| Etymology | | | | the regulators, and independently supply air to them. |
| The word uilleann comes from the Irish (Gaelic) word | | | | Thus the regulators could be played with the drones |
| uille with genitive of "uilleann", meaning elbow, | | | | silenced. In the late 19th century it became more |
| emphasizing the use of the elbow when playing the | | | | common to build the stock from a solid piece of |
| uilleann pipes. However, the pipes were originally called | | | | wood, with 5 holes bored through it end-to-end. This |
| "Union pipes," the first printed instance of this at the | | | | was less susceptible to damage than the earlier |
| end of the 18th century, perhaps to denote the | | | | design. The piper is also able to switch on and off |
| union of the chanter, drones, and regulators. Another | | | | various drones individually (applying slightly more |
| theory is that it was played throughout a prototypical | | | | pressure to the bag and tapping the end of a drone), |
| full Union of England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. | | | | which is generally used to aid in tuning (a technique |
| This was only realized, however, in 1800, with the | | | | used in almost all bagpipes which have drones) or all |
| Act of Union; the name for the bagpipe slightly | | | | of them at the same time using this key. This makes |
| precedes this. Alternatively Union pipes were certainly | | | | the instrument more versatile and usable not only as |
| a favourite of the upper classes in Scotland, Ireland | | | | a half set, but also to allow playing the chanter by |
| and the North-East of England and were fashionable | | | | itself. The drones use a single-bladed reed (the actual |
| for a time in formal social settings, where the term | | | | part creating sound), unlike the double reed used in |
| Union pipes may also originate. | | | | the chanter and the regulators. These drone reeds |
| The term "uilleann pipes" came into use at the | | | | were generally made from elderberry twigs in the |
| beginning of the 20th century. William Henry Grattan | | | | past cane began to be used in the late 19th century. |
| Flood, an Irish music scholar, proposed the theory | | | | "Full set" |
| that the name "uilleann" came from the Irish word for | | | | A full set being played by Cillian Vallely |
| "elbow". He cited to this effect William Shakespeare's | | | | A "full set", as the name implies, is a complete set of |
| play The Merchant of Venice published in 1600 (Act | | | | uilleann pipes. This would be a half set with the |
| IV, sc. I, l. 55) where the expression "woollen pipes" | | | | addition of three "regulators". These are three closed |
| appears. This theory originated in correspondence | | | | pipes, similar to the chanter, held in the stock. Like |
| between two earlier antiquarians, and was adopted | | | | the drones, they are usually given the terms tenor, |
| as gospel by the Gaelic League. The use of "uilleann" | | | | baritone, and bass, from smallest to largest. A |
| was perhaps also a rebellion against the term "union" | | | | regulator uses keys (five on the tenor and four on |
| with its connotations of English rule. It was however | | | | both baritone and bass) to accompany the melody of |
| shown by Breandn Breathnach that it would be | | | | the chanter; these keys are arranged in rows to give |
| difficult to explain the Anglicization of the word 'uillin' | | | | limited two note "chords," or, alternatively, single |
| into 'woollen' before the 16th century (when the | | | | notes for emphasis on phrases or specific notes. The |
| instrument did not exist as such) and then its | | | | notes of the regulators, from highest to lowest |
| adaptation as 'union' two centuries later. See Folk | | | | (given a nominal pitch of D) are as follows: Tenor: C, |
| Music and Dances of Ireland, Cork, The Mercier | | | | B, A, G, F#. Baritone: A, G, F#, D. Bass: C, B, A, G. |
| Press, 1971, p. 77. A much more likely explanation is | | | | The tenor and baritone regulators fit into the front |
| the fact that many bagpipe bags of that earlier type | | | | face of the stock, on top of the drones; the bass |
| were made from goatskins which still had the fur | | | | regulator is attached to the side of the stock |
| attached. | | | | (furthest from the piper), and is of complex |
| History | | | | construction. |
| The first bagpipes to be well-attested to for Ireland | | | | Another method of using the regulators is to play |
| were similar, if not identical, to the Highland pipes that | | | | what are referred to as "hand chords": when the |
| are now played in Scotland. These are known as the | | | | melody (usually in a slower piece of music such as an |
