Bagpipes are musical instruments which are most commonly associated with the British Isles, although they are played in other places as well. The distinctive brassy sound of a set of Great Highland Bagpipes can often be heard in Scottish heritage celebrations and parades. Playing the bagpipes well does require training and skill, or the sounds produced can be quite unpleasant when the player does not know what he or she is doing. Several companies manufacture bagpipes for sale in the United Kingdom and abroad.
There are four main components to a set of bagpipes: an air supply, a bag, a chanter, and a drone. Additional drones may be affixed to the bag to achieve a greater variation in sound. When playing, the bag must be kept fully inflated with the efforts of the player, which can be very physically demanding, especially when the player is also marching. Mechanized methods of creating a steady air supply have been explored, but not widely adopted.
The bag can be made from natural or synthetic materials, but it must be airtight. The player breathes into a blowpipe to supply air to the bags. Most modern blowpipes have a one way valve to prevent air from escaping. Air flows out of the bag and through the drones and chanter to create music. The drones are single note pipes which can be tuned to produce different notes. They continuously emit a low background noise. The chanter is the part of the bagpipes which is actually played, with the player covering or exposing various holes to make notes. Some bagpipes have two chanters which can be played in harmony.
The roots of the bagpipes are very ancient. It is believed that they originated in the Middle East, where relatives of the bagpipes are still played today. As Middle Eastern merchants and explorers met Europeans, the bagpipes spread across the Ancient World. Both the Greeks and Romans referred to the bagpipes in painting, sculpture, and writing. The Romans brought the pipes to the British isles, where they were readily adopted and continue to be played today.
While some people associate bagpipes with ghastly noises, they are in fact quite beautiful when handled by an experienced player. A number of subtle and complex musical tricks can be accomplished with bagpipes. Many of the songs designed for the instrument are laments and epic poems, which complement the sound of the pipes very elegantly.