Bagpipe terms are terms commonly used when discussing the bagpipe, both generally and in technical detail.
History
Historically, the highland bagpipe was a solo instrument and was tuned to a Gaelic vocal scale that was pentatonical and mixolydian in character. The early bagpipe glossary was limited to complex cryptic notational forms, terms and expressions, usually in the Gaelic (Scottish and Irish) language. Also Canntaireachd served pipers exceedingly well. Canntaireachd is a vocal notational language. It is a methodology of singing piobaireachd tunes to (i) memorize the tunes as well as (ii) capture subtleties, expressiveness, feelings of emotion intended by the masters. The Canntaireachd vocabulary is extremely precise.
With the advent of the Military Pipe Bands a more disciplined approach to musical notation was required. Furthermore, (i) the popularity of The Chieftains, among others, (ii) the increased use of bagpipes in concert settings, (iii) the invention of the programmable bagpipe synthesizer by George H. Boyd in 1991, and the ability to tune bagpipes to even equal temperament if required, and (iv) the changing character of modern chanters used by competitive pipers - brighter, higher pitched, truer thirds, and a seemingly progression to a diatonic scale, all demand that pipe musical notation adhere more closely to modern musical terminology.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Frequently asked questions
Alphabetical listing
A
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Aftertones: caused by snares being too loose and rattling.
African Blackwood: a popular wood used in making drones for the bagpipes. Ebony is also used and cocus wood from South America and Jamaica is a less expensive alternative. Older pipes in museums are made from local woods such as laburnum, boxwood, holly and close grained fruit woods.
Arm Strap: used to tie or secure the bellows to the pipers arm.
Argyllshire Gathering: an annual piping competition held at Oban, Scotland every August which attracts international Masters of the Highland Bagpipe. Competitions are held for (i) the Open Piobaireachd - the Clasp; (ii) The Highland Society of London's Gold Medal (Piobaireachd); (iii) Silver Medal - Piobaireachd; (iv) former Winners MSR: March, Strathspey and Reel Competition for the Silver Star; (iv) individual event competitions for Grade A & B MSR; Grade B Strathspey & Reel; and Hornpipe & Jig. Previous winners are barred in the Gold Medal competition. A similar event is held at Inverness, Scotland, (the Northern Meeting) which is aligned with the Argyllshire Gathering and is held in September each year.
Arundo Donax: a cane used for reed making found in many parts of Europe. Also used for oboe and clarinet reeds.
Attack: when a pipe band steps off to play, the drones are sounded on the fifth beat and the chanters sound the Attack note E on the seventh beat. The movement must be carried out with extreme precision and full tone and as a single instrument. See the Pipe Major command: "By the Right Quick March." B
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Back D: is an octave higher than the tonic Bottom D in uilleann piping. It is called Back D because it is the only note for which the hole on the back of the chanter is uncovered.
Back Hole: the thumb hole on the highland pipe chanter and the uilleann chanter.
Backstitching: a type of triplet in uilleann piping.
Baldric: decorative sash about 4 inches wide, worn by the Drum Major, hanging from the left shoulder, and draping down across the chest and back of the Drum Major, and being joined at the right hip with decorative tassels.
Bag Seasoning: treacle is a substance used to season a bagpipe bag to keep the bag airtight, and to allow moisture to dissipate. Common ingredients might include beeswax and honey.
Bag: pipe bags historically were made of sheepskin or sealskin, and tanned to a soft leather and stitched around the seams. A leather bag, properly seasoned with a treacle will be airtight but will allow moisture to dissipate. Elkskin, cowhide skin tanned to a tougher leather are also popular. Kangaroo skin is also used. Other synthetic materials are also used.
Bag Cover: the leather bag is covered with a colorful cover usually with frills around the drone stocks, chanter stock, the blow stick stock. It is not uncommon for Irish pipe bands to have a green velvet cover with gold tassels; and Scottish band to cover their pipes with a matching tartan.
Bag Neck: the neck can be made in the shape of a "gooseneck" which is helpful for pipers with long arms.
Bannockburn Pipes: a famous relic of bagpipes
Bark: achieved by playing a note, and simultaneously raising the uillleann chanter off the knee, and placing it back on the knee with a quick snap. The notation for a Bark is ↑B.
Bead Holes: are situated on the drones of Northumbrian pipes allowing the piper to change the pitch of the drones.
Bell Note:
Bellow Board:
Bellow Pipe:
Bellows: are used by the uilleann pipes and border pipes as the source of air to drive the reed vibration. Not surprisingly, bellows look like the familiar fireplace bellows. One side of the bellows (called the cheek) is attached to the waist by a belt, the other to the upper arm by a strap. A short hose or pipe connects the air outlet of the bellows to the bag.
