One of the most common bagpipes native to Scotland is the Great Highland bagpipe (Scottish bagpipes).
It has become well known globally because of its usage in the British military and its popularity in pipe bands worldwide.
The bagpipe made its first appearance in Scotland sometime around 1400 but was seen as early as the 13th century in artwork from Spain.
Bagpipes in Scotland made their initial appearance in the Scottish military, which led to the Great Highland bagpipe becoming a fixture in the British military as well as becoming recognized worldwide today.
Ironically, other European bagpipe traditions have declined over the same period, primarily during the latter 19th and early 20th centuries.
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5 Best Scottish Bagpipes For Sale
Here’s a list of top 5 traditional Highland bagpipes for you –
1. McWilliams Scottish Highland Bagpipes with Builten Mounts and Hard Box
Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Some of the best Scottish bagpipes come with free reeds and a well-made carrying bag, and this is one of those products.
This is a high-quality set of bagpipes that are true Scottish bagpipes and built to last.
Made by a company that is an expert in making Scottish bagpipes, they are an item that will never disappoint.
They are also a product that you will be proud to play in public and in your home.
The advantages to this set of bagpipes include:
- Made in Scotland.
- It comes with a free reed and free bag.
- It is good for both beginners and professional players.
2. McWilliams Professional Scottish Highland Bagpipes with FNS Mounts and Bag
- BAGPIPE ►► McWilliams Completely Tunable Scottish Pipe
- QUALITY ►► Tested Pipe Chanter Sharp Sound with Drone Reeds Set
- BAG PIPE►► Playable with Complete Accessories and Bag
Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This is an attractive and functional set of Scottish bagpipes for sale with a tartan design and a clear, strong sound.
It comes with a free bag and reed, so when you take it out of the bag, you can begin playing immediately!
They are eye-catching, and a lot of fun to play, and they are true Scottish-made bagpipes with the authenticity you deserve.
Looking for the best Scottish bagpipes should bring you to this well-made musical instrument, which both beginners and more experienced musicians can enjoy.
The advantages to this bagpipe include:
- A high-quality item that is built to last;
- True and authentic workmanship;
- A very reasonable price for what you get in return.
The disadvantages of this bagpipe include:
- Some buyers have complained that there is not enough instruction regarding playing or putting the instrument together.
3. Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe Full Set
- Great Highland Bagpipes Rosewood Silver Amounts/Scottish Bagpipes with Practice Chanter
- Brand New Full set of Rosewood Bagpipe Black Finish Features Full Size Bagpipe 40 x 20 Synthetic Bag 30 X 12
- Full set Silver with Nickel Plated Plain Mounts Bagpipe Scottish Bagpipe Black Watch Tartan Cover and Matching Cord
Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Not all of the best Scottish bagpipes come with all types of complementary accessories, such as this one does.
It comes complete with two drone reed sets – one synthetic and one cane, a well-made carrying case, and two cane pipes, and one practice chanter for your convenience.
With nickel-plated mounts and a beautiful glossy, ultra-black finish on the outside, these bagpipes are both beautiful and fun to play.
They are made with high-quality rosewood and are even available in many different tartan designs. They are true, authentic bagpipes from Scotland.
The advantages of purchasing this set of bagpipes when you’re searching for the best Scottish bagpipes on the market include:
- It is a full, complete set, so it is easier to play.
- Silver nickel-plated mounts on the inside.
- It comes with both chanter reeds and standard reeds.
4. AAR Great Scottish Bagpipes in Black with Tutor Book
- AAR Scottish Bagpipe Rosewood or Rosewood Finish with Silver Plain Mounts Free Tutor Book in Various Tartans
- Finish Outside Smooth and glossy Finish Inside Hole Polish and all Projecting Silver Mounts Sole, Ferrule, Ring Cap.
- Full Size Bagpipe 40 x 20 Synthetic Bag 30 X 12.
Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Perfect for beginners because of its size and how easy it is to play, these Scottish highland bagpipes for sale come in a beautiful, glossy black finish and are a full-sized, 40 x 20 set of bagpipes.
They come with a synthetic bag that is available in a number of tartan designs, and they are of high-quality rosewood, so they should last a very long time.
Silver plain mounts complement the set and give it a classy look, and its affordable price makes it easy even for beginners to purchase it.
The advantages of this set of bagpipe include:
- It is a high-quality set.
- Easy for both beginners and more experienced musicians to play.
- It offers a lot of bang for your buck.
The disadvantages of this bagpipe include:
- Some buyers have said the instructions are difficult to understand, and they have problems putting the instrument together.
5. MacDonald Great Scottish Highland Full-Sized Bagpipes
- Scottish Bagpipes
- ; Scottish Bagpipe Rosewood Complete kit, in Silver color with Nickel Plated Plain Mounts Bagpipe Scottish Bagpipe Royal Stewart Tartan Cover and Matching Cord
- ; Finish Outside Smooth and glossy Finish Inside Hole Polish and all Projecting Silver Mounts Sole, Ferrule, Ring Cap
Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
With a beautiful red-and-black tartan design and red cords, among other designs and colors, this may also be one of the best Scottish bagpipes on the market thanks to its full size and its super-attractive black finish.
