From a cold start with no bellows blown small pipes experience, I take you on a trip for a month of learning. These are the Fred Morrison "Reelpipes", his version of small pipes, with the same fingering as Great Highland Bagpipes, but an inside friendlier and softer sound. Operating a bellows is more complicated than mouth blowing small pipes, but is a great skill for playing with other instruments, singing along etc. Although I've played "normal" bagpipes for over ten years this first month was frustrating, awkward, but rewarding as I saw progress. I summarize what I've learned and hope that others who are interested may get a realistic expectation of what to expect learning this wonderful instrument.
I've just bought a set of smallpipes so I know what you're going through. I only got them yesterday and assumed with bagpipe experience it would be pretty easy but it isn't. I keep checking there's no leaks,which there isn't but still I have to keep pumping away as if I were blowing up a bicycle tyre. It's encouraging to see the progress you've made in a month--not a long time in terms of learning a musical instrument. I watch the likes of Fred Morrison on YT but as is always the case it's the virtuosos who make it look easy. Keep at it--you'll get there. I've improved beyond recognition in the two years since I posted me on the bagpipe. I keep returning to it to remind me how far I've come.
Nice! I’m sure you’ve worked out a lot since earlier this year, but I found when I was figuring out bellows for uilleann pipes (also this past spring) that I was strapping them too high and having a very hard time. Eventually I had the bellows down at my waist, strapped just above my belt with the elbow strap around the lower crook of my elbow. Here I’m able to get full expansion of the bellows and good, comfortable control of them rather than pumping madly like I was before. Also found that the strap around the torso should be tight, but the elbow strap may well benefit from being just a hair loose. I found my right arm/hand pumps and plays much better this way as it is so much easier to relax-where as I was tensing up a lot with the bellows strapped tight to my arm above the elbow.
Wow! Some kind of analysis! That was great! I think it shows that you need to set up your own way, for comfort and pumping efficiency. I found too low and it bruised my hip and was too hard on my arm, and too high is a bit tight in the chest. I also find it easier to sit and play, with the bellows higher and “wedged” in place, than standing where its a lower setup and a bit more work. Its been about 6 months now since I did that video, I try to pick up the smallpipes every day for at least 15 minutes. My fingering hasn’t got a whole lot better but my pumping is smoother and steadier. Uilleann pipes, nice! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for this comment! Had a reasonable handle on the bellows before, but have just lowered them per your comment and it's like night and day how much more comfortable it is now.
Thanks so much for this. I purchased a set of bellows border pipes and got so frustrated. Been a blown pipe player for years. I’m going to start over by moving the bellows up like you and taking it slow.
Good luck with it, it’s a brand new instrument really, you just know the chanter fingering already! But you become part of the whole other world of bellows pipes which are a fun journey. Start slow and make sure your bellows are high and the tube connecting the pipes is across your chest and not too short or too long. Thanks!
Nice one.i have a set of mccallum smallpipes,combination set A & D,.Being playing them for just under a year.The D chanter has got a sweeter sound,i think,but that's my choice.Anyway i hope your keeping them up.It seems strange at first but you'll get used to them.
I've been wanting to learn the bagpipes for a long time. I can't decide between the great pipes and the small pipes. I would love to take them hiking and camping. I know the small pipes are more portable, but the great pipes sound so impressive,especially in the wilderness!
There are so many good online instructors now that can get you started on a practice chanter, which is the common learning instrument to ALL types of bagpipes. As you establish fingering techniques and breath control you can decide if you want to go GHB or smallpipes. And the practice chanter, when nicely played is a legitimate instrument to take hiking and camping as well. there are some nice electronic versions available too which provide the full drone sound of full bagpipes or the sweeter soft sound of smallpipes, check my other video on electronic chanters. No reason to not have it all!
@@CommanderZarkon Any good plastic chanter and reed from the big pipe makers will do.Dont go cheap on ebay with the less than $75 ones, you’ll hate them. But you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on african blackwood either. Find a local shop if possible to try them out or order online. The online dealers truly want you to be happy and encourage new learners. they will get you started and support you. Once you are getting along on the simple plastic chanter then you can decide on an electronic one (there are several excellent ones) or go for it and get yourself some pipes, again many good second hand ones on ebay, craigslist etc, but DONt buy the cheap “new” ones on ebay, they are horrible crap.