Binary Form: used to describe a melody which based on two phrases, each identified as either A or B. The composition may be described, as an example, as ABAB ABBA. Common in bagpipe music.
Bind: another name for Tie.
Birl: onomatopoeic name for an embellishment made on low A with a double tap or finger movement across the low G hole
Blade: the vibrating element of a bagpipe reed. Chanter reeds have two blades whereas drone reeds have a single blade or tongue.
Blowpipe: the pipe through which the bagpipe bag is inflated.
Blowpipe Stock: a short wooden cylinder which serves as the housing to hold the drone or the chanter. Stocks are usually tied into the bag with heavy wax stout thread or cord, in such a way that the seal around them is airtight. Stocks may be turned or carved and may accept one or more pipes which is usually the case with border pipe drones and uilleann drones and regulators.
Blow Stick:
Bodhran: a one sided Gaelic (Irish) drum about 18" in diameter, pronounced bow-ran. The drum stick is called a tipper. The Bodhran is now very popular in orchestral groups featuring the uilleann pipes, pennywhistles, accordions and other Irish instruments.
Bole: aka Knob. A semi-spherical shaped section at the top of the chanter supporting the lapped reed seat nipple. The part of the chanter to be gripped when removing the chanter from the stock.
Bomborde:
Bonnet:
Bottom D: the lowest note available on an uilleann D chanter. and is called Bottom D to avoid confusion with the two higher D's available on the chromatic scale. It is obtained by lifting the chanter off the popping strap.
Brien Boru Pipes: frequently misspelled as Brian Boru. Mouth blown Irish pipes. The original chanter had three extra notes, a High B, a Low E and a Low F#. This enabled Irish pipers to play many Irish tunes which required an expanded note range. The new scale was Low E, Low F#, G#, Low A, B, C#, D, E, F#, High G#, High A, High B. The original chanter required different fingering than the highland chanter. Additionally, the Brien Boru pipes had three parallel drones of differing sizes, tuned to Low A, E, and High A that were set in a single stock like the uilleann pipes. A second chanter was introduced with mechanical keys but preserving the highland chanter fingering to avoid the requirement to relearn new fingering. The Brien Boru chanter did not catch on with Scottish pipers and was short lived in Ireland.
Burrs: the squawking of a reed; usually occurs when playing Low G when testing the volume of a chanter. Indicates a problem with the chanter or the reed or the blower.
By the Right Quick March: The Pipe Major directs the band to dress right, and then sharply step off with words (the pace of which) expresses the tempo: "Right - Quick - March." The drum corps executes two three pace rolls to establish the tempo signaled by the Pipe Major. On the fifth beat of the introduction, the drones sound in unison. On the seventh beat, the E should be precisely intoned as a single instrument. Depending on the tune, the melody begins on the eight or ninth beat and all members of the band are in lock step. When addressing a Mass Band, the Pipe Major usually directs the band with "By the Center Quick March."
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C: as a time signature means common time. See Common and Perfect time.
Cadence: a phrase may contain several motifs. Phrases combine to form musical sentences. Each sentence forms a part which consists of four phrases which can be one or two bars long. The sentences or parts form a paragraph which is a complete work or melody. The end of each phrase is a Cadence which usually takes the following form: Interrupted, Imperfect, Interrupted, and Perfect cadences.
Cadence, common: there are three common cadences that appear in highland bagpipe music: (i) perfect: the notes progress from dominant to tonic, also known as Full Close; (ii) Imperfect: progresses from any not to the dominant; also known as Half Stop; Interrupted: progresses from the dominant to the submediant. Other cadences include Plagal or Amen which progresses from subdominant to tonic and rarely seen in bagpipe music. Cadences can be seen as strong (masculine) or weak (feminine) depending on whether they end on a strong or weak beat.
Cane: certain grasses have stiff tubular bamboo-like stems, of which reeds, or in some cases entire pipes are made. The most common cane used in bagpipes is Arundo Donax.
Canntaireachd: is a notational language. It is a methodology of singing piobaireachd tunes to (i) memorize the tunes as well as (ii) capture subtleties, expressiveness, feelings of emotion intended by the masters. The vocabulary is extremely precise.
Ceili: aka Céili; pronounced kay-lee is a party or self-entertaining social. A céilidh is the traditional Gaelic social dance in Ireland and Scotland. Other spellings encountered are ceilidh, céilí (Irish reformed spelling) and cèilidh (Scottish Gaelic reformed spelling). Participants in a Ceili are expected to entertain each other. The uilleann pipe is now an essential part of the Ceili celebration.
Ceòl Beag: aka Ceol Beag; popular pipe band music.
Ceòl Mór: aka Ceol Mor. Literally "great music" or Piobaireachd, the classical music of the soloist.
