Kevin Fraser Bagpipes – The Man in the Kilt
Loud Pipes Save Lives!
A flat is when a note in music is lowered a semi-tone (half step) below what would normally be played. If a flat is written within a bar (rather than in the key signature) that flatening of the note remains for the entire bar. When the flat is in the key signature it applies for […]
A sharp is when a note in music is raised a semi-tone (half step) above what would normally be played. If a sharp is written within a bar (rather than in the key signature) that sharpening of the note remains for the entire bar. If the sharp is in the key signature, it applies for […]
Keys with Sharps To find the name of a key signature with sharps, look at the sharp farthest to the right. The key signature is the note a half step above that last sharp. Key signatures can specify major or minor keys. To determine the name of a minor key, find the name of the […]
mixolydian scale The Bagpipes has a range of nine notes, low G to high A. The bagpipe scale is tuned close to but not exactly on the “concert bb” scale. The traditional (western) scale is tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone, with the octave divided almost evenly into 12 parts. The Bagpipe scale is an octave (fairly) evenly divided into […]
In modern transcriptions of Bagpipe Music, you will typically not see a key signature written. That is because we don’t have a good (nor consistent) way to produce sharps, flats or naturals. In theory bagpipe music should have 3 sharps written (key of A). In practice we would only write 2 sharps because the scale that […]
An octave is eight notes (whole tones). In the physics realm of music, going up one octave is the doubling of the frequency of the pitch.
There are two octave-scales on the bagpipe: low G to high G; and low A to high A. Don’t confuse the range (one octave plus one note) with the scales. An octave of notes on the bagpipes would be (low) A B C D E F (high) G (high) A; or, (low) G (low) A […]
The Musical Alphabet Each pitch is named. There are 8 notes in an octave, after which the names repeat. The musical alphabet is notes with the following names: A B C D E F G When we get further into theory talking about Scales, Sharps and Flats, we will also talk about Enharmonic notes (ones that have multiple names).
Parts of the practice chanter Being able to identify the parts of the Practice Chanter is a requirement for SCQF Level 2 It is either made of plastic or wood. Chanters made by the better manufacturers have the maker’s name engraved on the lower half of the chanter between the joint and the high G […]
Care, Cleaning and Storage of the Practice Chanter Practice chanters are sensitive to extreme temperatures. Don’t leave them in your vehicle during the hottest days of the summer or coldest days of the winter. Heat will melt the plastic chanters and reeds. Cold will make both plastic and wood chanters brittle allowing them to break […]
