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Bagpipes Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Bagpipes Quizzes, Trivia

Bagpipes Trivia

Bagpipes Trivia Quizzes

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5 Bagpipes quizzes and 50 Bagpipes trivia questions.
1.
Eleven Pipers Piping
  Eleven Pipers Piping editor best quiz   top quiz  
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
The line from the Christmas song may evoke images of tartan-clad players marching around with their Great Highland Bagpipes, but there are many other forms of bagpipe to be found around the world - here are ten of them.
Average, 10 Qns, looney_tunes, Dec 29 12
Average
looney_tunes editor
1707 plays
2.
  Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I know it *sounds* like bagpipers only play two songs: one for weddings and one for funerals, but bagpipe music is more diverse than most people know. Thanks to Terry for suggesting the quiz!
Average, 10 Qns, ferfer72, Aug 21 09
Average
ferfer72
388 plays
3.
  The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Test your knowledge about this widely recognized Scottish instrument.
Tough, 10 Qns, pipingxena, Mar 12 22
Tough
pipingxena
Mar 12 22
380 plays
4.
  Test Your Knowledge Of Bagpiping    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The following quiz test for some basic knowledge of bagpiping important for all players and fans.
Difficult, 10 Qns, kiltguy, Mar 28 09
Difficult
kiltguy
527 plays
5.
  Highland Bagpipes    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A short quiz on the basics of the Highland Bagpipes.
Tough, 10 Qns, Mashow, Mar 10 21
Tough
Mashow
Mar 10 21
699 plays

Bagpipes Trivia Questions
1. Believe it or not, bagpipe music was not originally designed to be played by more than one person at a time. What is traditional bagpipe music called?

From Quiz Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing

Answer: piobaireachd

Pronounced "peeb-rock", this is freestyle music. Piobair means "piper". Eachd means "the art of". So "piobaireachd" means "the art of the piper".

2. How is the great Great Highland Bagpipe classified as a musical instrument?

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: As a double reed woodwind

Though the GHB has single tongued reeds in its drones, the chanter, which creates the melody, is fitted with a double reed. This reed resembles an oboe reed.

3. From which wood is the bagpipe most commonly made?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: black wood

Black wood comes from Africa and it is well suited for making bagpipes because of its hardness.

4. What is the name of part on which the melody is played?

From Quiz Test Your Knowledge Of Bagpiping

Answer: Chanter

In all bagpipes, of all nationalities, the melody is played on the chanter.

5. What is the musical mode of the Great Highland Bagpipe?

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: Mixolydian mode

The scale on the chanter is in Mixolydian mode with a flattened 7th.

6. The chanter portion of the bagpipe has which kind of reed: a single reed or a double reed?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: double

The bagpipe in total has 4 reeds. 3 drone reeds which are single reeds and the chanter reed which is a double reed.

7. What is the combination of drones on the Highland Bagpipe?

From Quiz Test Your Knowledge Of Bagpiping

Answer: Bass, tenor and tenor

The highland pipes have a bass drone and two tenor drones, the Irish Uillean pipes have one bass, baritone, and tenor.

8. One reason bagpipe songs might sound alike is that the bagpipe can only play a limited number of notes. Most of them are played on the chanter. How many notes can a chanter play?

From Quiz Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing

Answer: 9

It can also play two tenor drones and a bass drone. The notes are G, A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G prime, and A prime.

9. A Great Highland Bagpipe student starts learning on a different instrument. What is that instrument called?

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: Practice chanter

The practice chanter is used by students and experienced pipers alike. It looks similar to a recorder and contains a double reed inside the mouthpiece. The practice chanter is used to learn and practice the techniques required to play bagpipe chanter. It is also used to learn new tunes. This instrument is much quieter than the bagpipe and can be played indoors comfortably.

10. How many tenor drones does a bagpipe have?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: 2

It has two tenor drones and a bass drone.

11. What is closest to the correct pronunciation of piobaireachd?

From Quiz Test Your Knowledge Of Bagpiping

Answer: Peeb-rock

'Piobaireachd' is the Gaelic word for 'Pipe music.'

12. The two major categories of bagpipe music are Cèol Mor and Cèol Beag. How do they translate into English?

From Quiz Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing

Answer: Big music and little music

Big music is the piobaireachd. Little music is dance music, jigs, reels, etc.

13. At one time Great Highland Bagpipe music was learned by listening instead of by reading a written staff. What is this system of teaching tunes called?