Ceòl Mhór: aka Ceol Mhor. Irish spelling of Ceol Mor. Also refers to the Great Irish Warpipe.
Chanter: bagpipe chanters have a conical bore. The uilleann chanter covers a range of two octaves. It has keys and can be stopped by closing the bottom of the chanter. Consequently it can play a chromatic scale, including staccato. The highland chanter is a continuous playing chanter and cannot be stopped. It contains no keys. It has a range of one octave and a second (1 1/8 octaves).
Chanter Stock: usually made of brass for the uilleann pipe.
Chanter Stop Key:
Chanter, Practice:
Chamber Bagpipes:
Chord: a group of notes separated by at least one interval each, and played at the same time. The chord may be concordant (in harmony) or discordant (not pleasing)
Chordal Accompaniment: Uilleann regulators can accompany the melody in two ways - through percussion sounds or block chords similar to the effect of a key board.
Chromatic Scale: contains the 12 pitches of the Western equal temperament scale The uilleann pipe can play the entire chromatic scale over two octaves from D to D because (i) of the keys; (ii) alternate fingering; and (iii) the ability to force the chanter to a higher octave using increased pressure. The highland pipe cannot play the chromatic scale. The scale of the highland pipe is closer to a mixolydian mode. Purist will argue that the uilleann chanter is tuned to just intonation because of the need to maximally harmonize (across all notes on the chanter) with the drones and regulators and therefore is note using the chromatic scale. As a practical matter if two notes are a semitone apart they will usually have the same letter such as A and A#, except for the natural semitones, E -F and B - C. Technically speaking, both the highland and uilleann chanters can be tuned to equal temperament.
Cimpoi: aka Çimpoi: a Romanian chanter with cylindrical bore and single beating reed like a drone reed. Also has a lower joint usually carved from horn that extends at approximately 45 degrees from the bottom of the chanter.
Circular Breathing: a technique used by woodwind players to play a continuous sound without the aid of bellows or a bag or an air reservoir. The musician contracts the cheeks (full of air) while quickly breathing through the nose into the lungs.
Clef: only the G clef is used in pipe music which denotes that the second Leger line is the note G. The word is a French word for Key. There are three commonly used clef symbols: the G clef, the F clef, and the C clef.
Closed Bore: a chanter will a closed end at the bottom of the chanter. When all the finger holes are closed, the chanter cannot sound. A way to introduce silence (of the chanter) between notes.
Closed Fingering: there are several ways to design a chanter. When a note is played, the chanter can be designed so that many holes are open, or many holes are closed. A closed fingering chanter is one that is designed so that most holes are closed when playing a note.
Collar: a strip of copper about 1/8" to 3/16" wide and 2" long with slanted edges. Used to secure the two blades of a reed.
College of Piping: was started in 1957 by Seumas MacNeill and Thomas Pearston from simple beginnings. Located in Glasgow, Scotland. Publishes the Piping Times. Its students rank among the best pipers in the world. Contains a museum with modern electronically activated exhibits.
Colour: the quality of a sound. Same as #Timbre and #Quality. Colour helps distinguish two sounds of the same pitch. Timbre is a function of the distribution of harmonics or overtones of the instrument.
Combing: decorative marks or inscriptions or turnings consisting of more or less tightly spaced narrow circular grooves found particularly on drones and particularly on Great Highland pipes.
Comma: the interval 81/80 or 21.4 cents. It is part of the limma on the intervals between C and D as well as F and High G on the Great Highland Bagpipe chanter. A comma and a diatonic semitone equals a limma
Common Time: four crotchets per bar. Written as 4/4, or with the letter C positioned to the immediate right of the treble clef, and between the 2nd and 4th staff line. Triple time was believed to be perfect time because it was reminiscent of the Trinity and represented by a circle. Quadruple time was held to be imperfect and was shown as an incomplete circle and became known as common time and hence the letter C.
Competition March, Strathspey, Reel: is called a set and is played as a competition exercise; suggested tempos for 2/4 marches - quarter note at 68-74 beats per minute; Strathspey - quarter note at 132 beats per minute dancing temp; reel = half note at 84-92 beats per minute.
Compound Duple: two beats per bar, composed of compound notes. Examples: 6/4, 6/8, 6/16.
Compound Note: as an example, a dotted note is considered compound because it cannot be replaced by two notes of equal but lesser value. However one might argue that a dotted quarter note can be replaced by two dotted eight notes.
Compound Triple: three beats per bar, composed of compound notes. Examples: 9/4, 9/8, 9/16.
Compound Quadruple: three beats per bar, composed of compound notes. Examples: 12/4, 12/8, 12/16.
Conical Bore: the chanters of the highland bagpipe and uilleann bagpipe are conically bored instruments. Each have finger holes that when covered change the length of the column of air in the chanter to produce differing pitches.
