Norden Folk's Domain

[MatthewVanitas]

Though I'm certainly interested in learning the standard Swedish pipe-tunes, I'm also curious to explore what other tunes work well on the pipes. The limitations of the pipe, in range and in mode, present some interesting challenges.

I'm reckoning that Amaj won't be too hard, as there are a good number of well-known Western folk-songs and hymns that range a fourth below and above the tonic. That is, Amazing Grace played in C goes as low as G and as high as g an octave above, so could easily be played in Amaj from E to e. There are a decent number of other common songs that follow that pattern and sound good with drones.

I'm a little more confused as to what to play in Am from E-e. Off the top of my head, most of the minor tunes I know tend to run from a full octave plus a leading note a step below the tonic; like most Irish tunes I know are in E-Dorian and run D-e.

Anyone have any suggestions as to folk tunes, classical bits, or hymns that your average folkie American or Brit would know, which fit well into the sackpipa's range and mode (actual fixed pitch being unimportant)?

[Olle Gällmo]

How about "Miller of the Dee" from my web site? I don't know how well known that tune is, but it may give you ideas on what kind of tunes to look for (e.g. nursery rhymes and lullabies).
_________________
Info on Swedish bagpipes at http://olle.gallmo.se/sackpipa
More about me at http://olle.gallmo.se

[Corwen]

There are something like 200 Welsh pibgorn tunes on John Tose's website, all of which will fit on the pipes as they are all one octave tunes, and most of which work with a drone on the lowest note of either a major or minor scale. A few require a drone on the fourth or fifth.

http://www.pibydd.fsnet.co.uk/music.htm