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Scottish Smallpipes
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| This set of 19th-century smallpipes from the Morpeth-Chantry museum in Morpeth, England is similar to the modern-day Scottish smallpipe. |
The modern bellows-blown Scottish smallpipe was first developed in 1978 by U.K. Northumbrian smallpipe maker Colin Ross. At the request of a customer, Colin adapted a chanter with Highland pipe fingering to Northumbrian smallpipe principles, including the use of a bellows and drones of three pitches. Other smallpipes had existed in the 18th and 19th centuries, but this instrument of Colin's formed the basis of the Scottish smallpipe so widely played today.
The drone configuration consists of a bass, tenor and baritone (or sometimes an alto) with the latter tuned to the fifth, or 'E' on the Highland pipe scale. The resulting drone sound is rich and engaging, and quite different from the Highland pipe drone sound.
The chanter uses a straight of 'parallel' bore, unlike the conical-shaped bore of the Highland chanter. The result is a much quieter instrument with notes of virtually the same volume all the way up and down the scale. This gives a very different flavour to Highland pipe tunes played on the Scottish smallpipes. Many pipers find that some tunes they never liked or that are not successful on the big pipe — like music of the Scottish/English borders — is quite lovely on the Scottish smallpipe.
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| Colin Ross, shown here in his Whitley Bay shop in 2004 holding a set of all-ivory smallpipes, is the father of the modern Scottish smallpipe. |
Bellows-blown Scottish smallpipes ('SSP') will almost always provide a richer and more beautiful sound than mouth-blown instruments, largely because they are made of wood and use cane chanter reeds. (Moisture from the piper's breath usually necessitates using plastic reeds in mouth-blown instruments.) And the whole process of powering the pipes with a bellows rather than by blowing is a much more relaxing way of playing. Learning how to work a bellows takes some time; most pipers begin to feel fairly competent after steady practice over a month or two.
Bellows-blown pipes of any kind can be a bit finicky at times, especially in the face of changes in climate during shipping. They also don't fare well after sitting on a shelf for six months. The Scottish smallpipes I provide are ordered as needed from the makers and can usually be delivered in less than three months. And because I play bellows pipes, I make sure the pipes are in perfect 'fettle' before they leave my shop.
About Scottish smallpipe pitch
The two most popular Scottish smallpipe keys are 'A' and 'D.' The 'A' is rich and vibrant – like a practice chanter on steroids, and with deep resonant drones. The 'D' is high, sweet and rich. It is almost a Northumbrian smallpipe sound. However, the finger spacing can be tight for pipers with large hands. The 'A' and 'D' instruments are excellent for playing with other instruments.
You can also acquire Scottish smallpipes in Bb, which is roughly the key of Highland pipes. However, this pitch does not go well with other instruments. I don't recommend the Bb pitch and have never actually sold a set. I have sold sets in 'C,' which is perhaps the most beautiful pitch for a solo smallpipe. However, again, it does not really go well with other instruments and I don't recommend it to pipers who hope to play with fiddle, guitar, keyboards and such.
John Walsh specializes in very affordable, synthetic mouthblown Scottish smallpipes in the keys of 'A' and 'D.' John also makes an A/D combo pipe with four drones and interchangeable chanters.
Below you will see Scottish smallpipes by two makers:
Garvie Bagpipes (Nigel Richard)
John Walsh Bagpipes (mouthblown)
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| Garvie Scottish Smallpipes by Nigel Richard |
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| Nigel Richard at his shop in Edinburgh. |
Nigel Richard of Edinburgh makes stylish, robust Scottish smallpipes in 'A,' 'Bb,' 'C' and 'D.' As mentioned above, 'A' and 'D' are the most popular and useful keys, with 'Bb' being the least.
Nigel uses a bass/baritone/tenor drone configuration and his chanters are full and true. All of his drones are fitted with Ezeedrone synthetic reeds which are steady, rich and trouble-free. These are particularly valuable in North America where extreme climate can play havoc with traditional cane or cane-tongued drone reeds. Nigel will make brass-bodied, cane-tongued reeds on request.
His preferred wood for smallpipes is African blackwood with imitation ivory and nickel mounts. Sterling silver ferrules are also available, as is any combination of wood mounts and ferrules.
LISTEN: Hear Matt Seattle's "Planxty Pringle" played by Jim McGillivray on a set of Garvie Scottish smallpipes in the key of 'A.'
Garvie Scottish smallpipes come in two basic styles: standard and fully mounted, as pictured below. Nickel or gold-plated sleeves can also be added to the drone slides. A standard set has nickel ferrules and imitation ivory ring caps; a fully-mounted set adds imitation ivory projecting mounts (button style), and a fully-mounted-with-sleeves set adds nickel tuning slides.
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| At right, a Garvie standard smallpipe drone; at left, a fully-mounted drone with sleeves on the tuning slide. |
Nigel''s bellows are made with high quality leather and dark Elm cheeks. The air output tube is removeable for easy storage in the pipe case. All bellows are attractively inlaid with rosewood.
I play two sets of Garvie Scottish smallpipes: a standard set in 'A,' and a fully-mounted set in 'D.' I prefer them for their robust tone, which is important when playing with other instruments.
I also value their reliability. My piping life is a busy one, and sometimes a particular set of smallpipes may not get played for several months. Nigel's pipes always seem to go well for me even after long layoffs where I've been busy playing other sets of pipes.
