Scottish smallpipes in A, Bb, C, D.

An indoor bagpipe with narrow cylindrical bores.

Introduction to the Scottish smallpipes

Again there is plenty of evidence, mainly from Scottish collections, that these instruments existed in the past. The modern revival, which dates from the late 1970s, is not an attempt to recreate historical examples but rather an application of principles found in Northumbrian pipemaking to something having a Scottish appearance, hence the replacement of long metal ferrules by shorter ones made from metal or ivory, and the use of stoppers, if present, rather than end valves, to shut off the drones. Possibly the inspiration for some makers could have been the minature pipes made by the Edinburgh firm of David Glen & Sons, which would have provided models for the drones, or perhaps a revised design of the long practice chanter was adapted to play with a longer version of the Northumbrian reed. Earlier chanters tended to be short, with large tone holes and no vent holes. Modern developments have extended the original pitch of E or thereabouts downwards, and the pitches commonly available nowadays are typically D (for playing with other instruments), C (for singing), Bb ( for singing or practising the Highland pipe at a lower volume) and A (popular with pipers generally and a good pitch for solo playing). The pitches increase in brightness as the chanter becomes shorter. The Scottish chanters respond to Highland fingering and produce the correct grace notes. On the other hand, being cylindrically bored, they respond to most types of alternative or hybrid fingering. Also the bore characteristics (though some work is done to balance high and low registers) tend to emphasise higher notes, so that a gracing style simpler than that of the Highland pipe seems to be in order.

Early revival instruments placed a baritone drone in the drone system, but this seems not to be entirely staisfactory in the lower pitches, where the strong harmonic E - B clashes with the tonic A. Players report its effective use in certain tunes, but often it is shut off. A bass / tenor / tenor arrangement adds some richness. The addition of a small drone, for example A - a - D - d and an additional D chanter is a good way forward and is called a combination set. The addition of tuning beads and keys can make sets with interesting contrasts (for example D major and E minor) available, and with the addition of a sharp seventh key the chanter can accommodate English as well as Scottish tunes.

With / without keys

A / D combination sets with interchangeable chanter stocks.

	NEW: Boxwood smallpipe chanter in D with 2 keys C# and E
	For some time I have been thinking of designing one of these - a chanter that can play Scottish music, English music and the Border tunes - well, here it is. The C# key (on the left) is operated by the right hand thumb, the left hand meanwhile playing the normal Scottish fingering for C (= G on the A chanter). With both keys closed it works as a normal SSP chanter. The C# key will also produce a D# on a different fingering. I was tempted to call it a "Hexhamshire" chanter as on it can be played the tune "The Hexhamshire Lass" (NPS Second Tune Book, 21). Very nice tone from genuine boxwood, which however is not readily available. See the materials available below to order.
	Price: £195.00

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Materials choice

The table indicates current materials for SSP mounts and ferrules

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Scottish Smallpipes: some sets from 2006

I had been asked to make these blackwood smallpipes in an appropriate style, for which I combined details from a border set attributed to Reid with separate tops taken from the familiar plans in Cocks & Bryan, these latter being stylised thistles and therefore fitting for the Scottish pipe. The blackwood is at least 50 years old and the boxwood is genuine box. Inside the tops are expansion chambers which amplify and moderate the drone sound. The boxwood sections are secured to the blackwood bases via cords which hold the stoppers. The stoppers are necessary for the combination sets and invariably get lost, so some means of attaching them has to be found, brass or silver chains being another option. The sound is bright and reedy. Keys permit the usual range of 9 notes to be extended upwards, so that the Border and other tunes can be played, or more interesting arrangements of familiar tunes. Keys always introduce the possibility of playing in minor keys, for which the addition of further tuning beads would be a good idea. But this is perhaps to over-complicate the Scottish instument and risk re-inventing the NSP.

Shortly afterwards came a request for another combination set with 4 keys, two on each chanter, made from Madagascan rosewood (of which there are around 24 types, this one being particularly dense and heavy). The drone shapes come from my 'A' set, itself derived from a Reid border set, and the tops, separate again, are an Irish pattern. The stoppers are retained by a matching brown cord. A brass insert aligns with the tuning bead when at the 'open' position to give E. A further option would be to have a normal D drone and the tuning bead on the smallest drone to give a high E. Boxwood is a resilient timber and suitable for use in ferrules, though the ferrule on the mainstock is brass. There are decorated ferrules on the standing parts, as on the set above.

Below, a Scottish set in C, fairly standard in design but with long decorated brass ferrules and boxwood mounts. The stoppers in the drone ends are also box. Hide bag by James Begg of Glasgow.

View of the drone system below. Brass, Mopane, Rosewood tops with simple stoppers. Tulip wood stock.