| "Great Irish Warpipes". In Irish and Scottish Gaelic, | | | | air) is being played on the chanter exclusively with |
| this instrument was called the pob mhr ("great pipe"). | | | | the left hand, the right hand will be free to create |
| While the warpipe was alive and well upon the | | | | more complex chords, using all three regulators at |
| battlefields of France, the warpipe had almost | | | | once if so desired. Many airs end a section on a G or |
| disappeared in Ireland. The union or uilleann pipe | | | | A note in the first octave, at which point a piper will |
| required the joining of a bellows under the right arm, | | | | often play one of these hand chords for dramatic |
| which pumped air via a tube to the bagpipe under | | | | effect. |
| the left arm, with bellows. The uilleann or union pipes | | | | The difficulty of playing a melody, pumping the |
| developed around the beginning of the 18th century, | | | | bellows, keeping constant pressure on the bag and |
| the history of which is here depicted in prints of | | | | playing the regulators at the same time, precludes |
| carvings and pictures from contemporary sources. At | | | | most pipers from using the regulators much; some |
| about the same time the Northumbrian smallpipe was | | | | pipers have played for years and years yet have little |
| evolving into its modern form, early in the 18th | | | | ability to use them. Some pipe makers also add |
| century; a tutor of the 1750s calls this early form of | | | | another regulator with one key to play an E (a tone |
| the uilleann pipes the "Pastoral or New bagpipe." The | | | | above the chanter's lowest note); this allows a whole |
| Pastoral pipes were bellows blown and played in | | | | tune to be played with the regulators, which was |
| either a seated or standing position. The conical bored | | | | occasionally mentioned in old accounts of pipers. |
| chanter was played "open," that is, legato, unlike the | | | | Sometimes this E key is added to the tenor |
| uilleann pipes, which can also be played "closed," that | | | | regulator, or, more rarely, the baritone. Another |
| is, staccato. The early Pastoral pipes had two drones, | | | | addition is a "double bass" regulator, giving the notes |
| and later examples had one (or rarely, two) | | | | F#, E, D, below the bass regulator. The regulators |
| regulator(s). The Pastoral and later flat set Union | | | | use the same double-bladed reed as the chanter. A |
| pipes developed with ideas on the instrument being | | | | final occasional variant, the three-quarter set, omits |
| traded back-and-forth between Ireland, Scotland and | | | | the bass regulator. The pipes evolved from one |
| England , around the 18th and early 19th century. | | | | regulator, to two, to three, which became a de facto |
| The earliest surviving sets of uilleann pipes date from | | | | standard in the early 19th century. |
| the second half of the 18th century but it must be | | | | Chanter |
| said that datings are not definitive. Only recently has | | | | The chanter is the part of the uilleann pipes that is |
| scientific attention begun to be paid to the | | | | used to play the melody. It has eight finger holes |
| instrument and problems relating to various stages of | | | | (example given of a D pitched chanter): Bottom D, E, |
| its development have yet to be resolved. | | | | E, F, G, A, B, C, C, D' (also called "back D"). To |
| Tuning | | | | achieve the "bottom D" the chanter is lifted off the |
| The instrument most typically is tuned in the key of | | | | knee, exposing the exit of the chanter's bore, where |
| D, although "flat" sets do exist in other keys, such as | | | | the note is produced. The chanter is set on the right |
| C, C, B and B, and a few sets in E have been tried. | | | | knee thus closing off the bottom hole. Many players |
| These terms only began to be used in the 1970s, | | | | use a strip of leather placed over the knee, called a |
| when pipemakers began to receive requests for | | | | "popping strap," which provides for an airtight seal. |
| pipes that would be in tune with Generation tin | | | | More rarely, a simple gravity- or spring- operated flap |
| whistles, which are stamped with the key they play | | | | valve attached to the bottom of the chanter |
| in: C, B, etc. The chanter length determines the | | | | achieves the same end. Generally, for all other notes |
| overall tuning; accompanying pieces of the | | | | (except for special effects, or to vary the volume |
| instrument, such as drones and regulators, are tuned | | | | and tone) the chanter stays on the knee. |
| to the same key as the chanter. Chanters of around | | | | One characteristic of the chanter is that it can |
| 362mm (14 1/4") length produce a bottom note on | | | | produce staccato notes, because the piper seals it |