@@NorthOlbo Not quite sure if your comment was recommending the bellows or not. I'm hoping to get a set of blown smallpipes, but still tossing up if I want to get the bellows also. The bellows will be an additional cost so don't want to spend the extra money if I'm not getting extra benefit from them. Hope my questions doesn't sound cheeky and any advise would be really appreciated.
The longer Ive played these the more I agree! Once I’m too old and tired to keep the GHB big boys going its nice to keep the music going with bellows. But my mouth blown small pipes, and shuttle pipes are still WAY smaller for travelling with. The bellows is a bulky part of these pipes that wont get any smaller.
Interesting! Without the moisture and pressure of a GHB bag I’m sure these smallpipe bags last longer, but I never thought they’d sound different. Do you know of any recordings showing the difference? Thanks for the comment.
@@NorthOlbo I am guessing the comment wasn't about sound but about feel. I am new to small pipes and reel pipes but on on the Highland pipes I definitely much prefer the feel of a hide bag to synthetic - and there you actually hear the difference though I doubt you can hear it on a recording.
@@NorthOlbo The hide bag for smallpipes (with bellows) are specially treated to play dry and will last for years. The difference is in the feel of the pipes and the response from the reeds. Warnock makes one as does Bennett, Henderson Imports has a tie-in service as well. Also, I'm surprised your set didn't have the drone plugs included, if you contact McCallum they can provide a set to you at a reasonable cost.
@@WootTootZoot My bellows smallpipes were second hand so that may explain the missing plugs. Thanks for the info on the hide. My mouth blown smallpipes have a synthetic bag but the drones/chanter combination (Walsh) have such a crisp "perky"sound I dont think the bag has any effect. A fair bit of moisture goes into them from playing and the bag doesnt open, chanter, drones can be removed but bag could get pretty funky. I always open my GHB pipe bag wide open after playing to make sure it dried completely. Its an issue with mouth blown pipes for sure.
You're getting it. Takes a little time to learn the feel and function of the pipes. Could you provide the music for the Mermaid Song and Lagan Love Song? Thanks
Thanks! its been over a year now and I try to play every day. Bellows were a challenge to start, still are, but I think better than blown smallpipes now. Anyway, here is a link to music for Mermaid Song ericdentinger.com/mermaid-song_en.html and another for Lagan Love Song...hope it works! www.nhaohpad.org/lagan-love-song.html
After many years on the GHB I was thinking to invest some money and time to make the transition to bellow blown small pipes. I thought it would be a rather easy cross to make, but your video scared the shit out of me. I guess I will stick to the GHB only. But thanks for sharing and for the effort.
Thats an interesting comment and certainly not a good outcome of my video! I think a good accessory to the GHBs is a nice little set of mouth blown smallpipes first. There are lots around, every GHB maker creates them, and there are independents out there too (like Walsh...excellent plastic pipes that can be found in the resale market all the time). If you like the indoors sound and the "relaxed" feel of them next to the full body commitment of the GHBs then... consider bellows blown. Ive had two previous sets of second hand bellows that had old, stiff leather and were frightening to use on the smallpipes (the blow stick detached so you could go either way). When I spent the $ on a proper new set of flexible bellows it was SO much easier. I still like the mouth blown smallpipes for travelling, in fact I just bought a set of walsh shuttle pipes which are even smaller and easily fit in my carryon luggage (those were the days!...travel!). Talk to a few pipers and you'll be able to borrow a set of smallpipes, and if you like them keep your eye on Ebay, Craigslist, Pipes/Drum magazine etc. They show up all the time, don't bother with the new "offshore" cheap smallpipes for ridiculously small $ on Ebay. They are likely disappointing. You'll not get away with less than $400 for a decent set and get a sound sample if possible (although that will be a good example of the piper perhaps more so than the pipes!). The bellows smallpipes bring you into the world of ceilidhs, home concerts, jam sessions with other instruments and singers, really a whole other scene than pipe bands and funerals/marriages. Go see my video where I'm at six months into it. It's not horrible (I think anyway!). I'm no lifer piper, only 10 years total and I'm an old fart too...So it is possible. OK, too much sharing, but I wanted to reply to your thoughtful comment. Cheers!
