Bagpipes & Uilleann Pipes

A complete path in one place. Practice chanter, full set, spares and gig bag, all from one source, so you are not hunting across shops for parts that fit.

Rosewood sets, no seasoning. Our full-size bagpipes are Rosewood with a Rexine bag, a synthetic bag that needs no seasoning routine. Practice chanters come in Rosewood or satinwood.

Spares stocked. Chanter reeds, drone reeds, blowpipe mouthpieces, flap valves, stoppers and hemp are all here, so a worn part does not stop your practice.

Starting out: buy a practice chanter. Most teachers keep students on the chanter until the tunes and gracenotes are solid. The long practice chanter has finger spacing closer to a full pipe chanter, which makes the move to the full set easier.

Ready for the full set: the full-size bagpipe comes with a Rexine bag and your choice of cover. The chalice-style bagpipe is a full-size set with brass ferrules and sole for an antique look.

Irish uilleann pipes: played sitting down, with the bag filled by a bellows under the arm instead of by mouth, and much quieter than Highland pipes. The starter set is the place to begin, and the uilleann practice chanter lets you learn the fingering first.

Start slow. Short daily sessions on the chanter build finger control and breath steadiness faster than long weekly ones.

Reeds settle in. A new reed is often hard to blow at first and eases with playing. Keep a spare chanter reed on hand.

Hemp and stoppers. Joints are sealed with hemp; add or remove a little until each joint is snug but turns by hand. Drone stoppers let you play the chanter alone while you set up.

Find a teacher or band. Piping is learned person to person. A local pipe band or an online teacher will save months of habits you would otherwise need to unlearn. Questions about a set? Write to info@roosebeck.com.