| or near D above middle C on the piano (where | | | | off at the bottom; with all of the finger holes closed, |
| A=440 Hz, i.e. modern "concert pitch"). The modern | | | | the chanter is silenced. This is also necessary for |
| concert pitch pipes are a relatively recent invention, | | | | obtaining the second octave; the chanter must be |
| pioneered by the Taylor brothers, originally of | | | | closed and the bag pressure increased, and then |
| Drogheda, Ireland and later of Philadelphia, | | | | fingered notes will sound in the second octave. A |
| Pennsylvania, in the late nineteenth century. Concert | | | | great range of different timbres can be achieved by |
| pitch pipes typically have wider bores and larger tone | | | | varying the fingering of notes and also raising the |
| holes than the earlier "flat" pitch sets, and as a | | | | chanter off the knee, which gives the uilleann pipes a |
| consequence are a good deal louder, though by no | | | | degree of dynamic range not found in other forms |
| means as loud as the Highland pipes of Scotland. | | | | of bagpipes. Pipers who use staccato fingering often |
| They were developed by the Taylors to meet the | | | | are termed "closed-style" pipers. Those who use |
| requirements of playing in larger venues in the United | | | | legato fingering more predominately are referred to |
| States; today they are the most common type of | | | | as "open-style" pipers. Open piping has historical |
| uilleann pipes encountered, though many players still | | | | associations with musicians (often Irish travelling |
| prefer the mellower sound of the earlier style | | | | people) who played on the street or outdoors, since |
| narrow-bore pipes, which exist in pitches ranging from | | | | the open fingering is somewhat louder, especially with |
| D, through C, C, and B down to B. Pipemakers | | | | the chanter played off-the-knee (which can, |
| before the Taylors had, however, built concert pitch | | | | however, lead to faulty pitch with the second octave |
| pipes using the narrower bores and smaller | | | | notes). |
| fingerholes of the flat pipes. Some of these | | | | A type of simultaneous vibrato and tremolo can be |
| instruments seem to have been designed with lower | | | | achieved by tapping a finger below the open note |
| pitch standards in mind, such as A=415. The Taylors | | | | hole on the chanter. The bottom note also has two |
| also built many instruments with higher pitch | | | | different "modes", namely the "soft D" and the "hard |
| standards in mind, such as the Old Philharmonic pitch | | | | D". The hard bottom D sounds louder and more |
| of A=453 that was commonplace in late 19th century | | | | strident than the soft D and is accomplished by |
| America. | | | | applying slightly more pressure to the bag and flicking |
| The D pipes are most commonly used in ensembles, | | | | a higher note finger as it is sounded. Pipemakers tune |
| while the flat-pitched pipes are more often used for | | | | the chanter so the hard D is the in-tune note, the |
| solo playing often a fiddler will "tune down" their | | | | soft D usually being slightly flat. |
| instrument to play with a piper's flat set, but the | | | | Many chanters are fitted with keys to allow accurate |
| inflexibility of other instruments used in Irish music | | | | playing of all the semitones of the scale. Four keys |
| (accordions, flutes, etc.) usually disallows this. It is | | | | will give all the semitones: F natural, G sharp, B flat, C |
| noteworthy that Irish music was predominately solo | | | | natural. Older chanters usually had another key for |
| music until the late 19th century, when these | | | | producing d3 in the third octave, and often another |
| fixed-pitch instruments began to play more of a role. | | | | small key for e3, and another for D#' (as opposed to |
| Like pipe organs, uilleann pipes are not normally tuned | | | | the E fingerhole, which could be slightly off-pitch). |
| to even temperament, but rather to just intonation, | | | | Most uilleann chanters are very responsive to |
| so that the chanter and regulators can blend sweetly | | | | "half-holing" or "sliding", which is the practice of |
| with the three drones. Equal temperament is almost | | | | obtaining a note by leaving a fingerhole only half |
| universal with the fixed pitch instruments used in Irish | | | | covered. This is why many chanters sold in Ireland |
| music, which can clash with the tuning of the pipes. | | | | are sold without keys. With this technique and some |
| Instrument variations | | | | practice, many pipers can accurately play the |
| Starting out The "practice set" | | | | semi-tones which would otherwise require a |
