NationStates Jolt Archive

Just a question since it seems that the bagpipes aren't too common. I was wondering if they weren't common just because they're different or because nobody likes them.

I really don't know what to think of the bagpipes. Played well, they are reasonably pleasant to listen to. Played badly and the only think I can think is "Can't you hear that poor animal is suffering horribly? Please kill it and put it out of its misery!"

As long as "Scotland the Brave" and "Amazing Grace" aren't played for the 1 trillionth time.......

I like their sound. Nothing really bad about them, in my opinion.

Pipes are good, but massed pipes are incredible.

If they are played properly I love them, I used to have a CD of bagpipes and it was quite relaxing to listen to, on the other hand if someone is just screwing around with them it's the most annoying sound in the world. ;)

You get a good highland band going, and there's nothing as soul stiring. You get a bad one, and it would have probably been eaiser to just start biting the tails of cats and squeezing them for the noise.

I like 'em !:)

But ofcourse it depends on the tune being played, and if the musician is skilled or not.

Didgeridoo on the other hand: :upyours:

Didgeridoo on the other hand: :upyours:
I've heard didgeridoo and bagpipes played together. It was fantastic.

I played with em at a cadet camp I attended for six weeks two years in a row several years ago. I grew quite fond of the sound of the pipes and drums, and was even drawn to downloading them on napster (when it still worked). Anyways, I'm a fan of bagpipes.

I grew up listening to them, so I guess you could say that yes. I like them. :D

Although I prefer the Irish version (Uilleann pipes) when given my 'druthers.

As long as "Scotland the Brave" and "Amazing Grace" aren't played for the 1 trillionth time.......

Find anything from the German band: Corvus Corax. They make the BEST use of bagpipes and a number of other instruments.

There is a German music company that releases a series of compilation disks of medevial music. The series are called "Miroque" and Miroque Vol. IX features a number of bands that are primarily bagpipes, drums, and vox!

My big regret from my 2005 German music purchases while at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen was that I simply didn't buy all of the Miroque disks. The compilations are themed and are among some of the most interesting collections of music I've found. I've not looked to see if they are sold in North America, but I certainly know that you can find Corvus Corax's Best Of. It is so worth it!

Find anything from the German band: Corvus Corax. They make the BEST use of bagpipes and a number of other instruments.Lies. Check out Wolfstone.

Lies. Check out Wolfstone.
Or even Bad Haggis.

Lies. Check out Wolfstone.

I'll check them out, but have you listened to Corvus Corax???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvus_Corax_%28band%29

They've only been to the United States once (IIRC the PA Ren Faire) and were quickly hailed as being an amazing act. At Wave-Gotik-Treffen, they tend to just show up and perform, but they are always welcomed.

Besides, I'd put my money on a raven over a silly puppy with the munchies. ;)

To me, it's like any other insturnment, something mysterious that I can never conquer...nor do I have any motivation to.

Corvus Corax uses bagpipes well sometimes, and I like them for their over-the-top singing.

Not that has anything to do with how good bagpipes sound! :p

I actually went to a bagpipe concert this past saturday. Performing were the Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch along with the Band of the Welsh Guard. Not bad at all.

Corvus Corax uses bagpipes well sometimes, and I like them for their over-the-top singing.

But at the very least, they are *not* using them to perform Amazing Grace!

But at the very least, they are *not* using them to perform Amazing Grace!
Meh, it really doesn't bother me.

Heard of In Extremo or Qntal?
The last two bands that remain, other than Rammstein, from my period of German fascination.

Bagpipes are the instruments of heaven...






Clarinets of hell.

Och, ye can git a bonny sound if yon piper kens hoo tae play 'em.

Seriously though, they do sound good if they're played well. My uncle used to play them a bit when he was younger so I've heard them a few times first hand.

What I have always wondered is why in american films and television programmes, whenever there is a scene of a funeral of a policeman of Irish descent why they seem to have a Scottish piper playing rather than an Irish one. Why is that?

Why is that?
We can't tell the difference.
They're all Americans to us.

