response 11 of 29:

Jul 16 17:39 UTC 2001

Of course, there are bagpipes and there are bagpipes.  Most people think of
those used in Scottish pipe & drum corps.  Those are filled with air from the
piper's breath, which collects in a bag which must be squeezed under the arm
to force air through the chanter and drones.  The uillean (sp) pipes, used
most commonly in Irish traditional music, employs a bellows, controlled by
the piper, to force the air through.  Very often the drones are disconnected,
as the uillean pipe(s) carry the melody with other instruments.

There are all sorts of pipes, e.g. the Northumbrian pipes, pitched in
different keys.  I don't know enough to talk sensibly about details.