All You Want To Know About Bagpipes[ and then some]- Merged

[RHFC_piper]

I googled "bagpipes+reveille" and found "Reveille" on the bagpipes. As RHFC inferred though, it didn't sound much like reveille to me...

Keep in mind; "Reveille" for a piper is just about any tune played to wake up the troops...  Usually upbeat.  And after playing Reveille for TF3-06 in Wainwright, every morning while there for pre-deployment trg; I generally chose very short and fast tunes...  gaves me more time to run while the BG was putting on their boots (and finding hard objects).



I have also been looking around online for these tunes transposed, and haven't found anything even remotely close...


Oh, yeah... forgot...  You also can't play "God save the Queen" or "O'Canada" on the pipes either. Not in full anyway.  The first bar or two of O'Canada ends the "Vice-Regal" salute for the CF (P&D).


But, you can play AC-DC's "Thunderstruck" on the pipes...  The Air Cadet band sharing our armoury has played it for competitions.  Very impressive.

 

[manhole]

Thanks very much!  I always like to back my winning arguments with testimony from the experts  ;D
Does a bagpipe use the same scale as other instruments, i.e. A to G ?  Maybe I should take lessons!

 

[RHFC_piper]

Thanks very much!  I always like to back my winning arguments with testimony from the experts  ;D
Does a bagpipe use the same scale as other instruments, i.e. A to G ? 

Yes, but the pipes have an extra Low G and High A.

Here's some more info

Here's some more


The simplest way to figure out the pipes is;
There are no sharps or flats written into the music, just notes and grace notes (notes played quickly between the melody notes). This is just a rough generalization, but you'll never find a # or ♭ in written pipe music...  but you can tune notes to sharp or flat.

There is no volume; just loud and off (with the exception of the drones)


What makes playing the pipes so hard? (especially with only 9 notes).
- Playing the notes...  there is some odd fingering technique; it's not like a Recorder.
- Co-ordination; Playing a tune, breathing, squeezing, strike-ups, cut-offs, rhythm and pace and drill (if you're in a military band)... not to mention paying attention to Mace and drum commands.
- Fast fingers; some tunes are easy, but the good ones are very complicated, just in the melody notes; lots of switches between top and bottom hand and awkward notes.
- Grace notes;  These are notes played between notes... very quickly, but clearly.  Some are simple single notes... some are complicated clusters. Here's an example of some easy grace notes;

They only get more complicated from there.
- No music while playing; You have to memorize every tune you're going to play. There is no where to carry sheet music while playing.
- Maintenance;  The pipes have a lot of parts, made of various materials... Newer pipes require less maintenance, but they still need to be cared for regularly... and you have to know what you're doing or you can make a mess of your horns.

Combine all this, throw in Dress, drill and parade format and you have and entire trade in the CF (musician)...

Maybe I should take lessons!

If you're interested in learning; I would strongly advise that you seek a competent instructor and definitely take lessons.  There's a lot of technique you can't learn from a book.

 

[Sigger]

Good topic...

I have always been interested.. My favorite moment ever was when I finished hiking to a mountaintop in the Yukon and hearing 'ghost pipes'. Never did find out where the piper was.

There are no better sounds than those from the pipes.

 

[RHFC_piper]

Good topic...

Yes, but not an original topic...  I'm actually surprised Mods haven't slapped down the "use the search function" warning   ;D

First three links merged.- Bruce
Are musicians soldiers or not?



I'm not complaining, though.   I personally believe the pipes, pipers and pipe bands should have an entire section here... but I'm just a little biased.


Pipers do have a few resourses;

http://www.bagpiper.com/forums/

http://www.bagpipeforum.com/

 

[manhole]

Thank you for all the helpful info!

 

[MP 811]

hey RHFC_Piper............will there be a repeat of last years Rememberance Day?......Figuring on saving some leave and this time, brining my pipes.....

 

[RHFC_piper]

hey RHFC_Piper............will there be a repeat of last years Rememberance Day?......Figuring on saving some leave and this time, brining my pipes.....

Well...  After September, I won't be the JRs PMC anymore, but I've thrown in my hat for Entertainment Rep, and even if I don't get that position I'm still going to sick around to plan the Remembrance Day bus tour, the New Years party and various other huge events.

As for the Bus itself; Hell yeah. We may even need to buses this year.  We're parading in Kitchener this year, so the bus is going to stick to the Legions and service clubs in Kitchener Waterloo only (that's still about 10). This will give us lots of time at each Legion.  I'm also planning on contacting the Alibaba restaurant early about their "free steak for soldiers" deal, so we can all get a seat.
And since it's on a week night again, I plan on contacting a few bars ahead of the pub/club crawl to have them open for us when we get there.
We should be able to have the bus until 3 am again, but this time, I'm going to see if we can get one of the Armouries open to crash in, or arrange a deal with Cab companies to have cabs waiting at the Kitchener Armoury.  All in all, I'm starting the planning now.

So, yes, book your leave around Remebrance Day, come on down to K-W and definitely bring your pipes.  I'm sure there would be no problem if you wanted to play with our band for the parade too. 

This Legion Bus Tour is going to be an annual thing.  The Legions loved it, the troops loved it and the CoC loved it 'cause no one got themselves in to trouble (and they knew where we were.)

 

[PViddy]

But, you can play AC-DC's "Thunderstruck" on the pipes...  The Air Cadet band sharing our armoury has played it for competitions.  Very impressive.

Ha, they figured out "We Will Rock You" for this year's competition for the free style part of the sequence.  Why do we even need guitars!?  ;D

cheers

PV

 

[MP 811]

I'm sure there would be no problem if you wanted to play with our band for the parade too. 

I was going to ask you this as well.  Wouldnt mind falling in with the band.