But at the very least, they are *not* using them to perform Amazing Grace!Yes, but do they have a song called "Granny Hogg's Enormous Wallet"?

Bagpipes are so.. counterintuitive... that they are actually cool

Och, I love 'em.

Fun for a change, but not all the friggin time

Q. Why do bagpipers walk as they play?
A. They're trying to get away from the noise.

Yes, but do they have a song called "Granny Hogg's Enormous Wallet"?

Are they from Texas? Imma Hogg -- famous Houstonian?

I'd have to translate their titles, they sing in German and *old* French. They do have a song that talks about prostitutes and dogs, I must dig up the lyrics for that! :)

I love bagpipes as long as they're played well. Badly played bagpipes are horrible, but otherwise they're great. I have so much love for pipe and drum bands.

They're interesting, though I haven't heard a lot of them as I listen mainly to classical music.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/forfar/Scottish%20Funnies/BagpipesSmiley.gif

I hate bagpipes, i live in Scotland, in Scottish i hate there sound!! It is just so piercing in my opinion. :mad:

I can not emphasize this enough folks, Bagpipes are made to played outside in wide open spaces, not indoors please! EVER:mad:

I like them.
Played right, I've found them to stir emotion.

The uillean pipes are alot better then bag pipes .Just seem smoother.Then those things from Brittany called the biniou koz should just be banned on principal.You know how some people think bagpipes sound like somone strangling a cat.Those french things sound like somone strangling a cat with its nutsack in a vice.

I adore them, they're on my "I want to be able to play that" list. The bagpipe guy in Manchester city centre is one of the two buskers I give to every time I pass.

I love the sound of 'em. Goes well with punk too:p

Hurray for Floggin molly!!!!

Heard of In Extremo or Qntal?
The last two bands that remain, other than Rammstein, from my period of German fascination.

I've heard a few In Extremo songs, and own all four of Qntal's full lengths ... actually wrote an amazon.com review for Qntal III (still my fav of the lot, but that could be because I picked up the album from them in Leipzig Germany after seeing them live). :)


As for the comment that bagpipes should be played outside, that seems pretty reasonable.

If played well they're great, otherwise not so great. In Edinburgh there's a brilliant piper who plays in the Royal Mile during the tourist season and he's really good to listen to; however there's another Piper who plays below the Scot Monument who is just god-awful - I once heard him splice 'When The Saint's Go Marching In' into 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' by the Beatles...

One of my goals is to learn to play the bagpipes. Need I say more?

My other goals are to learn to play the guitar, golf better, become a lawyer, tour China by bicycle, buy a Ford Mustang GT convertible, buy a Trek Madonne racing bicycle, learn to play the cello, and learn to play the french horn.

Flute is the only thing I can play right now...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/forfar/Scottish%20Funnies/BagpipesSmiley.gif

Hmmm, can I steal your smiley for my invision boards?


As for Wolfstone (Hack's recommendation), I just visited their website and started listening to their samples. First, they are GOOD! I like them. Second, the reason they are good ins't the bagpipes, but that their use of a violin *is* as a fiddle (and the guy playing them knows that ... he describes his instrument as a fiddle, not a violin, and it *is*). Third, I'd describe them as a folk-rock hybrid, and based on the samples the bagpipes were secondary to the stringed instruments. Fourth, mentioned this already, but a great band. I'm actually surprised that they are British, since their music sounded very American (not US/British pop mind you, which I think is horrid, but traditional American folk which spun off Country).

I'll poke around amazon later to see if I can purchase one of Wolfstone's CDs, as I have a friend who will totally dig them. In fact, I suspect her entire family will love the CD.

The bagpipes are truly wonderful and mysterious/emotional.

Pipes are good, but massed pipes are incredible.
You have to see one of those Scottish Clans Gatherings, see and hear around 100 of them in a march.

I can not emphasize this enough folks, Bagpipes are made to played outside in wide open spaces, not indoors please! EVER:mad:

We had three guys play the bagpipes as the musical item for one of our school assemblies... a hall only just big enough to seat 600 student on 2 levels, all the doors closed, thee bagpipes being played at once. It was pure bliss:D

So far, I love em. Period.

