The Bagpipes
One of the earliest written references to bagpipes is from around 100AD, when Chrysostom wrote about the Emperor Nero, "They say that he can write, carve statues, play the aulos both with his mouth, and also with the armpit, a bag being thrown under it."
The bagpipe is found in many countries of the world including Scotland, Ireland, Russia, Finland, Germany, France, and Spain. Although the basic instrument is the same, these pipes take many different forms. Many scholars believe that the bagpipe was originally brought to Scotland by the Romans. It has undergone many transformations over the centuries, until the Great Highland Bagpipe as we know it today finally evolved several centuries ago.
My Great Highland Bagpipes were made by Charlie Kron in 1994. They are made from African Blackwood, the material of choice for pipe makers. I usually play a 2001 model Kron African Blackwood chanter. For those of you who might be interested, I use Mark Lee Rockets in my drones, and at the moment I am using Gilmour chanter reeds. If you'd like to see a few close-ups, click here.