I have a little query about drones in bagpipes (strictly note which play) and playing tunes which are in key other of bagpipe drone(s). I know, this sounds quite unclear, so I think I can introduce you an example
In gaitas drone play note octave (or two) below tonic chanter note. We can take (for this situation) it is C.
When I play tune in C major scale, everything will be good because the drone play C = tonic of tune which I play. This is steady. But, When I play tune in D minor (gaita gives this possibility) drone still play note C and this is not tonic of this tune.
Can you tell me - drone which play note full tone below tonic (when I play in minor key) sounds good? Perhaps better for playing in minor key on gaita is have a drone in D (tonic of minor key)?
Someone of us have similar problem, somone play on gaita and meaby knew answer?
Gretings
Lulu
P.S. Sorry for my bad english, I hope you understand me
P.S. 2 This question range not only gaitas, you will say something about other bagpipes!
If I were going to play in D minor on a C gaita I’d try to tune the drone to D. However usually if I was playing in minor on a C gaita I’d play in C minor.
I don’t know much about the Spanish tradition, but in the Irish and Scottish traditions it’s standard practice to play in several keys over the same drone note.
So the Scottish pipes have drones that play a written A. Over that A drone they play tunes in A Mixolydian, B minor, D Major, and even some older tunes in G Lydian.
I have a CD by a Breton Bagad, on which every tune on the album is in B minor, but the drones are playing A throughout.
Same for the uilleann pipes. A “concert set” has drones in D, and over that D are played tunes in D Major, D Mixolydian, E dorian, G Major, A dorian, A Mixolydian, B minor, and C Lydian.
It’s completely different with the Northumberland Smallpipes, with complex drones that can be adjusted to play whatever note the tonic of the tune is.
Lulu, the Dm is the relative minor of F. The standard C gaita is usually played in C and F, so Dm and Am would also be possibilities, although I don’t think I’ve played any tunes in Am. What specific tune are you playing?
But no matter which of those keys you’re playing, you won’t change the tuning of the drone to play a different key. Now, if you change the chanter, perhaps to a Bb, you’ll need to change the drone, too. One way to do that is to replace the drone reed and lengthen the drone. I don’t think you’ll be able to get a C gaita’s drone to play D. At least I can’t imagine mine would be able to do it.
So, just like Panceltic says for Irish and Scottish pipers, gaiteros play the same drone note no matter what key the tune is in.