| Because of the instrument's complexity, beginning | | | | chromatic key to be installed. The exception to this is |
| uilleann pipers often start out with partial sets known | | | | the C natural in the second octave, which cannot be |
| as practice sets. | | | | cross-fingered or half-holed, and requires the key. |
| Starter or Practice Set | | | | This is the most commonly fitted key. |
| A practice set consists of only the basic elements of | | | | The chanter uses a double reed, similar to that of |
| pipe bag, bellows and chanter, with no drones or | | | | the oboe or bassoon. Unlike most reed instruments, |
| regulators. The chanter is available in keys ranging | | | | the uilleann pipe reed must be crafted so that it can |
| from the "concert pitch" D chanter in half-note steps | | | | play two full octaves accurately, without the fine |
| downward to a B chanter, the latter of which | | | | tuning allowed by the use of a player's lips; only bag |
| regularly is referred to as a "flat set" (as are any | | | | pressure and fingering patterns can be used to |
| sets below the key of D). | | | | maintain the correct pitch of each note. It is for this |
| In order to play the uilleann pipes effectively, | | | | reason that making uilleann pipe chanter reeds is a |
| students must learn to pump the bellows steadily | | | | demanding task. Uilleann pipe reeds are also often |
| while controlling the pressure on the bag and playing | | | | called "the piper's despair" for the immense difficulty |
| the chanter simultaneously. Therefore, beginning | | | | of maintaining, tuning and especially making the double |
| students often play on practice sets until they | | | | reed of the regulators and, most importantly, the |
| become comfortable with those basic mechanics. | | | | chanter. |
| Despite their name, however, practice sets are used | | | | See also |
| not only by beginning players but also by some | | | | Types of bagpipes |
| advanced players when they wish to play just the | | | | List of All Ireland Uilleann pipe champions |
| chanter with other musicians, either live or in | | | | List of bagpipers |
| recording sessions. In these instances, the practice | | | | List of pipe makers |
| sets can be tuned to equal temperament if needed. | | | | List of published bagpipe music |
| "Half set" | | | | List of nontraditional bagpipe usage |
| A half set is the next stage up from a practice set. | | | | List of bagpipe technology books |
| As with other forms of bagpipes, uilleann pipes use | | | | Glossary of bagpipe terms |
| "drones", which are most commonly three pipes | | | | Tomas O'Canainn |
| accompanying the melody of the chanter with a | | | | References |
| constant background tonic note. The pipes are | | | | ^ Brian. E. McCandless. he Pastoral Bagpipe Iris na |
| generally equipped with three drones: a) the tenor | | | | bPiobairi (The pipers review) 17 (Spring 1998), 2: p. |
| dronehe highest sounding pipe which is pitched the | | | | 19-28. |
| same as the lowest note of the chanter, b) the | | | | ^ H. Cheape. The Union Pipe of Scotland and Ireland: |
| baritone drone which is pitched one octave below | | | | A Shared Tradition. Lecture at the Royal Society of |
| that and c) the bass dronehe lowest sounding pipe, | | | | Antiquaries of Ireland (2007). |
| two octaves below the bottom note of the chanter. | | | | ^ G. Woolf hanter Design and Construction Methods |
| The Pastoral pipes had four drones, these three plus | | | | of the early Makers, Sean Reid Society Journal v2 no |
| one more which would play a harmony note at the | | | | 4 (2002). |
| fourth or fifth interval. These drones are connected | | | | Brian. E. McCandless. he Pastoral Bagpipe Iris na |
| to the pipe bag by a "stock". This is an intricately | | | | bPiobairi (The pipers review) 17 (Spring 1998), 2: p. |
| made wooden cylinder tied into the bag (as any | | | | 19-28. |
| other stock) by a thick yarn or hemp thread. The | | | | O'Farrell's Treatise on the Irish Bagpipes (The Union |
| drones connect to the stock, as do the "regulators" | | | | Pipes) 1801 |
| (see "Full Set" below). The stock and drones are laid | | | | External links |
| across the right thigh. This is distinct from other | | | | Article on uilleann pipes. |
| forms of bagpipes, in which the drones are usually | | | | The Irish piping organization Na Pobair Uilleann ("the |
| carried over the shoulder or over the right arm. | | | | uilleann pipers") |
| The drones can be switched off. This is made | | | | Amateur recordings of the uilleann pipes |
| possible by a key connected to the stock. The | | | | Interview with piper Brian McNamara |
| original design of the stock was a hollow cylinder, | | | | CraicTunes. |
| with two metal tubes running through it to both hold | | | | |