Cords: decorative cords with tassels are used to link or tie the three drones of the highland pipe together. Some piper majors recommend that the spacing between any two drones not exceed 7".
Counterpoint: occurs when different melodies are combined to form a pleasing melodic and harmonic piece. Limited use in bagpiping with the exception of folk and Christmas tunes. A simplest example is Kumbaya played with seconds and thirds.
Cow horn Bell: a decorative device at the end of a chanter or drone, made from a cow horn, often decorated, or made from wood and/or metal in the shape of a cow horn . Most often found on Eastern European and Mediterranean pipes. Cow horn bells provide a visual link to one of the bagpipe's very early ancestors, the hornpipe.
Cran: cranning or popping of the uilleann pipe is similar to staccato playing, except that the notes need not be sharply accented or emphasized. The chanter is closed on the knee momentarily eliminating the need for gracenotes for dividing purposes.
Crossover: the base drummer holds the sticks over his head in a cross over fashion, striking the left side of the drum with the right hand and the right side of the drum with the left hand.
Crossover Instrument: the pennywhistle is considered a crossover instrument between the highland pipes and the uilleann pipes. Highland pipers who want to learn the uilleann pipes frequently use the penny whistle as the crossover instrument or practice chanter.
Crotchet: is a one-quarter note: (1/4th)
Crow: a good reed gives off a crow (or scratchy sound) when blown without the chanter. Some reed makers claim they can hear all the notes of the chanter in the crow. A new reed blown in the chanter at Hi A (highland chanter) will give off a slight scratchy sound which is heard as an indicator of a good reed when it settles in.
Crunluath: a weighty embellishment played between theme notes in piobaireachd. See illustration (xiv) in the Embellishment table at the top of the page. May come from Gaelic words for crown (crun) and quick (luath).
Crunluath a Mach: a weighty embellishment played between theme notes in piobaireachd. See illustration (xv) in the Embellishment table at the top of the page. May come from Gaelic words for crown (crun) and quick (luath)
Cuisle: means flute but Gaelic poets may have extended meaning to bagpipe. (S.Donnelly)
Cut: has two meanings: (i) an old term for a single gracenote; (ii) to cut the value of a note by one-half, usually accompanied by doting a companion note so as to preserve the overall value of the combined notes. Another example: the triplet usually found in jigs might be written as three eight notes connected by a brace. The triplet can be played evenly, or it can be cut in 6 different ways while doting a companion note.
Cut Common Time: also called reel time or Alla breve time. The tempo symbol after the clefis a C with a vertical line through it, representing 2/2 time. Two half notes per measure, each half note a beat. The overall tempo is 120 beats per minute.
Cylindrical Bore: the drones of highland and uilleann pipes, including regulators are cylindrical. Changing the length of a drone, by by use of the sliders, changes the length of the column of air thereby producing a different pitch. A cylindrical bore will tend to be softer, mellower than a conical bore (of the same size). Conical bores tend to be more nasal and shrill than cylindrical bores, all other things being equal. D
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Dampers: strips of appropriate material inside the drum head and offset from the center. Dampers reduce rate of skin vibration and affects tonal quality. Over-damped drums will produce a dull thud sound.
Dancing Tunes: See Scottish highland dance
Day/Evening Wear: formal attire with kilts and tuxedo jacket. The distinguishing feature is a leather sporran.
Deachínn Ghleusda|Deachinn Ghleusda]]: meas a test of the tuning: a bagpipe or harp prelude to warm up and appropriately set the mood for the concert piece.
Decibel: a measure of acoustical power. The original measure was Bel, symbol B. The Bel was too large to work with so they introduced the "decibel" which is one-tenth of a Bel. The decibel is an exponential number. The bagpipe decibel output is 90 or greater. 90 decibels is 1,000,000,000 times greater than one decibel. Bagpipes are dangerous to the players ear under prolonged playing conditions. Ear plugs should be worn at all times. The Highland Regiments have placed restrictions on the amount of time pipers are allowed to play or practice each day. See FAQs below on requirement to wear ear plugs.
Degrees: of a scale are the divisions of pitch represented by the first seven letters of the alphabet: A B C D E F G. These divisions are also denoted by the Roman Numerals I II III IV V VI VII VIII.
Demi-Semi Quaver Note: 1/32nd
Depth: or weight is added to pipe music by the use of embellishments which go through low G. Examples are the Grip, the Birl, and the Throw on D. The drumming counterpart for depth would be the use of the Four Stroke Ruff.
Diatonic scale: one of the key features of a diatonic scale is that is contains five tones and two semi-tones, where the semi-tones are maximally separated. The pattern is T T S T T T S. The diatonic scale is composed of two tetrachords separated by a full tone. As a practical matter, in C Major, two notes separated by a semitone will have different letter names (e.g. E to F). Derives from the Greek word diatonic meaning through tones, or the Greek word heptatonia prima.
