1. Chanter Reed:
- The chanter reed is the primary melodic reed in bagpipes. It consists of a thin, vibrating tongue (also known as the reed tongue or reed blade) made from a material like cane or plastic.
- When air is blown into the chanter, the reed tongue vibrates rapidly against a fixed reed seat. This vibration creates sound waves that produce distinct musical notes.
- The pitch of the chanter note depends on the length, thickness, and stiffness of the reed tongue, as well as the air pressure applied by the piper.
2. Drone Reeds:
- Drone reeds are responsible for producing a continuous background tone in bagpipes. They typically have a lower pitch compared to the chanter reed.
- Each drone reed consists of a reed tongue similar to the chanter reed but may have a different size, shape, or construction.
- Drone reeds vibrate continuously as long as there is a steady flow of air from the bagpipes.
The sound of bagpipes is primarily generated by the vibrations of these reeds. The piper controls the pitch and tone by manipulating the air pressure and finger placement on the chanter.