Facts about Bagpipes

Some models allow the player to select the sound of several different bagpipes as well as switch keys.

Perhaps because of the ancient nature of their sound, the bagpipes present a lyric, almost magical quality in the tone they create.

The American musician Rufus Harley was the first to use the bagpipes as a primary instrument in jazz.

The bagpipes then became popular in Europe, especially with common people, in general becoming a folk instrument.

The particular style of bagpipe associated with the Scottish are known as the Great Highland Bagpipes, and have the distinction of being the only musical instrument to ever be labeled as a "weapon."

Later, however, the British military found that kilts and bagpipes were great motivators for their Scottish regiments.

The first custom-built MIDI bagpipes were developed by Josй Бngel Hevia Velasco (generally known simply as Hevia).

Dozens of types of bagpipes today are widely spread across Europe and the Middle East, as well as through much of the former British Empire.

Bagpipes are classified as an aerophone, or an instrument needing air in order to make sound.

The bagpipes continue to find a place in modern music, and continue to be popular with innovative artists and musicians.

Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument that uses a reed, in addition to air provided by the player, to create a distinctive, pleasant, and melodic sound.

Many argue that the bagpipes can find their origins in the Middle East, as they bear a resemblance to the single reeded "snake charming" flute.

Many examples of early folk bagpipes in continental Europe can be found in the paintings of Brueghel, Teniers, Jordaens, and Durer.

Some bagpipes also have additional drones (and sometimes chanters) in various combinations, although the most common number is three: two tenors and a bass.

Some theories also argue that ancient Celts brought the bagpipes with them as they migrated across Europe.

Bagpipes have often been used in various films depicting moments from Scottish and Irish history.

Poor storage conditions exacerbated the matter; nearly all ancient bagpipes have become victims of time and their exact age is difficult to pinpoint.

By the late twentieth century, various models of electronic bagpipes had been invented.

Some models allow the player to select the sound of several different bagpipes as well as switch keys.