Most people have some idea of how the Great Highland Bagpipes (Scottish pipes) look and sound, but may not be as familiar with the sound and style of the uilleann pipes. If you’re interested in learning more about the uilleann pipes, or trying to decide whether they’d be a good fit for your event, the Frequently Asked Questions below might help, or you can watch/listen to me playing the pipes here.

So how do you pronounce “uilleann”, anyway?

You might not guess it from the way it’s spelled, but it’s pronounced “ILL-en” or “ILL-un”, which means “elbows” in Irish (since the piper uses one elbow to pump the bellows, and the other to squeeze the bag). In the 18th and 19th centuries when the Irish language was actively suppressed by the British government, the pipes were usually referred to as the “union pipes”, perhaps because of the “union” of chanter and regulators, a feature unique among bagpipes. It’s possible that this was even the original name of the instrument. Since the resurgence of the Irish language and traditional Irish culture in the 20th century, though, “uilleann pipes” is now always the preferred name.

How loud are the uilleann pipes?

Not nearly as loud as the Great Highland Bagpipes! The uilleann pipes were designed to be played indoors for dancing, and although today’s pipes are a bit louder and higher-pitched than their ancestors from 200 or 300 years ago, they’re generally no louder than a modern orchestral instrument like the violin or oboe. Unlike a violin or oboe, though, they have no dynamic range. This means that they can’t be played louder or softer; they’re pretty much always at the same volume. Because they’re not very loud, though, they work well with other instruments—fiddle, concertina, and flute are some particular favorites of mine.

It looks like you’re not using your mouth, so how do you blow air into the pipes?

Uilleann pipes belong to a family of bagpipes called bellows-blown pipes, because the air is supplied not by the piper’s lungs but by an accordion-like bellows under the piper’s arm, which is connected to the bag by a tube. One arm works the bellows in order to supply air to the bag, and the other arm squeezes the bag in order to make the pipes sound. Other types of bellows-blown bagpipes can be found in Scotland (Scottish smallpipes), England (Northumbrian pipes), France (Bechonnet pipes and cornemuse du centre), and elsewhere in Europe. While mouth-blown bagpipes have existed for at least 2,000 years in one form or another, bellows-blown pipes are more recent—they began to develop in the late Renaissance.

What are the parts of the uilleann pipes?

A “set” of uilleann pipes has seven reeds in seven different pipes; the chanter is the pipe that plays the tune, and it’s accompanied by three drones (pipes which play a single constant pitch) and three regulators (keyed pipes that can play simple harmonies). The drones can be turned on and off with a switch, and the regulators are played by depressing their keys with the right wrist or forearm—while simultaneously playing a melody on the chanter! It’s a lot to keep track of. The reeds in the chanter and regulators are double reeds like an oboe or bassoon, while the reeds in the drones are single reeds like a clarinet or saxophone. All the reeds are delicate and require frequent maintenance and adjustment in order to play well, and the instrument has many complex parts and must be handmade by a skilled pipemaker; the reeds must also be made by hand, and even the best set of pipes won’t sound good or work well if the reeds are faulty. For this reason the uilleann pipes are quite expensive—a set from a reputable maker can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000, and some antique sets are worth far more.

Can you stand or walk while playing the uilleann pipes?

Unfortunately no; the end of the chanter (melody pipe) has to be supported on the leg, and the drones and regulators are designed to rest in the lap of the piper. This makes the uilleann pipes very awkward to play while standing, and impossible to play while walking; the piper pretty much has to be seated while playing.

Do you wear a kilt to play the uilleann pipes?

No; unlike the Scottish pipes, there is no traditional dress associated with the uilleann pipes. Since you have to sit down with your legs spread somewhat apart in order to play, a kilt would probably be a particularly bad choice of attire for an uilleann piper! Uilleann pipers usually wear trousers; they also frequently roll up their sleeves while playing, since a long shirtsleeve can be sucked into the air intake valve on the bellows. Sometimes a piper will rest a strip or square of leather in their lap (called a popping strap, piper’s apron, or praiscín in Irish). This helps to make sure that the end of the chanter doesn’t leak air where it contacts the piper’s leg.

Do the uilleann pipes work well in any weather?

Unfortunately not; they’re not quite as hardy as their Scottish cousins. Since the reeds are dry-blown, meaning they never receive moisture from the player’s breath, they are somewhat delicate and even a small change in ambient temperature or humidity can affect the tuning and response of the instrument. Very hot and humid conditions, or very cold and dry ones, can cause the reeds and the pipes themselves to malfunction or even crack. Some uilleann pipers refuse to play outdoors at all; I don’t have a problem with playing outdoors as long as it’s not raining or snowing and the temperature is between 50 and 90 degrees F.

Can you play any kind of music on the uilleann pipes, or just Irish music?

The uilleann pipes are more flexible than most kinds of bagpipes, and many things are possible with a skilled enough piper (check out American piper Jerry O’Sullivan’s album The Gift for an exploration of uilleann pipes used to play non-Irish music, including Bach!), but some kinds of music sound decidedly better on the pipes than others. The uilleann pipes are not a truly chromatic instrument like a modern flute or saxophone; this means that some keys are easy to play in, some are more difficult, and some are basically impossible. Music that modulates (changes key or tonal center) frequently is not ideal for the pipes, nor is music that relies on dramatic changes in dynamics (loudness or softness). They’re also not a great instrument for accompanying singers—a guitar or piano is usually a better choice. On the other hand, hymn tunes, some pop tunes, some early American music, French and Scandinavian folk repertoire, and many Renaissance tunes sound great on uilleann pipes, and I’ve also played recent choral and orchestral works that incorporate the pipes. Feel free to ask me if you’re wondering whether a particular piece would work well or not.