 

[Danjanou]

Yes, but not an original topic...  I'm actually surprised Mods haven't slapped down the "use the search function" warning   ;D

Because some of the mods are charter members of the Highland Mafia. 8)

 

[Redeye]

But, you can play AC-DC's "Thunderstruck" on the pipes...  The Air Cadet band sharing our armoury has played it for competitions.  Very impressive.

You can also play the theme from Star Wars, as was demostrated by one of our pipers the other day, and I think the same guy played some interpretation of the theme from Top Gun as well.

Oh, and Low Rider too.

 

[Hawk]

I've heard the Great Root Bear tune on pipes - and Flintstones theme!

I heard or read somewhere that its really difficult to play Flower of Scotland on pipes - something about complicated fingering?

Any of you in the Winnipeg area: the Highland Gathering is on at Selkirk Park, Selkirk, MB north of Winnipeg tomorrow. A full day of Scottish culture - piping, dancing and bands competitions, market, Clan booths, food, heavy games. Wouldn't miss it!!


Hawk

 

[tango22a]

Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games:
Friday 4 July 08 - Sunday 6 July 08

Band Competition
Highland Dancing
Weight Competition
Booths
Beer Tent
etc.


Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band " Gathering of the Bands"  23 Aug 08 - 25 Aug 08

Last Saturday before Labour Day

Well worth attending!

Cheers,

tango22a

 

[RHFC_piper]

I heard or read somewhere that its really difficult to play Flower of Scotland on pipes - something about complicated fingering?

Heh... not really.  Unless you just picked up the pipes, with no prior training and tried to play it.

It was one of the first tunes I learned as a cadet.

Because some of the mods are charter members of the Highland Mafia. 8)

Who's the Godfather?  48th regulator?  heh.

I'm just a hired goon.  8)

You can also play the theme from Star Wars, as was demostrated by one of our pipers the other day, and I think the same guy played some interpretation of the theme from Top Gun as well.

Oh, and Low Rider too.

 

I've heard the Great Root Bear tune on pipes - and Flintstones theme!

Heh... We used to play the imperial march (star wars) to march on the officers with the Cadet band. And Top Gun when we played for the Air Cadet parades.

And when I first joined the PRes, the pipers would play either flinstones or the smurfs theme when we marched to the range.

I was going to ask you this as well.  Wouldnt mind falling in with the band.

I will talk to the Pipe Maj on Tuesday... I'm sure he'd have no problem.  And if there are any other pipers out there who are from the K-W area, in the forces elsewhere, I'm sure there would be no problem if you fell in with the RHFC on Remembrance day.  Just let me know and I'll ask the Pipe Maj.

 

[Hawk]

Thanks for the clarification, RHFC piper. It was just a comment I'd heard somewhere. I don't play pipes myself, but love Corries music, especially Flower of Scotland. Perhaps I'll hear it tomorrow at the Gathering.


Hawk

 

[redleafjumper]

"Please help me to settle an argument about bag pipes.  Is it possible to play Last Post and Reveille on the bag pipes?  If not, why not?  It seems to me that a piper told me years ago that it can't be done.  Thanks for your help.    Ubique"

Lights out on the bagpipes is traditionally a tune called "Donald Blue" from the Scots Guards Standard Settings of Pipe Music.

Reveille on the pipes is traditionally a tune called "Johnny Cope" .  The version in the Crimean Long Reveille is in the Queen's Own Highlanders Standard Settings of Pipe Music, and Johnny Cope on its own is also in the old Seaforth Highlanders Standard Settings of Pipe Music.  Here is a site with many tunes: 

http://www.mohr.nu/Peter/tunes/tunes.html


Cheers,

Redleafjumper

 

[MP 811]

I will talk to the Pipe Maj on Tuesday... I'm sure he'd have no problem.   And if there are any other pipers out there who are from the K-W area, in the forces elsewhere, I'm sure there would be no problem if you fell in with the RHFC on Remembrance day.  Just let me know and I'll ask the Pipe Maj.

I forsee you asking, however, ill talk to you about at Cambridge!

 

[gaspasser]

WOW, just read the entire thread to here. 
Great plethora of info for pipers across the site.  And now we know who each other is.  I did place a post in a thread about pipers, but let's try to keep it all in one place.
Is anyone going to be around the park for Warrior's Day this year at the CNE??  Maybe we could get together for a wet one ?? 
Our Band will be there (we won Best Pipe Band over 21 last year--WOOT---)
And I'll be trailing in with P/M and P/S this year at the Mess (can't remeber which one, but it's close to the park)  *-hic-*
Would it be a good idea to also post Highland Games and parade dates on this thread? 

RHFC-thanks for the "great inner workings" info.  It isn't an easy path, but the end is well worth it.  I'm still in the learner group (probably will be for a long time!!    )
I find gettting the coordination down pat is the hard part -so far-

iper:

 

[RHFC_piper]

I find gettting the coordination down pat is the hard part -so far-

iper:

I started playing back in 1997 and I still have trouble with co-ordination sometimes... More practice.

Once you have tunes memorized (on the chanter), then you can play them by instinct on the pipes and concentrate on breathing technique for each tune (when to breath & when to squeez).  Once breathing and playing becomes second nature, you can focus on drill movements while playing.  It's easy to just play standing in one place; you can focus your attention on just playing.  When you have to combine playing, listening to the tone / tempo of the band, and marching, you'd better have the tunes memorized, breathing patters set and drill memorized. 
Worry about getting the tunes memorized first, then breathing, then drill, and when all of that is instict you can focus on tone. 
Don't worry, it all comes with practice... and in the end, tunes that are simple to you will net you a few free pints when playing for non-players in a bar 

iper: