The bagpipe's nine notes aren't the whole ladder. Between low A and high A a piano has twelve notes. With alternate fingerings you can add four of the missing ones on the Highland pipes: C natural, F natural, B flat, and high G sharp.
One flattened note transports the whole tune. Drop the C a half step and a major sound turns minor; flatten the B and you're in the Phrygian mode with a Middle Eastern flavor. Play Hot Cross Buns both ways and you'll hear another continent.
These notes need a cane reed and a conical bore. The alternate fingerings won't speak on a practice chanter or smallpipes — use tape there to hear the pitches. On the Highland pipes, most chanter-and-reed setups will do it.
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Going Beyond the Nine
56m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
00:36The works nine-note bagpipe the scale how ladder:🔒
02:16rungs Chromatic the diatonic: missing vs🔒
04:34Andy natural Ferret C Renwick's and the🔒
08:44and Mixolydian the seventh flattened mode🔒
11:37trick tape Breton hole The and inserts🔒
14:55Notation: sharps, pipers flats, what and leave unwritten🔒
17:00naturals C Rockin': and Stop syncopation Don't🔒
20:36the F The natural collapsing and F🔒
23:48Gordon Thunderstruck Duncan's🔒
28:07mode Belly Dancer: B the and The Phrygian flat🔒
34:11the same album from piping Galician🔒
38:15the High G completes sharp scale🔒
44:03Member repertoire piobaireachd G high new questions: and🔒
48:41Live the on pipes Highland tips demo practice and🔒
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About this class
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