Smallpipes & Smallpipest Kit

[more about the Smallpipes]

Smallpipes

En: Smallpipes, Northumbrian pipes, Northumbrian smallpipes, De: Dudey, Hümmelchen



	Renaissance Hümmelchen reproduction

The development of the bagpipe can be traced through the ancient civilizations of Persia, Greece and Rome to Europe where it has been in common use since the ninth century.

By the start of the Renaissance bagpipes typically had two drones to accompany the chanter producing a loud, vibrant sound suitable for dances, marches and other outdoor occasions. Three drones became more commonplace towards the end of the period.

Bagpipes can easily be played by themselves, but a popular combination in the later Middle Ages seems to have been bagpipe and shawm.

Perhaps as a reaction to these loud bagpipes the Renaissance saw the emergence of quiet 'indoor' pipes such as the Hümmelchen (a type of German smallpipes, attested in Syntagma Musicum by Michael Praetorius) that produced a muted tone entirely suitable for both indoor use and performance with other instruments. They can be easily blown and sound comfortably mild. The fingering is almost like a soprano recorder.

Hümmelchen is one of the most loved bagpipes in German speaking countries and are available in a wide range of tunes from medieval to modern. Early versions are believed to have double-reeded chanters, most likely with single-reeded drones. The word "hümmelchen" probably comes from the Low German word hämeln meaning "trim". This may refer to the hümmelchen's small size, resembling a trimmed-down version of a larger bagpipe. Another possibly etymology comes from the word hummel ("bumble-bee"), referring to the buzzing sound of the drone.

RWC Smallpipes


	Finished and Kit RWC Smallpipes

Our Smallpipes are based on the Hummelchen in Praetorius' Syntagma Musicum which shows a mouth blown set of small pipes with a small parallel bored chanter and two drones. We have scaled the chanter to the key of d' and the two drones to d & G. The three plastic reeds for both the chanter and the drones are set to operate on a light bag pressure making our smallpipes easy to play and particularly suitable for the first time player.

Each instrument is entirely hand built by 'in-house' experienced craftsmen to special order in our own workshops in Toledo (Spain) to the highest standard of craftsmanship. They come with 12 months warranty and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on setting up, playing and maintenance.

A soft padded bag or fitted hard case are available as optional extras if required.

Smallpipes Kit


	Finished and Kit RWC Smallpipes

The same range of Bagpipes are offered in kit form for home assembly.

The price includes the license to build one instrument for private use and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on construction, setting up, playing and maintenance.

To ensure success, even for the first time builder, each kit includes:
A fully dimensioned working template,
A manual with clear and concise step-by-step full assembly instructions.
A set of photographs illustrating further each stage.

The Smallpipes - Hummelchen in D kit includes everything you need to build your own smallpipes ready for assembly in this our most popular bagpipe kit. Most of the work is straightforward stitching of the leather and tying in of the turned wooden stocks. The hardwood chanter has a parallel bore and the two drones are made up from sections to play d and G. Drilling the fingerholes in the chanter is a simple process using the template and drills provided.

Smallpipes Technical Plan


	Finished and Kit RWC Smallpipes

You can make the same Smallpipes from scratch, following detailed step-by-step instructions through the construction process in a clear and concise manner.

A fully dimensioned life-size drawing with templates and a set of photographs illustrate each stage.

The price includes the license to build one instrument for private use and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on construction, setting up, playing and maintenance.

This icon indicates that you can choose between the hard copy of the documents sent by postal mail, or the downloadable electronic files, in pdf format to your computer. In order to view and print the pdf files, you need the free 'Acrobat Reader' program installed in your computer. Life-size drawings require large printers. Electronic documents have a reduced price, don't have shipping costs, but are non-refundable.

Smallpipes Accessories and Spare Parts

Smallpipes Availability and delivery time

Not all of the items listed on our site are available immediately. Products without a reference nor a price are rarely available for quick dispatch. If you are interested in them, please contact us.

We publish standard availability, which means that this product usually ships in that time since it has been ordered. But at the specific time of your order, that interval can be longer or smaller depending on many production factors. In addition, you still will have to wait for your product to arrive (delivery time). [More info about availability & delivery dates]

	Finished Instrument		Three months
	Kit		Three weeks
	Drawing		Three days