Medieval & Renaissance Great Pipes

The medieval great pipe carries a single drone. During the Renaissance a second drone was added, and with it a richer, more complex sound.

In tone and in look it belongs with the other bagpipes of Europe's Atlantic coast: the Spanish gaita, the Breton veuze and the Great Highland bagpipe among them. I decorate each set with inlay matched to the colour of the wood and finish it with hardening oils, so it needs nothing more than an occasional wipe of polishing oil.

Drones that retune

Each drone has three sections. Fully extended, the two drones play A and E. Push them down and they give B and F, with no change to the reed. Take out the middle sections, joining top to bottom, and they play up a fourth, in D and A.

A common setup is the bass in A with the baritone in E. For a more contemporary sound, keep the bass in A and remove the tenor's middle section so it sounds an octave above.

Chanter & fingering

I currently make the chanters in A. I can set one up for Highland fingering, which gives a Mixolydian scale on A (G, A, B, c, c♯, d, e, f, f♯, g, g♯, a), or for open fingering if that suits you better.

I chamber the drone ends as standard, as I find it gives a better blend with the chanter, but I can turn trumpet-style flares if you'd like them.

Sets

Single drone (medieval) or two drone (Renaissance)

Key

A

Drones

Three sections each: A & E, B & F, or D & A

Fingering

Highland or open

Woods

Curly maple, cocobolo and others (how the wood shapes the sound)

Mounts

Horn, Afzelia, water buffalo, olive wood, Texas Ebony end caps