Thanks for you nice and informative reply. I guess for me is not necessarily question of money but time invested versus result. When I say results I mean just to play decently without wavering drones all over the place. So I opted out. Not your fault it is my fear over another huge commitment. I know how long it took for me to learn how to play decently with the GHB and the idea of starting from scratch again is just too much. As I said Before I thought the transition was easier. Cheers bro.
I was going to say, I'm new at this. Like, I literally just bought a practice chanter and it came the other day -- and once I figured out which end you blow into, why it wasn't making any noise -- oh, there's the reed in a separate package -- and now what is that low growling noise? -- I was hoping to move on to the real thing. Or at least a practice real thing like the RG Hardie practice set. I like the sound of the smallpipes so I was thinking someday I'd get one of those. Now, seeing a seasoned piper flailing about (week 3 was brutal, man), maybe I'm better off sticking to the kalimba sitting on my desk. Or better yet, play drummer with those chopsticks from last nights takeout.
@@Pteromandias great comments! BTW, I would never suggest anyone learn a chanter, let alone bagpipes, on their own. Way too hard. There are lots of piper/instructors around and loads online who will get you started at least. I was thinking renaming this video, "How to Learn Bellows Smallpipes in only 10 Years!" but I didnt want to make it look too easy...:)
Excuse my ignorance, but starting at 17:55; are those small pipes as well? They have a higher pitched sound than the other small pipes. Those seem to have the perfect balance between portability and pitch!
Those are the same smallpipes as the ones I was playing, except those were played by an expert Fred Morrison who has them tuned and tweaked to perfection and plays with exceptional skill. Not to be confused with me! You’ve got to start somewhere though!
Those are not the same smallpipes ! The ones Fred Morrison is playing, are the reelpipes. Also in A, but an octave higher, I think. But definitely not the same.
@@NorthOlbo Like Dries8504 pointed out, you're incorrectly using "reelpipes" and "smallpipes" interchangeably, and they're two totally different instruments with completely different characteristics. Reelpipes have a conical bore and are thus an octave higher (like GHB) and noticeably louder than smallpipes, the drones are totally different and use a different reed set, plus you can perform cross-fingerings to get a chromatic scale on reelpipes, which means they're much less forgiving than smallpipes.
@@greyhound6375 My mistake and thanks for correcting. When I originally bought these Fred Morrison was playing his set and referred to them as reel pipes. But he was selling smallpipes, made by McCallum, as his design, which is what I bought., and kept calling them reel pipes. I knew so little at the time I thought it was merely some marketing name Fred was throwing about. You are right about being completely different sounds, but the basics of bellows, fingering etc is the same. Just that you will sound way worse, and louder, with the reel pipes!.
Hello sir, your Video is very inspiring! I gonna start to Play Fred's smallpipes soon, too and I would like to play Lagan Love Story. Do you have the sheet music for this?
I dont have the music except for the first couple of bars, its such a simple tune you may be able to write it out just by listening. thanks for positive comments, good luck with the smallpipes. 6 months in I’m still learning a lot but much happier in the sound. I ended up using the chanter off my Walsh smallpipes as its easier to land cleanly on the notes. I’ll get back to the original chanter when I’m a better player!
@@nickwsixty5835 thanks for your answer! I wrote it down some days ago, its wonderful and I can't stop thinking about it :D did you cut off a bit from your tube which connects the bag and the bellow? I did cut it a bit and helped me a lot cause I'm a thin guy, it may help if you have still problems with the pressure
From a cold start with no bellows blown small pipes experience, I take you on a trip for a month of learning. These are the Fred Morrison "Reelpipes", his version of small pipes, with the same fingering as Great Highland Bagpipes, but an inside friendlier and softer sound. Operating a bellows is more complicated than mouth blowing small pipes, but is a great skill for playing with other instruments, singing along etc. Although I've played "normal" bagpipes for over ten years this first month was frustrating, awkward, but rewarding as I saw progress. I summarize what I've learned and hope that others who are interested may get a realistic expectation of what to expect learning this wonderful instrument.