Dirk: a dagger probably less than 12 inches. Usually a highly decorative item with silver scroll work and semi precious stones. Worn on the right hip with military pipe band uniforms. Originally believed to serve as a weapon or utensil.
Dithis: Piobaireachd Variation. Pronounced: "jee-esh" but other pronunciations exist. Means two or a pair. Represents a variation of the Urlar or Ground or theme of the Piobaireachd. Sometimes used interchangeably with the variation referred to as Siubhal. The authority Seumas MacNeill (fact) states the terms mean different but somewhat similar variations and should not be used interchangeably. The Dithis is composed of several theme notes from the Urlar. The theme notes are played with one or two alternating lower notes such as A and G. The theme notes are accented and the following single notes are cut or of shorter duration. Emphasis and mood of are critical importance among the masters. When the theme note and a given alternating note are repeated in pairs, the dithis is called a doubling, otherwise it is referred to as a dithis singling
Dodecaphonic: means the Chromatic scale.
Dressing: used to season the bag; can include milk, honey, beeswax, whiskey. The novice should be careful. See #treacle
Dotted Note: increases the value or duration of the note by 50%. Two dots following a note increases the value by 75%.
Dominant: the dominant note is called the Fifth (V) and its ratio to the Tonic or Keynote is 3/2. It produces a pleasing harmonious sound to the ear when sounded with the tonic.
Double Bar line: the two dots after the bar line signify the beginning of a melody that needs to be repeated. The dots before the double bar line indicate the end of the melody that must be repeated.
Double Base: some uilleann pipes have a fourth regulator. The regulator will resonate at D3 (146.83 Hertz), the same as the Base Drone, but with a deeper tone. A clarinet and oboe playing D4 will produce the same note (Hertz produce a different tone which distinguishes instruments from each other. Tone is effected by the harmonics or overtones generated by the instrument and its reeds.
Double Chanter: a bagpipe with two chanters with two bores and two sets of finger holes. On some, both bores have the same finger hole spacing and sound in unison. On others, one bore may have only a single finger hole and is used as a sort of alternating-tone drone. Also some pipes have two completely separate chanters (for example: Italian Zampognas).
Double Gold Medal: winning two premier competitions (Oban and Inverness) in the same year
Double Jig: may be the oldest type of dance tune surviving, more popular than the hornpipe, almost as popular as the reel. Has a time signature of 6/8. the rhythm is 1 2 3 - 1 2 3. frequently, two groups of eight notes.
Double Tone: an acoustical phenomenon that is not well understood. When starting the bagpipes, as the pressure is increased, the drones strike in at a higher pitch, perhaps a semitone or tone higher than normal. As the pressure continues to increase, the drones fully strike in at a normal and smoother pitch. This is deemed to be indicative of a higher quality reed.
Double Tonic: About 80% of Piobaireachd is written in the Pentatonic scale. So it is not uncommon to hear two tonics or keys in a single tune. This occurs because the tune has two themes, with similar structure, written a semitone apart. The phenomenon is unmistakable when it is heard; the aural recognition that the key has change in the middle of a tune.
Double Whole Note: equal to 8 crotchets or 8 quarter notes.
Doubling: sound like warbles or trills. Consists of two are three gracenotes usually with an accent note on the melody note and the note over the melody note.
Dressing: for the bagpipe bag to insure airtightness. See treacle
Drone, Baritone: uilleann baritone drone resonates at D3, 146.8 Hertz.
Drone, Base: uilleann base drone resonates at D2, 74.4 Hertz.
Drone, Tenor: uilleann tenor drone resonates at D4, 293.6 Hertz.
Drone Chords:
Drone Assembly: the uilleann pipe drone come in two pieces: A reed stock or bed (male piece a slide (female piece}
Drone Switch:
Drum Major: the common role of the pipe band drum major is to lead the band in parade with elegant dress and great showmanship, as well as choreograph marching movements, and transmit visual signals to the marching band. In military organizations the Drum Major has additional responsibilities including Military discipline.
Drum Sticks: both sticks should be identical in composition, weight, size and elasticity. The shape of the sticks can be altered with abrasive tools to suit the individual drummer. Usually made of hickory, maple, ramin, Japanese oak and laminated woods. Base Drum sticks are sometimes made with malacca cane and either cork or lambs wool heads. The tenor drum sticks are similar to the base drum sticks but a bit smaller.
Duple Time: two beats per bar. E
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Ebony:
Elder: the wood of the elder tree was used when cane was not available for making reeds.
Embellishments: used extensively on the highland bagpipe to produce Accents, Mood, and Virtuosity.
Enharmonic: when two notes have different names but are the same pitch, e.g. E# and F, and C Flat and B.
