Bagpipes

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Bagpipes Tartans Page

The Great Highland Bagpipes are synonymous with Scotland and have become a globally recognised symbol of Scottish culture. This recognition is largely due to the Highland Bagpipe's use within the British military as well as pipe bands throughout the world. Although there is no evidence from where the wonderful instrument originated, some believe that the bagpipes stemmed from ancient Egypt and arrived in Scotland by invading Roman Legions, others that the pipes travelled over the water from Ireland by colonising Scots tribes.


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Bagpipes Tartans

1 variations

Each tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress

About tartan variations

  • Ancient
  • Modern
  • Weathered
  • Hunting
  • Dress

Ancient Tartan

Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.

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Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.

Modern Tartan

Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.

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The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern

Weathered Tartan

Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.

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Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.

Hunting Tartan

The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.

Helpful Advice

One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.

Dress Tartan

The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.

Helpful Advice

One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.

Bagpiping Scotland

From the Start

Bagpipes Tartan Origins & History

Bagpiper

Explore the History

How it all started

The Great Highland Bagpipes are synonymous with Scotland and have become a globally recognised symbol of Scottish culture. This recognition is largely due to the Highland Bagpipe's use within the British military as well as pipe bands throughout the world. Although there is no evidence from where the wonderful instrument originated, some believe that the bagpipes stemmed from ancient Egypt and arrived in Scotland by invading Roman Legions, others that the pipes travelled over the water from Ireland by colonising Scots tribes. While historians can only speculate on the actual origins of the piob mhor, what can be certain is that it was the Highlanders themselves who developed the instrument to its current form and establishing it as their national musical instrument.

In the lowlands, pipers were often part of the travelling minstrel class, performing at weddings, feasts and fairs whilst highland pipers, on the other hand, seemed to have been far more strongly influenced by their Celtic background and held high honoured positions. As a musical instrument of war, the first mention of the bagpipes in this setting was at the Battle of Pinkie in 1549 when they were used to help inspire the Highlanders into battle. On the account of their inspirational influence, the pipes were then classified as an instrument of war during many highland uprisings. The Great Scottish Bagpipe began to establish its fame worldwide during the expansion of the British Empire, led by British military forces including Highland regiments.

How do Bagpipes Work?

The Great Scottish Bagpipes have existed in various forms in many places across the globe with the simple basis of the instrument is constructed from the component parts of a bag, a chanter and a drone. Nonetheless, based upon simple principals the great Highland Bagpipe is a complex instrument to learn and master and requires a lot of dedication and perseverance to develop the skills. In order to create their symbolic and long-standing drone, the pipes demand on a constant flow of air for the constant tune. The player blows into the aptly to continually fill the bag with air and squeeze it out with their arm whilst playing the chanter. Air passes through the reeds to create the constant sound released from the drone pipes at the top and the chanter at the base. Using holes in the chanter, the player can control the melody.

Pipe Band

Where are Bagpipes used Today?

Today, the iconic bagpipes are used across every aspect of Scottish culture at numerous events and celebrations, from Highland Games, weddings, professional ensembles, sporting events and much, much more. You can learn more about pipers attending Highland Games by reading the Piping Stories: North Berwick Highland Games blog where Anna, Harry and Emily attended the North Berwick 23rd International Highland Games are were truly astounded by the number of Pipe Bands competing.

Highland bagpipes

Why is the Bagpipe so Important to Scotland?

Without the bagpipe Scotland would lose its infamous sound. The pipe is linked to so many other aspects of Scotland's culture that without it we would lose much more than an instrument. Pipe bands across the world are doing a fantastic job of keeping these traditions alive, with many enthusiastic young pipers prepared to pass these skills on to future generations. Read on as we explore why the bagpipe is so important to Scotland...

The Skirl of the Pipes

Did you know that the shrill sound made by the chanter pipe of bagpipes is commonly known as the Skirl of the Pipes?

Munro Bagpiper

Bagging Munros

The Munro Bagpiper

We recently had the chance to chat with Grant MacLeod, but you may know Grant better as the Munro Bagpiper. Grant has built himself quite the following on social media after he set himself the aim not only to climb every Munro in Scotland but to play the pipes at the top of each Munro as well.

The Piper Chef

Join us On the Sofa as we share the skills of an amazing pizza chef and bagpiper, Damian Bell. He is not only known as the Piper Chef, but also a Scottish bagpiper, Pipe Major of Scotch Watch Pipes and Drums, and member of the Swiss Highlanders. After falling in love with the bagpipes as a young boy, Damian graduated from the College of Piping, and played at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, with the Officer Training Corps at Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities and has had numerous appearances at the World Pipe Band Championship, along with being a returning competitor in the CLASP (the competition league for amateur solo pipers).

Piping Live! Festival

Explore the Piping Centres museum, piping shop and grand auditorium, which is often used for performances and weddings, in this episode of ScotlandShop on the Sofa! Piping Live is one of the world’s largest piping festivals and is organised by The National Piping Centre.

The Great Highland Bagpipes original name piob mhor, which comes from the literal Irish meaning of 'great pipes'.


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