I've just bought a set of smallpipes so I know what you're going through. I only got them yesterday and assumed with bagpipe experience it would be pretty easy but it isn't. I keep checking there's no leaks,which there isn't but still I have to keep pumping away as if I were blowing up a bicycle tyre. It's encouraging to see the progress you've made in a month--not a long time in terms of learning a musical instrument. I watch the likes of Fred Morrison on YT but as is always the case it's the virtuosos who make it look easy. Keep at it--you'll get there. I've improved beyond recognition in the two years since I posted me on the bagpipe. I keep returning to it to remind me how far I've come.
Thank you for sharing the struggle :)
Nice! I’m sure you’ve worked out a lot since earlier this year, but I found when I was figuring out bellows for uilleann pipes (also this past spring) that I was strapping them too high and having a very hard time. Eventually I had the bellows down at my waist, strapped just above my belt with the elbow strap around the lower crook of my elbow. Here I’m able to get full expansion of the bellows and good, comfortable control of them rather than pumping madly like I was before. Also found that the strap around the torso should be tight, but the elbow strap may well benefit from being just a hair loose. I found my right arm/hand pumps and plays much better this way as it is so much easier to relax-where as I was tensing up a lot with the bellows strapped tight to my arm above the elbow.
Wow! Some kind of analysis! That was great! I think it shows that you need to set up your own way, for comfort and pumping efficiency. I found too low and it bruised my hip and was too hard on my arm, and too high is a bit tight in the chest. I also find it easier to sit and play, with the bellows higher and “wedged” in place, than standing where its a lower setup and a bit more work. Its been about 6 months now since I did that video, I try to pick up the smallpipes every day for at least 15 minutes. My fingering hasn’t got a whole lot better but my pumping is smoother and steadier. Uilleann pipes, nice! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for this comment! Had a reasonable handle on the bellows before, but have just lowered them per your comment and it's like night and day how much more comfortable it is now.
Thanks so much for this. I purchased a set of bellows border pipes and got so frustrated. Been a blown pipe player for years. I’m going to start over by moving the bellows up like you and taking it slow.
Good luck with it, it’s a brand new instrument really, you just know the chanter fingering already! But you become part of the whole other world of bellows pipes which are a fun journey. Start slow and make sure your bellows are high and the tube connecting the pipes is across your chest and not too short or too long. Thanks!
Thanks! 😎
Nice one.i have a set of mccallum smallpipes,combination set A & D,.Being playing them for just under a year.The D chanter has got a sweeter sound,i think,but that's my choice.Anyway i hope your keeping them up.It seems strange at first but you'll get used to them.
I've been wanting to learn the bagpipes for a long time. I can't decide between the great pipes and the small pipes. I would love to take them hiking and camping. I know the small pipes are more portable, but the great pipes sound so impressive,especially in the wilderness!
There are so many good online instructors now that can get you started on a practice chanter, which is the common learning instrument to ALL types of bagpipes. As you establish fingering techniques and breath control you can decide if you want to go GHB or smallpipes. And the practice chanter, when nicely played is a legitimate instrument to take hiking and camping as well. there are some nice electronic versions available too which provide the full drone sound of full bagpipes or the sweeter soft sound of smallpipes, check my other video on electronic chanters. No reason to not have it all!
@@NorthOlbo Thank you! Do you recommend a practice chanter that's not too pricey?
@@CommanderZarkon Any good plastic chanter and reed from the big pipe makers will do.Dont go cheap on ebay with the less than $75 ones, you’ll hate them. But you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on african blackwood either. Find a local shop if possible to try them out or order online. The online dealers truly want you to be happy and encourage new learners. they will get you started and support you. Once you are getting along on the simple plastic chanter then you can decide on an electronic one (there are several excellent ones) or go for it and get yourself some pipes, again many good second hand ones on ebay, craigslist etc, but DONt buy the cheap “new” ones on ebay, they are horrible crap.