Epaulette: referred to as wing epaulettes. Decorative in nature. Worn on each shoulder with military pipe band uniforms. Originally used to signify rank, or as padding for carry munitions, or as protection of the shoulder from sword cuts. F
drumming: used to provide weight or depth to the melody. See weight or depth.
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False Notes: the fingering for the highland and uilleann is precise in terms of open and closed holes. False notes can be introduced when the time of gracenotes is not precise or when the hands on the chanter are changed carelessly. When playing is record in digital format, the false notes show up as blips on the spectrograph or piano roll.
Feadan Dubh: the black chanter; a famous relic of Clan Chattan.
Feather Bonnet: was worn by Highland regiments. It is now usually only worn by drummers, pipers and bandsmen with a military pipe band uniform. The Bonnet is about 12 inches in height, designed to fit squarely on the crown of the head and held in place by a black chin strip. The headdress is decorated with Black feathers and a tail assembly of feathers attached at the top and draping down to the back of the neck. The crown band is usually contains red and white checkerboard pattern.
Feeling Note G: Thomas Peaston, described in 1973 the feelings associated with each note on the chanter. G: the note of the Gathering, as it is the loudest note on the chanter.
Feeling Note A: the piper's note.
Feeling Note B: the note of the challenge, the chiming note.
Feeling Note C#: the most musical note.
Feeling Note D: the note of the Battle; the angry note.
Feeling Note E: the echoing note.
Feeling Note F#: the note of love
Feeling Note High G: the note of sorrow or lament.
Feeling Note High A: the piper's note.
Fifth: see Perfect fifth. A fifth can be perfect, or a diminished fifth (or Tritone) or an augmented fifth. The ratio of the two notes of a perfect fifth are 3:2.
Finger holes: in the chanter may be undercut or bored at a slant to the bore axis, and vary widely among different bagpipes in size and shape.
Fingering: when fingering the highland and uilleann chanters, it is suggested to keep the fingers as straight as possible, while covering the holes with the finger pads between the first and second joints of the hand.
Fermata: a symbol of a semi-circle with a dot at the origin. It means that the note should be held longer than its correct value. The note is usually at the end of a phrase, and helps to add feeling to the phrase at the discretion of the piper.
Ferrule: a band made ivory or imitation ivory, or metal such as brass, copper or silver, mounted around the ends of stocks, drone joints and blowpipes to be both decorative and to reinforce thin-walled areas of these and similar parts.
Flap Valve: a device that keeps air from backing out of a blowpipe when the piper takes a breath. The valve is nothing more than a flap of leather that is mounted so as to block the airway when air pressure becomes greater on the inside than on the outside. Bellows-operated pipes usually have two flap valves, one in the air-inlet (in one of the cheeks) and the other in the connecting pipe between the bellows and the bag.
Flashes: a decorative garter worn with the white or plaid hose. The color of the flash is coordinated. the hose folds down over the flash so as to hide the flash. Attached to the garter are small ribbons that hang perpendicular to the ground and adorn the hose.
Flat: lower in pitch. As an example: B4 Flat (466.16 Hertz) denotes a note one semitone lower than the natural note B4 (493.88 Hertz). Since there are multiple reeds in a bagpipe, the expression sharp or flat usually means that a chanter or drone or regulator may be out of tune with the other reeds. It is also important to note that the highland pipe is a transposing instrument and the notes sound about a semitone higher than the written music. Competitive pipers and pipebands tend to favor chanters with a higher or sharper pitch.
Flea Hole: a very small chanter finger hole most commonly found on Eastern European and Balkan pipes that, when uncovered, raises the pitch being played by the other fingers by approximately a semitone, allowing chromatic possibilities. It is disinct from a "vent hole", which raises the chanter's pitch by an octave (on conical-bored chanters).
Fontennelle: a rigid tubular cover that fits over the lowest key on some bagpipe chanters (notably Italian Zampognas), covering all of the keys except the very end of the actuating lever. Usually made of the same material as the chanter or the chanter's trim work.
Form: the arrangement of sections of the tune. The analysis of the melody in terms of its construction of its phrases or sections. The analysis generally takes th form of letters A B C meant to identify motifs, or phrases or sections and so forth. Piobaireachd lends itself to analysis in this manner. Also see Binary Form and Ternary Form.
Foursome reel: a Scottish Country Dance. The piper should be aware that the reel time part is the tune "Reel of Tulloch" which is played in common Time (2/4) at 112 beats per minute. The Reel follows a Foursome Reel Strathspey played at 132 beats per minute.
