Bagpipes

musical-instruments · Scotland · ancient-music

Air from a bag. A bagpipe works by squeezing a bag filled with air under your arm, which pushes the air through reeds inside to make the sound. It's like having a tiny air pump that never runs out of breath.

Scotland's symbol. The Scottish Great Highland bagpipe is the most famous kind, with a loud, piercing sound that you can hear from far away. It's so connected to Scotland that people think of it as a Scottish invention, even though bagpipes are much older.

Played everywhere. Bagpipes weren't invented in just one place. People have played versions of bagpipes for hundreds of years across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, showing how useful this design is.

Woodwind family. Bagpipes are woodwind instruments, meaning they use reeds like flutes and oboes do. The difference is that a bagpipe's bag lets you keep a steady stream of air going without stopping to breathe.