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Irish Uilleann Pipes
Irish Uilleann Pipes
Nearly every country and culture in the world has a native form of bagpipes, and the Uilleann pipes belong to Ireland. The exact details of the instrument's origins are unclear, but there are records of Irish bagpipes matching the characteristics of the Uilleann pipes dating back to the early 19th century, and debatably earlier as well. The Uilleann pipes (also occasionally called Union pipes) are similar to other bagpipes in that its several pipes are tied into an inflated bag which provides air to the instrument's multiple reeds. Unlike most other bagpipes however, the Uilleann pipes are played in a seated position, the necessity of which will be outlined below. The Uilleann pipes are also inflated not by the piper's breath blowing into the bag, but by a bellows squeezed between the piper's arm and his body.
One consequence of using a bellows rather than the piper's breath is that the bag and reeds are subject to significantly less moisture, and this allows the chanter (melody pipe) reed to be made much thinner and finer, allowing for a greater range. The Uilleann pipe chanter has a double reed, and a range of two octaves (sometimes slightly more), which is one of the largest ranges in the bagpipe world. The diatonic chanter itself has a conical bore, 7 finger holes on the front side and one thumb hold on the back, and may be fitted with keys to add chromatic notes. The chanter (and the rest of the set) are pitched in a common key such as D major (known as "concert pitch", having gathered favor in concert and performance halls in the late 19th century), or a lower pitch such as C#, C, B, or Bb, which are known as "flat pitch" pipes or "flat sets". A special aspect of the chanter is that the bottom (bell) of the chanter is rested on the seated piper's knee while playing. This means that when all the finger holes are covered, and the bell is against the knee, a unique phenominon for bagpipes occurs: silence. By lifting the bell off the knee, or lifting fingers off the holes, the piper is able to create staccato notes, and a wide range of expressive and haunting articulations.
The most basic form of the Uilleann pipes is called a "practice set", and comprises a bag, bellows to fill it, and a chanter. This arrangement is often used by beginners or for traveling, as it has the least number of component parts, least amount of reeds to maintain (only the chanter reed), and is the least expensive to obtain.
The Uilleann pipe drones, of which there are typically three (tenor, baritone, and bass), are fit into a single cylindrical stock which has a valve that the piper can operate to turn the drones on or off. The drones have a cylindrical bore, are powered by single blade reeds, and are tuned in octaves in the same key as the chanter. They provide a low, purring ground against which the chanter plays, creating the archetypal sound. The largest drone (bass drone) is so long that it folds back upon itself as to not be unweildy. However, it is still long and heavy enough that it needs to be rested on the piper's lap when playing. Adding the three drones and drone stock to the practice set forms a "half set".
The final component of the Uilleann pipes are the regulators. Regulators are plugged into the drone stock, sitting above the drones. They are conically bored pipes powered by double reeds, and are similar in construction to the chanter except that the bell end is plugged, and there are a series of keys mounted on the top side of each regulator tube to close the holes. When depressed, each key plays a single note. The regulators are tuned and arranged so that when rows of keys are pressed across the individual regulators, an open chord is played. These regulator keys are either held open for long durations or may be rhythmically played as well, and are typically operated by the wrist of the piper's lower hand on the chanter. Adding two regulators (the tenor and baritone) to a half set of pipes created a "3/4 set", and adding the third bass regulator (which has its own special extension tube off the side of the drone stock) is called a "full set".
In total then, a standard full set of Uilleann pipes comprises a bag, bellows, chanter, three drones, and three regulators, and uses four double reeds and three single reeds.
Uilleann pipes have traditionally been made from hard woods like ebony or boxwood, and trimmed and decorated with silver or brass metalwork and contrasting wooden mounts and decorations. There is a lot of variation in the construction of Uilleann pipes, however, and other configurations other than those outlined above do exist.
My set of pipes is made from ebony with brass metalwork and maple mounts and decorations, pitched in the key of D. It began as a half set made for me by C.J. Dixon and completed in 2007. In 2013, I took delivery of a tenor and baritone regulator from Bruce Childress. Bruce also made me a custom stock attachment to my own design, which incorperates a fourth drone tunable to the note F#, G, or A, and operated by a seperate switch, and a special regulator which playes only the note E (a note not found in the normal regulator compass). My chanter headpiece with stop key (a key which cuts off all airflow to the chanter when pressed) and the bass drone resonator were made by me, and can are detailed on the "Special Projects" page.
I do not consider myself any kind of great piper, but I enjoy practicing and learning about maintaining the instrument, and look at it as a very introspective and personal journey.