In fact, with its black-and-silver pipes and brightly colored tartan, this set of bagpipes is truly a sight to behold.
It is also a high-quality set that you’ll be able to use for many years to come, and great for beginners because it comes with an easy-to-use instruction manual.
The advantages of this bagpipe include:
- Very well made and built to last.
- Easy to play for both beginners and more experienced players.
- A full-sized 40 x 20 set for easy playing and convenience.
Scottish Bagpipe’s Supplies You Will Need
Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Scottish Bagpipes Design
Like the bassoon and the clarinet, the Great Highland bagpipe is officially classified as a woodwind instrument.
Unlike many other woodwinds, the Great Highland bagpipe is also classified as a double-reed woodwind instrument, which means the reeds of the instrument are enclosed within wooden stocks.
This prevents direct contact with the mouth, as is common with other woodwind instrument types.
The Great Highland bagpipe consists of 4 reeds.
These are the chanter reed, the two tenor drone reeds, and a base drone reed. Modern Great Highland bagpipe sets have a bag, a blowpipe, one bass drone, a chanter, and two tenor drones.
The chanter has a scale called Mixolydian mode.
This mode has a flattened 7th scale degree.
The range of the chanter ranges from one tone lower than the tonic to one octave above it.
Tonic note A4 is what the drones are tuned to.
There are nine notes of the chanter scale. They are low G, low A, low B, low C, low D, low E, and low F, high G, and finally, high A.
Music written for Highland bagpipes is typically in D major and C and F sharp.
To deal with moisture issues, modern bagpipes often come equipped with synthetic drone reeds and synthetic bags, both of which can better handle moisture than the wood and hide materials of their early predecessors.
Scottish Bagpipes Materials
When Scottish bagpipes were first constructed, they were usually built with woods like holly and boxwood, which were locally available.
As global trade became more common, bagpipe builders had access to more exotic woods like African blackwood and cocuswood from the Caribbean.
Today, the material of choice is usually human-made synthetic material like Polypenco, which allows for chanter uniformity preferred by pipe bands.
Bagpipe stands often have ornamentation made out of ivory, imitation ivory, stainless steel, and silver.
Scottish Bagpipes Music
Unlike a lot of other musical instruments, the Great Highland bagpipe has limitations that include its range, which is only nine notes, its lack of dynamics, and its legato style, which results from the continuous airflow coming from the bag.
Because the Great Highland bagpipe is a closed reed instrument, you can’t alter the instrument sound by changing the mouth position or tonguing the reeds like players can do with other woodwinds.
Therefore, instead of separating notes by tonguing or stopping blowing, grace notes and embellishments are used instead.
When used in groups of two or more, doublings, taorluaths, throws, and birls are some of the more complicated ornaments used by bagpipe players.
The dare, vedare, chedare, and crunluath are sets of ornaments commonly used for piobaireachd.
It wasn’t unusual to see these embellishments used in light music during the 20th century.
They are also used to emphasize beat notes and phrasing patterns; a technique referred to as note emphasis.
The most commonly used grace notes are the G, D, and E and are typically played in succession.
These grace notes are played rapidly via quick finger movements, which somewhat duplicates the effect one would usually achieve when using tonguing or other articulation methods common in other woodwinds that are not available on bagpipes.
Because they lack dynamics and rests, Great Highland bagpipe players must use embellishments and note length variation to achieve their musical expression.
Even though Great Highland bagpipe music consists of a precise rhythm structure, it still requires a skilled player who can properly hit the notes to achieve the desired musical effect.
For example, the main beats and off beats each have a specific structure that must be adhered to by the player.
Beat subdivisions, however, are more flexible in how they can be played.
This required attention to detail, and the complexity involved in learning to play makes the bagpipe one of the more difficult instruments to master.
Cultural Role of the Highland Bagpipes
You can use the Great Highland bagpipe as a solo instrument or as part of an ensemble.
When used in ensembles, it is typically one part of a larger pipe band.
When it comes to solo performances, one notable example is that of being Piper to the Sovereign, which is a highly sought after position for bagpipe players in the British Royal household that requires the position holder to play at the request of the Sovereign being served.
Scottish Bagpipes Worldwide Recognition
The Great Highland bagpipe has come a long way from its early beginnings in the Scottish military in the 1400s and is now popular worldwide.
It is prevalent in high schools, colleges, and military bands in locations with significant Scottish and Irish immigrant populations, the largest of which are typically in the United States, England, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
FAQs
The bagpipes are a part of different cultures across the world.
And if you really want to whether they are Irish or Scottish, you can read this detailed guide.
The traditional Scottish bagpipes can cost anywhere from $300 to $7000.
As mentioned in the guide, bagpipe is one of the most difficult instruments to learn and master.
So, you will need to practice a lot to be able to play it like a professional bagpiper.
Yes, you can learn bagpipe from watching videos or reading more about the instrument.
However, you’d probably miss out on the intricacies of the bagpipe music, which are often taught by professional coaches and schools.
