Lowland Scots / Northumbrian Half-long Bagpipes

This set was made in Edinburgh, by James Robertson, for the Northumbrian Boy Scouts, circa 1925-1926.
I bought this set in September 1973 and have been playing it ever since. Because it is "winded" by a Bellows, it is only half as loud as the Great Highland Bagpipes.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Scots
• Bagpipes
• Lowland
• Pipes
• Cauld
• Wind
• Scottish
• Folk
• Music
• Sean
• Folsom
• sean
• the
• piper
• Northumbrian
• Half
• Long
• Bellows
• Blown

[GWRjim]

hello sean for chrismas i got some smallpipes because they are similar to lowland pipes could you help me fix this problem? when i get them started i wait for the pressure to go down and press in the bellows but then drones start groaning how often do you have to push in the bellows?

[seanthepiper]

@GWRjim Please take out the Chanter from the Chanter stock and put a cork in it, and get used to "Blowing Your Arm" off the Bag with Non-Rhythmic but full stokes of the

Bellows. That is, as far out as you can comfortably pull the Bellows-Boards out with your Bellows arm. You have to practice getting the Drones steady for a while, then add the Chanter. It took me 2 weeks back in 1973...to get this co-ordination going.

[johnnyhorton2]

do all of the traditional GHB song sound decent on these. i figure the baritone drone would cause some problems with the songs

[seanthepiper]

@johnnyhorton2 Yes all GHB Scots tunes sound good on this Pipe.

In the 19th Century most Scots Pipers played these INDOORS,

so they wouldn't blast the audience out of the hall etc.

There's no problem, I simply silence the Baritone "E" while I play tunes in "D" major.

Tunes in B minor sound nice with the Baritone E, in my opinion.

[seanthepiper]

Thank you for your kind words Miklos !!!

[seanthepiper]

Danke, Danke, Mein Heer !

[GWRjim]

@seanthepiper

thanks for your help sean! what would i do without you!

[johnnyhorton2]

i havent gotten that far into the music to understand the different scales... hopefully ill understand it some day

[ruiseartalcorn]

Great stuff :)

[nemethmik]

The song starting at 3:20 is lovely and your performance is excellent. This is real traditional music, in my humble opinion; I am sure that old style (non military) Scottish (and any pipe) music was mostly abot songs. I can see a tendency that songs disappear first. I play bellows pipes myself to be able to sing while playing. Sean, your voice for these type of songs is perfect. Thank You! Miki