@@NorthOlbo Thank you! I am looking at a McCallum chanter, regular size. Thank you!!!
@@NorthOlbo Not quite sure if your comment was recommending the bellows or not. I'm hoping to get a set of blown smallpipes, but still tossing up if I want to get the bellows also. The bellows will be an additional cost so don't want to spend the extra money if I'm not getting extra benefit from them.
Hope my questions doesn't sound cheeky and any advise would be really appreciated.
Having experience owning both mouth blown and bellows, bellows are definitely the way to go.
The longer Ive played these the more I agree! Once I’m too old and tired to keep the GHB big boys going its nice to keep the music going with bellows. But my mouth blown small pipes, and shuttle pipes are still WAY smaller for travelling with. The bellows is a bulky part of these pipes that wont get any smaller.
Get a hide bag for your Fred Morrison pipes. It makes a huge difference in how the pipes feel and play.
Interesting! Without the moisture and pressure of a GHB bag I’m sure these smallpipe bags last longer, but I never thought they’d sound different. Do you know of any recordings showing the difference? Thanks for the comment.
@@NorthOlbo I am guessing the comment wasn't about sound but about feel. I am new to small pipes and reel pipes but on on the Highland pipes I definitely much prefer the feel of a hide bag to synthetic - and there you actually hear the difference though I doubt you can hear it on a recording.
@@NorthOlbo The hide bag for smallpipes (with bellows) are specially treated to play dry and will last for years. The difference is in the feel of the pipes and the response from the reeds. Warnock makes one as does Bennett, Henderson Imports has a tie-in service as well. Also, I'm surprised your set didn't have the drone plugs included, if you contact McCallum they can provide a set to you at a reasonable cost.
@@WootTootZoot My bellows smallpipes were second hand so that may explain the missing plugs. Thanks for the info on the hide. My mouth blown smallpipes have a synthetic bag but the drones/chanter combination (Walsh) have such a crisp "perky"sound I dont think the bag has any effect. A fair bit of moisture goes into them from playing and the bag doesnt open, chanter, drones can be removed but bag could get pretty funky. I always open my GHB pipe bag wide open after playing to make sure it dried completely. Its an issue with mouth blown pipes for sure.
Thanks for this.
You're getting it. Takes a little time to learn the feel and function of the pipes. Could you provide the music for the Mermaid Song and Lagan Love Song? Thanks
Thanks! its been over a year now and I try to play every day. Bellows were a challenge to start, still are, but I think better than blown smallpipes now. Anyway, here is a link to music for Mermaid Song ericdentinger.com/mermaid-song_en.html and another for Lagan Love Song...hope it works! www.nhaohpad.org/lagan-love-song.html
After many years on the GHB I was thinking to invest some money and time to make the transition to bellow blown small pipes. I thought it would be a rather easy cross to make, but your video scared the shit out of me. I guess I will stick to the GHB only. But thanks for sharing and for the effort.
Thats an interesting comment and certainly not a good outcome of my video! I think a good accessory to the GHBs is a nice little set of mouth blown smallpipes first. There are lots around, every GHB maker creates them, and there are independents out there too (like Walsh...excellent plastic pipes that can be found in the resale market all the time). If you like the indoors sound and the "relaxed" feel of them next to the full body commitment of the GHBs then... consider bellows blown. Ive had two previous sets of second hand bellows that had old, stiff leather and were frightening to use on the smallpipes (the blow stick detached so you could go either way). When I spent the $ on a proper new set of flexible bellows it was SO much easier. I still like the mouth blown smallpipes for travelling, in fact I just bought a set of walsh shuttle pipes which are even smaller and easily fit in my carryon luggage (those were the days!...travel!). Talk to a few pipers and you'll be able to borrow a set of smallpipes, and if you like them keep your eye on Ebay, Craigslist, Pipes/Drum magazine etc. They show up all the time, don't bother with the new "offshore" cheap smallpipes for ridiculously small $ on Ebay. They are likely disappointing. You'll not get away with less than $400 for a decent set and get a sound sample if possible (although that will be a good example of the piper perhaps more so than the pipes!). The bellows smallpipes bring you into the world of ceilidhs, home concerts, jam sessions with other instruments and singers, really a whole other scene than pipe bands and funerals/marriages. Go see my video where I'm at six months into it. It's not horrible (I think anyway!). I'm no lifer piper, only 10 years total and I'm an old fart too...So it is possible. OK, too much sharing, but I wanted to reply to your thoughtful comment. Cheers!
