Bagpipe Drones
The drones are what give the Great Highland Bagpipe its distinctive continuous sound. While the chanter plays the melody, the drones produce a constant harmonic background that the melody sits on top of.
The Three Drones
The Great Highland Bagpipe has three drones:
- Two tenor drones — the shorter pipes that tune to A (the same A as the bagpipe scale's Low A).
- One bass drone — the longer pipe that sounds an A one octave below the tenors.
All three drones rest on the piper's left shoulder and point upward and backward over the head.
Tuning the Drones
Each drone has a sliding joint that raises or lowers the pitch. Sliding the upper section up flattens the drone; sliding it down sharpens it. To tune a tenor drone, you slide it to match the A of the chanter. The bass drone is tuned to an A an octave lower than the tenors.
Tuning the drones to the chanter is one of the most important — and sometimes frustrating — aspects of playing the full bagpipe. It takes time and a good ear.
Drone Reeds
Each drone has its own single reed that vibrates when air flows through it. Drone reeds are traditionally made from cane, though synthetic drone reeds are now very common and offer greater stability in varying weather and humidity conditions.
Shutting Off the Drones
When not playing, it is good practice to close off (cut off air to) the drones by placing a thumb or finger over the top of each drone. This prevents the reeds from getting wet from condensation when the instrument cools down.