert B natural.

Modern "long" or "fullsize" practice chanters are often around 450, halfway between Concert A natural and Concert B flat.

And that's where the Great Highland bagpipes used to be pitched, in the 19th century and early 20th century, around 450.

For "playing well with others" either 440 or 446 works equally well, or if we want to keep going sharper we would do well to hit 494, though B Major isn't the handiest of keys for most people.

I'm sure we could foster some interest in the frequency variations of piping these days and the design of chanters and reeds to facilitate this change for whatever reason.

I hear that there's a movement to bring the Great Highland pipes back down to 466 for solo and band competitions. I don't think it will happen.

John Walsh has gone into semi-retirement...

That's a big loss to the piping community. His polypenco smallpipes, fully reeded with plastic reeds of his own design, were by far the best bargain in Scottish smallpipes. His smallpipes came fully set up and ready to play out of the box. The only Walsh smallpipes I've seen that didn't work right were ones that the owners had mucked with the reeds.