BTW, I'm told I make golf look super hard to play! So that says something there too...
Thanks for you nice and informative reply. I guess for me is not necessarily question of money but time invested versus result. When I say results I mean just to play decently without wavering drones all over the place. So I opted out. Not your fault it is my fear over another huge commitment. I know how long it took for me to learn how to play decently with the GHB and the idea of starting from scratch again is just too much. As I said Before I thought the transition was easier. Cheers bro.
I was going to say, I'm new at this. Like, I literally just bought a practice chanter and it came the other day -- and once I figured out which end you blow into, why it wasn't making any noise -- oh, there's the reed in a separate package -- and now what is that low growling noise? -- I was hoping to move on to the real thing. Or at least a practice real thing like the RG Hardie practice set. I like the sound of the smallpipes so I was thinking someday I'd get one of those. Now, seeing a seasoned piper flailing about (week 3 was brutal, man), maybe I'm better off sticking to the kalimba sitting on my desk. Or better yet, play drummer with those chopsticks from last nights takeout.
@@Pteromandias great comments! BTW, I would never suggest anyone learn a chanter, let alone bagpipes, on their own. Way too hard. There are lots of piper/instructors around and loads online who will get you started at least. I was thinking renaming this video, "How to Learn Bellows Smallpipes in only 10 Years!" but I didnt want to make it look too easy...:)
Excuse my ignorance, but starting at 17:55; are those small pipes as well? They have a higher pitched sound than the other small pipes. Those seem to have the perfect balance between portability and pitch!
Those are the same smallpipes as the ones I was playing, except those were played by an expert Fred Morrison who has them tuned and tweaked to perfection and plays with exceptional skill. Not to be confused with me! You’ve got to start somewhere though!
@@NorthOlbo Awesome, thank you!
Those are not the same smallpipes ! The ones Fred Morrison is playing, are the reelpipes. Also in A, but an octave higher, I think. But definitely not the same.
@@NorthOlbo Like Dries8504 pointed out, you're incorrectly using "reelpipes" and "smallpipes" interchangeably, and they're two totally different instruments with completely different characteristics. Reelpipes have a conical bore and are thus an octave higher (like GHB) and noticeably louder than smallpipes, the drones are totally different and use a different reed set, plus you can perform cross-fingerings to get a chromatic scale on reelpipes, which means they're much less forgiving than smallpipes.
@@greyhound6375 My mistake and thanks for correcting. When I originally bought these Fred Morrison was playing his set and referred to them as reel pipes. But he was selling smallpipes, made by McCallum, as his design, which is what I bought., and kept calling them reel pipes. I knew so little at the time I thought it was merely some marketing name Fred was throwing about. You are right about being completely different sounds, but the basics of bellows, fingering etc is the same. Just that you will sound way worse, and louder, with the reel pipes!.
Hello sir, your Video is very inspiring! I gonna start to Play Fred's smallpipes soon, too and I would like to play Lagan Love Story. Do you have the sheet music for this?
I dont have the music except for the first couple of bars, its such a simple tune you may be able to write it out just by listening. thanks for positive comments, good luck with the smallpipes. 6 months in I’m still learning a lot but much happier in the sound. I ended up using the chanter off my Walsh smallpipes as its easier to land cleanly on the notes. I’ll get back to the original chanter when I’m a better player!
@@nickwsixty5835 thanks for your answer! I wrote it down some days ago, its wonderful and I can't stop thinking about it :D did you cut off a bit from your tube which connects the bag and the bellow? I did cut it a bit and helped me a lot cause I'm a thin guy, it may help if you have still problems with the pressure