SMALLPIPES

Smallpipes

Sweetness & Brilliance

We offer two types of smallpipes; Scottish and Medieval. The difference between the two is the scale of the chanter.
– For example, chanter notes in the key of A would be:

Scottish : (G–A–B–C#–D–E–F#–G–A)
Medieval : (G–A–B–C–D–E–F/F#–G–A) with an F/F# pin

In other words, the Scottish scale is in Mixolydian, and the Medieval scale in Dorian as well as Aeolian with the use of a tuning pin.
All notes on the chanter are tuned in relation to the drones (i.e. Just intonation). For an ‘equal tempered’ chanter or other requests (such as C/F natural pins for Scottish chanter or high B key) please contact us.

Standard drone configuration in the key of A is:
A-a-D/E (bass, tenor and baritone)

Smallpipes can be made to either bellows blown or mouth blown. 
All mouth blown smallpipes are fitted with plastic reeds and compound drone reeds. This is due to the problems with moisture and heat a mouth blown instrument faces, not allowing the cane in bellows blown pipes to be used.
For a special request, we could provide a set that can be “switched” between mouth blown and bellows blown. However, it can be fitted with plastic reeds for the reason above.

Scottish smallpipes in Blackwood: brass ferrule and boxwood ring