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: Canntaireachd

Canntaireachd is Gaelic for "chanting". At one time bagpipe music was passed from teacher to student by singing the notes. In canntaireachd each note and embellishment has a standardized sound or word associated with it. The teacher would sing a tune using these sounds and words. The knowledgeable student would be able to interpret the sounds and play the correct notes and embellishments. About a century ago the written music staff became more popular for teaching piping so that the "standard" canntaireachd is not used often now. However, many modern pipers have their own sets of sounds that they use to sing their tunes.

14. How many notes can the bagpipe play?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: 9

The notes start on G and end on A.

15. What is the proper Gaelic term for the main theme of piobaireachd?

From Quiz Test Your Knowledge Of Bagpiping

Answer: Urlar

Urlar is the Gaelic word meaning 'floor' or 'ground.' Piobairechd is composed of the Uralar and several variations, in specific order.

16. A bagpipe is unusual in that sound keeps coming out of it at all times (so long as it's filled with air). Because of this, what musical symbol would you NOT find on bagpipe sheet music?

From Quiz Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing

Answer: Rest

In music, a rest is a symbol that tells a musician how long to stop playing or singing. Bagpipe music has to be legato and with no rests, because there isn't a way to stop the sound.

17. A Great Highland Bagpipe has one chanter and 3 drones. What is the purpose of the drones?

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: To give a steady note with overtones that blend with the melody

Steady blowing and squeezing is a must in pipe playing. The drones should never waiver, but give an steady clear note. A "wah-wah" sound, as is often heard in non-piping music for a "Scottish" flavor, is a sign of an inexperienced piper, a very tired piper or an out of tune bagpipe.

18. From where did the bagpipes originate?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: Ancient Egypt

The bagpipes were thought to have orignated in Ancient Egypt but the Scots added the 3rd drone.

19. What 1993 movie featured Mike Myers singing "If You Think I'm Sexy" to bagpipe accompaniment?

From Quiz Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing

Answer: So I Married an Axe Murderer

Myers plays Charlie, a poet who is proud of his Scottish heritage. The scene in question produced the hysterical quote, "We have a piper down, I repeat, a piper is down!"

20. How is a bagpipe drone tuned?

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: A section of the drone is slid up and down until the desired note is obtained.

"Shorter is sharper." By changing the distance the air column travels from the reed to the end of the drone, the pitch of the note is changed. By shortening the length of the drone the note is sharpened. Conversely it is flattened by lengthening the drone.

21. Bagpipes were once used by Scots to...?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: frighten away their enemies on the battlefield

Wouldn't you be afraid?

22. Which well-known bagpipe song was written by Frederick Weatherly and set to the tune of "Londonderry Air"?

From Quiz Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing

Answer: Danny Boy

Weatherly actually wrote the lyrics to do with a different tune. His sister adapted the lyrics to go with "Londonderry Air".

23. What is the name of the practice instrument that includes a bag but no drones?

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: A goose

The goose is made up of a bag and a practice chanter. Many times an actual bagpipe can be made into a goose by removing the drones and plugging the drone stocks. A practice chanter then replaces the bagpipe chanter, making the instrument comfortable for indoor practice.

24. Bagpipe classical music, which is categorized by difficult strings of gracenotes, is called what?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: piobaireachd

It's pronounced something like 'Peebrock'.

25. The bagpipe 'A' is really closer to which note?

From Quiz Test Your Knowledge Of Bagpiping

Answer: B Flat

The pitch of the Highland bagpipe has risen over the years to its present frequency of around 465Hz, near B Flat.

26. Englishman John Newton wrote a hymn that has become a popular song for bagpipes. What song did he pen?

From Quiz Those Two Songs Bagpipers Keep Playing

Answer: Amazing Grace

Pipers frequently play this tune at funerals. Like "Danny Boy", "Amazing Grace" was sung to different tunes before becoming the song we know today.

27. How many holes are on a GHB chanter? (Do not count the ends of the chanter)

From Quiz The Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB)

Answer: 10

There are 8 finger holes in the chanter and located near the bottom are two "tone holes", which make the lowest note of the GHB scale.

28. The series of gracenotes, GDG, is called what?

From Quiz Highland Bagpipes

Answer: a grip

Add an 'E' and you get a taorluath.

29. Which Bagpipe maker produces a set of pipes made all of plastic?

From Quiz Test Your Knowledge Of Bagpiping

Answer: J. Dunbar

Dunbar remains the only maker that sells an all plastic bagpipe, alongside the traditional wood models.

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