The Great Highland Bagpipes is a virtual instrument that mimics the Great Highland Bagpipes, allowing you to play authentic pipe tunes directly in your browser. There are nine separate notes that span across the available keys of Low G to High A, which make up the A Mixolydian scale common to traditional pipe music. There are screen buttons to allow you to play it if you wish or just press the keys on your computer keyboard (for speedier results). The layout closely resembles arrangement of a real chanter.
Using this device depends on knowing how drone systems work. In real bagpipes, there is always background tone running constantly. This widget doesn’t start those tones automatically. It’s up to you. Find the button labeled Strike in drones at the top of control panel. When you click it, the tenor and deep bass drones begins playing as background to whatever you play. To turn the drones off, simply click the button once more. Keep them on during experimentation because they form the harmonic basis for the sounds produced. While the drones are playing you’ll see an animation showing waves beside the button.
How to Play the Bagpipes
When the drones are sounding you then press the chanter buttons for melody. On the right-hand side of the interface is an arrangement of buttons that make up the grid. Each button represent a note from the pipe scale. Pressing and holding a button will cause it to sound. Because this instrument copies the behaviour of a real chanter, the tone will continue so long as you keep your finger down. If you lift your finger the note will stop.
Click the mouse button and hold it down while sliding over adjacent buttons. As you move from one to another there is no gap or lift of the finger. Instead, a connection is created between the notes. You have essentially made a phrase instead of a series of separate notes.
Those of us used to using a set of keys will appreciate the clear and sensible keyboard layout. Nine notes are accessible, each triggered by corresponding number keys. The range goes from Low G on key one to High A on key nine. It’s locked into this setting and won’t alter as you adjust the transpose settings. To turn the drones on or off, there is an additional shortcut using the spacebar. Playing along with demonstrations or practicing scales are simple thanks to the shortcuts.
There are additional features to make your performance better. These include a button for turning grace notes on and off. When activated it adds a fast High G hit preceding each note. Grace notes are common ornamental figures used in pipe music, adding rhythm and drive. Simple note strikes becomes more authentic sounding.
There’s also a master volume slider to adjust the overall volume. Maybe you want to keep things low because it’s late at night; this comes into play there.
To start off with, there are two pre-recorded demos. One features the March playing a short, energetic phrase that shows the instrument’s rhythmic power. The second one is a slower, more solemn version of popular hymn, Amazing Grace. Both of these demos will activate the drones if they’re inactive. It’s a good idea to watch the buttons light up as this shows fingerings. Clicking the button again pauses the demo so that you can then take it over and carry on the tune.
It all depends on how you play the notes in relation to each other on the drones. Because they are fixed to A, anything you play as a melody will sound harmonically related to this note. For example, if you hold the E note (the fifth above the drone), it sounds bright. If then you resolve back to A, you have a pleasing cadence. Notes like C sharp and F sharp pulls against the drone. This doesn’t require an understanding of music theory. Just try playing around with the notes and listen out for what sounds nice together.
It’s also responsive to various screens. For those on tablets or smaller monitors, the Fullscreen button will expand it into fullscreen. It will also increase the size of the buttons and allow it to take up your entire screen. This is a nice addition if you’re on a mobile device and want an even more immersive experience.
There’s also a button at the top that takes you to the help panel. Here you can find quick reference material if you need to check the contents or remember the keyboard mappings.
To begin, play a couple of notes on the chanter while holding them down so that you can get an idea of how they sound. Once familiar with the instrument’s response, try adding some more elaborate ideas like playing a melody (or improvise) while following a demonstration on the keyboard. Basically, experiment with the distinct character of the bagpipe in a playful way. There is no requirement here for being a piper either. Simply hit a note and follow what it sounds like.
You should of tried even more varietys of notes to see how they feel. It’s naturaly better when you practice.