Bagpipe Scale

Articles
March 17, 2024

The bagpipe, specifically the Great Highland Bagpipe, which is the most well-known type of bagpipes outside Scotland, typically uses a mixolydian scale.

The scale of the Great Highland Bagpipe has nine notes, ranging from G to A, one octave higher, with all the notes being natural except for F, which is sharp. Here’s how the scale looks:

Low G
Low A
B
C
D
E
F#
High G
High A

The bagpipe chanter (the melody pipe) does not have keys or valves, so the scale is fixed, and the chanter produces a continuous sound, with melody played by covering and uncovering the holes on the chanter. The mixolydian scale of the bagpipe gives it its distinctive sound, which is different from the major and minor scales commonly used in Western music.

The Mixolydian mode is common in non-classical harmony, such as folk, jazz, funk, blues, and rock music.

Iain Melvin

Bagpiper

Established in 1996 as a full-time and professional business, making Piping Services Scotland the experienced option to provide your top quality piper

somme battlefield pipe band

Pipeband

The Somme Battlefield Pipe Band was raised in 1989, under French associations law dated 1901. The objective is to promote the music and history of the Scottish soldiers and their Regiments during their time in Northern France and the Somme Area in 1914/1918, but also during the second World War, where many of them paid the ultimate price.