Four Stroke Ruff
Free Hand Chords: when the lower right hand is free and can be removed from the uilleann chanter, it can be used to play chords on the regulators. Specifically, there are three sets of chords: number 1: G3 D4 B3 for Chord G for notes G4, B4 and D4; number 2: B3 D4 G4 for use with B4 or G4; number 3: A3 D4 F#4 for use with D4 and A5 on the chanter. See Scientific Pitch Notation.
F.S.A.
Fugue: a complex form of contrapuntal music whereby contrapuntal melodies follow each other using a variety of pitches and tempo. Of limited use with the bagpipes, but very effective with some folk tunes or creative compositions.
Full Set: the uilleann pipes are difficult to play, and there are many pipers who have not played the full set with reeds activated because of the wind and pressure requirements as well as physical dexterity. In addition there is a Practice Set for beginners and a Half Set for more experienced players. G
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Gaita, also known as Galician gaita. Plays a normal major scale with a different set of holes.
GDE Gracenotes: a frequently used gracenote rhythm used in reels and jigs and triplets. See Illustration under Embellishments.
Grace note: highland piping grace notes are written with a value of a 1/32nd note, or a demi-semi quaver. They are executed by a smart stroke of the finger on the melody (or theme or main or plain) note. Single gracenotes give accent or emphasis to the note, adding strength and pronunciation. It can also separate two or more notes of the same pitch. But they are not really an ornament or an embellishment in the musical sense of a grace note. They are an essential part of the technique of playing the Great Highland Bagpipe]] The time value of 1/32nd note is taken off the melody or theme note.
Grade I-V: highland pipe bands are graded by the local pipe band associations in various sections from Grade V to Grade I for the top bands. The usual test in the various contests is the playing of a set consisting of a March, Strathspey and Reel.
Great Staff: contains eleven horizontal lines and 10 intermediate spaces. The central line is not shown, but is replaced by a Leger line to accommodate Middle C4. Highland pipe music uses a Short Staff (five lines and four intermediate spaces) with a leger line above the stave to accommodate Hi A. The Great Staff includes the treble, alto and bass clef and accommodates the note range F2 (87.3 Hertz) just below the stave to G5 (784 Hertz) just above the stave. The uilleann pipe also uses only the Short Staff but has a larger note range than the highland pipe. The uilleann pipe ranges from D3 (146.8 Hertz) just below the staff to E5 Flat (1318.5 Hertz) on the third Leger line above the stave.
Grip: also called Leumluath in Gaelic. A gracenote movement. See illustration.
Ground: see Piobaireachd Structure
Goat: Eastern European and Mediterranean pipe bags are usually made of goatskin. Frequently the pipes will be adorned with elaborate carved goat heads serving as chanter stocks.
Gold Clasp:
Gold Medal:
Good-going-pipes: a satisfying experience when one is enveloped with the smooth harmonious sound of the chanter and drones. The chanter reed vibrates through the finger holes and onto the fingers. The second, third and fourth harmonics mesh in a saw-like buzz. The quintessential experience has been reported as playing "good-sounding-pipes" in a high quality anechoic chamber such as can be found in Bell Labs, NJ.
Gooseneck: some bagpipe bags are made with a long neck or "gooseneck" to house the chanter stock. It is helpful for pipers with long arms.
Guills: uilleann pipe drone reeds H
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Hackle: The hackle is a feather plume (usually made of horsehair) that is attached to the headdress or feather bonnet worn by members of a pipe band usually wearing a military uniform. The color would signify the pipe band colors.
Half Set: includes the chanter and drones for the Uilleann Pipes. See Full Set.
Half Sized Pipes: from about 1900, half-sized pipes were used in boys' bands. Half-sized pipes were similar but somewhat more shill compared to the great highland pipe. Not to be confused with the Reel Pipes.
Hand Changing: required in highland piping. the bottom hand is closed when the top hand is playing and vice versa. It is critical when changing hands from high or low notes and vice versa, that false notes not be introduced accidentally.
Hand Chords: see Free Hand Chords.
Harmony: two are more notes played simultaneously (and vertically) form a chord. The fundamental note of the chord is called the Root. A fundamental note or root with a third and a fifth is called a triad or common chord. If the root is raised by an octave, it is said to be the First Inversion. If the third is then raised an octave, it is called the Second Inversion. Chords can be inverted upward or downward by moving the affected note an octave in either direction.
Harmonics of Bagpipe: same as overtone or partial.
Heads: a component of the Drum. The ideal skin is one that takes little tension to bring the drum to perfect tone. Nor should it be affected by temperature and lose tension.
Heel: the heel of the hand is where the wrist begins and is used to strike the keys on the uilleann regulators. Some uilleann pipers use the side of their hands on the base regulator and the heel on the baritone and tenor regulators.
hemidemisemiquaver: a 1/64th note. Rarely seen in piping; sometimes used in drumming.
Hemiola: is a cross rhythm, combining of simple triple time and compound duple time.