They're cool. As someone said earlier, played well they are very nice.

I've heard a few In Extremo songs, and own all four of Qntal's full lengths ... actually wrote an amazon.com review for Qntal III (still my fav of the lot, but that could be because I picked up the album from them in Leipzig Germany after seeing them live).
Qntal III does own. :p

Now that I think about it, I've never purchased a Corvus Corax album. I've just heard them on Radiogoethe and with friends that are Germanophiles. Is there any one you'd recommend? I really like the "Dulcissimo" song, or what ever its name is!

Qntal III does own. :p

Now that I think about it, I've never purchased a Corvus Corax album. I've just heard them on Radiogoethe and with friends that are Germanophiles. Is there any one you'd recommend? I really like the "Dulcissimo" song, or what ever its name is!

"Corvus Corax Best Of" (available on Amazon.com among other places).

Like you, I usually would hear them on compliations, but amazon was pimping them a bit based on my profile, so I gave the best of album a shot, and it was completely worth it. :)

As for other bagpipe lovers, CC tends to feature bagpipes and handmade instruments on just about all of their songs. They are at least worth checking out!

Just a question since it seems that the bagpipes aren't too common. I was wondering if they weren't common just because they're different or because nobody likes them.

There is a reason why bagpipes aren't that common. They don't sound so good. Sounds like an asthmatic....

I love bagpipes. Played well, they're soul music. I especially like "Flowers of the Forest".

We had three guys play the bagpipes as the musical item for one of our school assemblies... a hall only just big enough to seat 600 student on 2 levels, all the doors closed, thee bagpipes being played at once. It was pure bliss:D

Ahhhh!! There's nothing quite like bagpipes that blow the wind through your hair.. *seriously*

They're great, so long as they're well-played, and they're not playing one of the few songs that EVERYONE plays. Amazing Grace is like the fur elise of the bagpipes. Anyone playing it should be shot, taken out and shot again.

1/4 Scottish and I think that every bagpipe song sounds the same. It's a good song - but it appears to be the only one played on bagpipes.

I like the bagpipes. I also like it when they're incorporated into contemporary music, eg AC/DC - Long Way To The Top, The Church - Under The Milky Way Tonight or Belle & Sebastian - Sleep The Clock Around.

I can not emphasize this enough folks, Bagpipes are made to played outside in wide open spaces, not indoors please! EVER:mad:

Wide open spaces like Antarctica...

my brother once gave me a data dvd packed entirely with
(a) bagpipe music
(b) songs by blues singers with "blind" in their name and
(c) the scooter album.

He has serious issues.

Ahhhh!! There's nothing quite like bagpipes that blow the wind through your hair.. *seriously*

I had to hold onto my seat to keep from being blown away:p

I LOVE bagpipes!
Went to the bar one night, and the band had bagpipes. Loved it.
Walking home one night past all the buskers: one guy had bagpipes, and he was the only guy I gave money to.
LOVE THEM
Wish I knew how to play them... :)

I rather like them ,maybe not in "oh, I want to listen to some music" kind of way, but especially in movies they can be very powerful.

"Corvus Corax Best Of" (available on Amazon.com among other places).
Will do! Thanks! :)

Love them even my County has own set of pipes

I love them they are so so sweet to the ears.

I like the bagpipes. I also like it when they're incorporated into contemporary music, eg AC/DC - Long Way To The Top, The Church - Under The Milky Way Tonight or Belle & Sebastian - Sleep The Clock Around.

I abosutely love The Church and have been lucky enough to catch them in concert multiple times over the years! Years ago when Koppes left the band, MWP and Steve both performed live on the radio in San Francisco, and I was lucky enough to tape the show. It is probably the only cassette tape I still listen to.

Sadly Under the Milky Way was their only song which featured the pipes (or synth pipes -- not sure which, since when I've seen them perform that song live, they've obvioulsy not pulled out the pipes) and was their only chart topper in the US. However, they are so prolific, that it is hard for me to keep up with their new material (I don't yet have their latest album, as I tend to add those to wish lists).