Types of Bagpipes
Although primarily thought of as a Scottish musical instrument, the Bagpipes are featured in many cultures and countries around the world. In Western Europe they can be found in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Northern Europe sees the pipes in their better-known locations of Scotland and Ireland but also Scandinavia and the Baltic. They are a cultural feature also in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Malta and Greece. In Southwest Asia they can found in The Gulf States and Iran! Finally they are also embraced in North Africa.
Each country has its own variations on the standard bagpipes and usually knows them by a different name. Just some of the different types of bagpipe around the world include the Biniou of France, the Pijpzak of the Netherlands, the Dudelsack of Germany and the Bock of Austria. As well as varying in name there are slight variations in the basic construction of the pipes that give each version its own uniqueness of its region of origin.
As well as uniqueness in the appearance and construction of the pipes, there is also usually a traditional costume sported by the piper that also varies with the country and can be seen at traditional musical events and celebrations.