How Bagpipes Work

I hope you learned something from this video! Thanks as always for watching. :)

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[Jock-pley]

The irony of me, a Scotsman, watching a video of an American explaining to me how our national instrument works.... great job 😆

[markcarlin]

I'm Scottish born and bred. 41yrs old in April and I found you through another shanty video I was watching tonight. And I can honestly say I've never untill this video understood the bagpipes so well. It just never came up. Never questioned it. I mean I knew it was a bag filled with air that produced the sounds but never tried to understand it jn great detail. Grew up hearing them and seeing them played at various events, just accepted it, mainly weddings and funerals. But never questioned it. Just loved the sound. And this now makes me respect them and the player even more. Love a bagpipe. It makes ma hair stand up on end when I hear it.

[deletemaster]

Thank you for the explanations Ally. Whoever thinks you are faking your instrument is more than likely jealous of your skill. I have never seen anyone play the pipes like you do, and I love it. I never considered the pipes before, and it is uncommon in western music. Thank you for sharing your music with us. Music is not what you hear, rather what you feel when you hear it, and you have lots of feeling! Liked and subscribed.

[andrewrodgers]

Wow . All of this i learnt 35 years ago when my Farther was in a Pipe band . I have blocked all of this as my Farther was an alcholic drunk vilont man. It is so nice to see a vibrent yong beutifull woman teaching this after so long a time that i am in tears My scars are healing as i watch your content and relove the instrument of Evil to me be reborn. lots of love from Lincolnshire

[StardustLegend]

aaaah this is very helpful, wasn’t looking to play but wanted to know the anatomy as i’m drawing a bagpipe!

[brucegibbins]

I'm of Anglo-Celtic heritage born and raised in Polynesia. For as long as I can remember, Sunday afternoons we spent in the city's botanical gardens listening to the Pipe bands playing in the wood Band Rotunda built in the 1910s. Crowds of people gathered with kids sitting on the grass and family's on the sturdy wood benches painted dark green. All that changed when the Rotunda was replaced by a Sound Shell made of concrete and electric instruments replaced the pipe and brass bands that played there before.

[gordonstewart]

I always tell people who ask that it's like playing two clarinets, a saxophone and an oboe on steroids all at the same time. Excellent presentation, very clear and concise. I would recommend it to any beginning piper.

[RLukeDavis]

Old musician, child chorister.

You have a wonderful sense of rhythm.

It's like circular breathing with a didgeridoo.

But better.

Respect

[Arbiter]

When I was a kid, my dad decided we were all going to learn to play the bagpipes. He bought us all a set of pipes. We learned to play and joined a highland drum and pipe band. It was a weird thing to do in the midwest U.S. but was a unique experience I can look back on.

[stevejohnston]

Many years ago when my kids were in elementary school, they still had "Band" My 7 year old son ended up playing the trombone. When we asked our 5 year old daughter what she wanted to play, she didn't know the term for bagpipes, but she demonstrated by huffing and puffing and flapping her arm like it was a wing. My wife and I were confused for a little while, then she said they were at the renaissance fair when we went. Of course one of us remembered the bagpipes. Unfortunately lessons were not available in our area, and it was just a passing thought. She never did play an instrument, and she is 44 now. Just a remembered story from my past i thought I would share with you. I really like the bagpipes, and always stop to watch them at the renaissance fair every year. I watch a lot of the Scottish Parades on YouTube and enjoy the drummers and the pipers. Thank you for your videos, I enjoy them.... and I have to say that was an impressive amount of medals you had in the background....

[Irish-jput]

Being Irish I've always want to learn Uilleann pipes. You've got amazing talent and It's great to see people keeping their heritage alive through music, especially outside of Scotland and Ireland.

[prek]

This was a fantastic explanation. I love the enthusiasm and motivation just bursting out of her.

[Dabergyt]

10 out of 10 video! Thank you for explaining "striking the bag." I've always wondered what exactly that initial squeeze was. Love the blooper at the end and dogs barking. 😂

[dianaholderness]

Ally, I’ve been taking bagpipe lessons for 2 yrs & 3 months, & your explanation of how they work, is absolutely the BEST I’ve ever heard.
I always wanted to play bagpipes, but never did anything about it. It was through watching You & Your videos that made ALL the difference for me. It lit a fire🔥 in me, & I began lessons immediately. Thank you for being a great inspiration, to not only me, but, I’m sure, to countless others. If I can “eventually” play, even 1/4, as good as you play, I will feel like a successful bagpiper! You play so beautifully. You’re not just playing the notes, you “FEEL” the notes/music. The huge reason you’re so successful & why we ALL love you is: WE can feel the music when you play! You’re a consummate professional, Ally! It’s obvious to everyone that you love to play. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for sharing your incredible talent with us. We all love to hear & watch you play! On top of all that, you are so kind, & such a sweet lady. You know you’re one of the best, yet you’re humble. That’s rare to find in a musician as talented as you are. Good for you, Ally! That alone speaks so highly of your character!

[scottsmith]

Cool video. Always wondered how big pipes worked. So basically a big woopie cushion with 4 outlets. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

[michaelshaw]

The pipes played well are heaven on earth. As a ex British Army Veteran with distant Scottish roots I have been blessed with not only serving with some remarkable pipers while stationed in the north east of England near Newcastle I was introduced to the Northumberland pipes. They had a distinctive but slightly deferent tone. On several occasions we had groups of pipers from Scotland. Ireland and Northumberland all together with the love of traditional music

[hangonn]

Thanks Ally. I am an aerospace engineer that is learning the tenor sax. You explained the operation perfectly! I understood the operation of the reservoir and the check valve but was always curious about where the sound was actually produced. Thanks again, you make it look so easy!

[transmitterguy]

I'm 64 and never knew how a bagpipe functioned, thanks dear, that was very informative. You play beautifully.

[clearstream]

One of my favorite parts of attending the NH Highland Games in the fall is the constant bagpiping. I knew sort of how they worked but not in depth. Showed the great differences and some similarities with my saxophones. Thanks, Ally!

[leonwilkinson]

Excellent explanation of a complex instrument. Thanks! It's so cool that a young person is playing the bagpipe!