Hemp, resigned:
Hereditary Piper:
Hertz: an international standard of measurement for the frequency of a vibrating entity. An equal temperament tuned piano playing at concert A produces a fundamental vibration of 440 cycles per second, or 440 Hertz. Of course, the sounded note is producing overtones as well that vibrate at 880 hertz and higher frequencies that are a multiple of 440.
Hexatonic Scale: or hexatonic mode. Certain pipe tunes use six notes rather than five notes in a pentatonic scale.
Hi A: is written on a very short ledger line above the staff or stave. The frequency for the highland pipes is about 950 hertz whereas the frequency on the uilleann pipes is 880 hertz. On the uilleann pipes, the fingering for Low A and Hi A are the same, so the left arm must be squeezed with extra pressure to obtain the high note. Inexperienced pipers will find it difficult to reach Hi A unless a lower note is played preceding it, such as Hi F or Hi G.
High Hand: the left hand if the highland piper is right handed. In many woodwind instruments the fingers are successively removed from the instrument as higher notes are played. In highland piping, the Low Hand is kept on the notes A, B and C while playing E, F, and G. The High Hand is kept on the notes Hi A, G, F, and E when playing lower notes. When playing Hi A, the thumb and right pinky holes are uncovered. On The uilleann chanter the fingers are successively removed, like the penny whistle, but there exists alternate fingering and cross fingering where only one, two or three holes are left uncovered. It depends on the type of uilleann chanter.
Highland Bagpipes: Two of the principal characteristics of the highland bagpipe are: (i) continuity of sound (no staccato is possible) which precludes any break between notes; (ii) the absence of any means of varying the volume of a note so that it sounds loudly or softly. As a result expression in highland pipe music is dependent wholly on the varying length of the notes, called agogic accent, and to a lesser extent on embellishment by means of grace notes. Two other features have come into play: (i) use of vibrato; (ii) the accompaniment of the ensemble of drums.
Highland Drums: are an essential part of competitive pipe bands and parade pipe bands. Drums cover a sound range of about two octaves. They range from A3, an octave below Low A4, to A5, and octave higher than concert A4. Drums are not tuned as precisely as highland pipes. See Base, Tenor, Snare Drum.
Homophonic: a melody accompanied by one or or harmonizing voices. A pipe band playing seconds is playing homophonically.
Horn: of various kinds is used in construction of many bagpipes, as bells and ferrules. The most common is cow horn but sheep and goat horns are also used.
Hornpipe: historically a favorite exhibition tune or competition tune, but gradually replaced by more lively jigs and reels. The time signature is 4/4 and sometimes shown a C. The rhythm is long - short - long - short, or emphasis - cut - emphasis - cut. Even though there are 4 quarter notes per measure, it is customary to sound out two beats per measure. Played at 104 - 110 beats per minute; beat equals a quarter note. Hornpipes frequently employ triplets, a common form of musical ornamentation.
Hornpipe (Instrument): an ancient mouth-blown reed instrument, cylindrical bore, that is somehow related to certain types of bagpipes. Widely spread from Wales to India and from Russia to Sicily. Sometimes used with a bag. I
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Imitation Ivory:
Intensity: is the degree of loudness or softness of the musical sound. The volume of the Highland Bagpipe cannot be varied whereas the intensity of drum accompaniment can vary.
Interval: most cultures agree on the octave with a ratio of 2:1. The next challenge is to create a scale by dividing the octave, low doh to high doh into intervals in such a manner that the intervals are simple fractions. The fraction is obtained by dividing the frequencies of the two notes in question. The selection of a scale is a very controversial as well as cultural issue. So an interval is a measure of the difference in pitch between two notes. It may be calculated by counting the number of degrees or steps between the notes. For example, the interval of a Fifth contains 5 degrees. A melodic interval occurs when two notes which are at least one interval apart are place in succession. A harmonic interval occurs when two notes at least one interval apart are played at the same time. A compound interval occurs when the number of degrees exceeds eight. The scale of the Great Highland Bagpipe is a special case and has generated much heated discussion among pipers and other musicians.
Interval, Great Highland Bagpipe: the chanter has a range of G, A, B, C#, D^, E, F#, G^ and High A. Where the D^ and G^ are about a quarter tone sharp. The intervals are expressed as follows: G (9/8 or 204 cents or a major semitone), A (9/8 or 204 cents), B (10/9 or 182 cents or a minor semitone), C# (27/25 or 133 cents or a limma), D^ (10/9 or 182 cents), E (10/9 or 182 cents), F# (27/25 or 133 cents) G^ (10/9 or 182 cents). A limma is a diatonic semitone (16/15 or 111.7 cents) augmented by a comma (16/15 or 111.7 cents. 100 cents is an equal tempered semitone.