Nigel's pipes are popular and may require a wait of three or four months.
LISTEN: Hear Chris Armstrong's "Jimmy's Tune" and the traditional jig "The Foxhunter" being played by Jim McGillivray on a set of Garvie Scottish smallpipes in the key of 'D.'
It should be noted that as 'robust' as Nigel's pipes are, most Scottish smallpipes need to be miked if you're playing with other instruments, especially in a larger room. The key of 'A' in particular tends to disappear amidst a fiddle, guitar and keyboard. The key of 'D' will carry a bit better because of its higher pitch. As a result of these volume considerations, many pipers wanting to play with other instruments prefer Border pipes or Reelpipes, whose volume is greater than that of Scottish smallpipes while not overwhelming the room they way Highland pipes will.
However, for a Higland piper looking to move into bellowspipes and wanting the quiet, relaxing quality of SSP, Nigel's 'A' set is a great place to start.
Ask about!
Garvie SESSION SSP CHANTERS: increased volume over regular Scottish smallpipe chanters!
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| GSSP1 & GSSP4 |
This is the Garvie Bagpipes standard set in the key of 'A,' or 'D' made of African blackwood with brass ferrules and imitation ivory ring caps with a hide bag and Nigel's dark Elm bellows. Looking for your first set of bellowspipes? Here's a good starting point.
GSSP1, key of 'A'
Cdn $2625 |
GSSP4, key of 'D'
Cdn $2585 |
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| GSSP2 & GSSP5 |
Add imitation ivory button mounts and chanter sole to the GSSP1 above for an elegant look, but the same, rich, full sound.
GSSP2, key of 'A'
Cdn $2895 |
GSSP5, key of 'D'
Cdn $2625 |
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| GSSP3 & GSSP6 |
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| The fully-mounted and sleeved Garvie Scottish smallpipe features imitation ivory button mounts and ring caps and nickel ferrules and tuning slides. |
Add nickel tuning slides to the fully-mounted set for a beautifully adorned Scottish smallpipe: nickel ferrules and slides, imitation ivory button mounts, ring caps and chanter sole.
GSSP3, key of 'A'
Cdn $3090 |
GSSP6, key of 'D'
Cdn $2885 |
For information on pipes mounted in Sterling silver or other materials, or for replacement reeds, chanters or bellows, please email me.
Nigel Richard also makes some of the finest sets of bellows-blown and mouthblown Border pipes in the world. For more information, go to the the appropriate pages on this website or email me.
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| Mouthblown Scottish Smallpipes from John Walsh Bagpipes |
For pipers who want the classic Scottish smallpipe sound minus the learning curve of a bellows, the tone of John Walsh's Scottish smallpipes is sweet and vibrant. It's as close to a bellows-blown, cane-reeded smallpipe as you'll find.
John's Scottish smallpipes come in the key of 'A' and the key of 'D' — known as the 'A-2000' and the 'D-2000' — and are made in either plastic or blackwood. The blackwood smallpipes display an added level of richness not found in the plastic sets, but either is a superb instrument and very fun to play.
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| Walsh A-2000 Scottish Smallpipe |
This is the most popular and easy to play of John Walsh's smallpipes. It is a sweet, rich, vibrant indoor instrument with a bass/baritone/tenor drone configuration. All reeds are plastic and of John's own creative design. The bag is a sealed, synthetic bag equipped with a watertrap. This instrument is also available in Bb, recommended only if you don't plan to play with other instruments.
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| The common stock can be removed from Walsh smallpipes for easy reed adjustment. |
Plastic
Cdn $725
Blackwood with imitation ivory ferrules
Cdn $1255 (add $110 for plain Sterling silver ferrules)
LISTEN: Hear John Walsh playing a set of his A-2000 mouthblown Scottish smallpipes.
LISTEN: Hear Jim McGillivray playing "Magersfontein" on a set of John Walsh A-2000 Scottish smallpipes.
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| Walsh D-2000 Scottish Smallpipe |
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This instrument has all the same characteristics as the A-2000 above, including the watertrap and the bass/baritone/tenor drone configuration, but is in the higher pitch of 'D.' The hole-spacing is tighter, but there are two advantages to this instrument. First, it is a distinctly sweeter sound the the 'A' version. Secondly, the higher pitch carries better when the pipes are being played with other instruments.
Plastic
Cdn $695
Blackwood with imitation ivory ferrules
Cdn $1210 (add $155 for plain Sterling silver ferrules)
LISTEN: Hear John Walsh playing a set of his D-2000 mouthblown Scottish smallpipes.
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| Walsh A/D Combo Scottish Smallpipe |
This ingenious combo set provides complete 'A' and 'D' pitches in a single bagpipe that comes with two separate chanters. Conversion from one pitch to the other requires simply changing the chanter and retuning the drones.
Plastic
Cdn $1110
Blackwood with imitation ivory ferrules
Cdn $1665 (add $285 for plain Sterling silver ferrules)
John Walsh smallpipes can be equipped with a bellows for Cdn $325. An added adaptor allows them to be blown by either bellows or lung-power for Cdn $110. You may email me for more information, though personally, I think John's Scottish smallpipes are at their best when mouth blown.
John Walsh also makes superb Highland pipes and practice chanters. For more information, go to the appropriate pages on this website or feel free to email me with questions.
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