Nearly every country and culture in the world has a native form of bagpipes, and the Uilleann pipes belong to Ireland. The exact details of the instrument's origins are unclear, but there are records of Irish bagpipes matching the characteristics of the Uilleann pipes dating back to the early 19th century, and debatably earlier as well. The Uilleann pipes (also occasionally called Union pipes) are similar to other bagpipes in that its several pipes are tied into an inflated bag which provides air to the instrument's multiple reeds. Unlike most other bagpipes however, the Uilleann pipes are played in a seated position, the necessity of which will be outlined below. The Uilleann pipes are also inflated not by the piper's breath blowing into the bag, but by a bellows squeezed between the piper's arm and his body.
One consequence of using a bellows rather than the piper's breath is that the bag and reeds are subject to significantly less moisture, and this allows the chanter (melody pipe) reed to be made much thinner and finer, allowing for a greater range. The Uilleann pipe chanter has a double reed, and a range of two octaves (sometimes slightly more), which is one of the largest ranges in the bagpipe world. The diatonic chanter itself has a conical bore, 7 finger holes on the front side and one thumb hold on the back, and may be fitted with keys to add chromatic notes. The chanter (and the rest of the set) are pitched in a common key such as D major (known as "concert pitch", having gathered favor in concert and performance halls in the late 19th century), or a lower pitch such as C#, C, B, or Bb, which are known as "flat pitch" pipes or "flat sets". A special aspect of the chanter is that the bottom (bell) of the chanter is rested on the seated piper's knee while playing. This means that when all the finger holes are covered, and the bell is against the knee, a unique phenominon for bagpipes occurs: silence. By lifting the bell off the knee, or lifting fingers off the holes, the piper is able to create staccato notes, and a wide range of expressive and haunting articulations.
The most basic form of the Uilleann pipes is called a "practice set", and comprises a bag, bellows to fill it, and a chanter. This arrangement is often used by beginners or for traveling, as it has the least number of component parts, least amount of reeds to maintain (only the chanter reed), and is the least expensive to obtain.
The Uilleann pipe drones, of which there are typically three (tenor, baritone, and bass), are fit into a single cylindrical stock which has a valve that the piper can operate to turn the drones on or off. The drones have a cylindrical bore, are powered by single blade reeds, and are tuned in octaves in the same key as the chanter. They provide a low, purring ground against which the chanter plays, creating the archetypal sound. The largest drone (bass drone) is so long that it folds back upon itself as to not be unweildy. However, it is still long and heavy enough that it needs to be rested on the piper's lap when playing. Adding the three drones and drone stock to the practice set forms a "half set".
The final component of the Uilleann pipes are the regulators. Regulators are plugged into the drone stock, sitting above the drones. They are conically bored pipes powered by double reeds, and are similar in construction to the chanter except that the bell end is plugged, and there are a series of keys mounted on the top side of each regulator tube to close the holes. When depressed, each key plays a single note. The regulators are tuned and arranged so that when rows of keys are pressed across the individual regulators, an open chord is played. These regulator keys are either held open for long durations or may be rhythmically played as well, and are typically operated by the wrist of the piper's lower hand on the chanter. Adding two regulators (the tenor and baritone) to a half set of pipes created a "3/4 set", and adding the third bass regulator (which has its own special extension tube off the side of the drone stock) is called a "full set".
In total then, a standard full set of Uilleann pipes comprises a bag, bellows, chanter, three drones, and three regulators, and uses four double reeds and three single reeds.
Uilleann pipes have traditionally been made from hard woods like ebony or boxwood, and trimmed and decorated with silver or brass metalwork and contrasting wooden mounts and decorations. There is a lot of variation in the construction of Uilleann pipes, however, and other configurations other than those outlined above do exist.
My set of pipes is made from ebony with brass metalwork and maple mounts and decorations, pitched in the key of D. It began as a half set made for me by C.J. Dixon and completed in 2007. In 2013, I took delivery of a tenor and baritone regulator from Bruce Childress. Bruce also made me a custom stock attachment to my own design, which incorperates a fourth drone tunable to the note F#, G, or A, and operated by a seperate switch, and a special regulator which playes only the note E (a note not found in the normal regulator compass). My chanter headpiece with stop key (a key which cuts off all airflow to the chanter when pressed) and the bass drone resonator were made by me, and can are detailed on the "Special Projects" page.
I do not consider myself any kind of great piper, but I enjoy practicing and learning about maintaining the instrument, and look at it as a very introspective and personal journey.
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Click picture for more detail