History of Bagpiping

Defining the Bagpiping Instrument

The Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument that has been unique throughout history.  It consists of  aerophones using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility and use, bagpipes have historically been found throughout Europe, Northern Africa, the Persian Gulf, and the Caucasus.

The term, bagpipes, is equally correct in the singular or plural.  However, in the English language, pipers most commonly refer to them as  “pipes.”  A set of bagpipes minimally consists of an air supply, a bag, a chanter, and usually a drone. Most bagpipes also have additional drones (and sometimes chanters) in various combinations which are held in place by stocks.  These are connectors with which the various pipes are attached to the bag.