Home Current Members Calendar Mon. & Next Gig Play List Dulcimer History Psaltery History Walsh Shuttle Pipes   The audio clip is "Rosin the Beau," played with a pair of hammered dulcimers taking the lead and harmony and the lap dulcimer in the background doing soft chords.

Walsh Shuttle Pipes

The Walsh shuttle pipes are similar in style and shape to the shuttle pipe that dates back to 1695. The original shuttle pipe was bellows blown and had three open-ended drones that were carried in one main stock with a plain open-ended chanter made of ivory. The chanter was closed at some time during the 18th century, and later keys were added to increase its note capacity. Mounting the drones in a single stock was typical of the old Irish or German pipes.

Shuttle pipes produce a unique sweet sound that is ideal for intimate performances where the Highland pipes would prove too overpowering. The shuttle pipes are in the key of "A" and are mouth blown with the fingering being the same as the great Highland bagpipe. The wood used is rock maple wood, the pipe bag is made of synthetic material, and the reeds are plastic. The drone, which sits across your waist, is cylindrical in shape and is comprised of three drones—bass, tenor, and baritone. The drones are tuned by moving the sliders back and forward down the shuttle section and can be turned off or on at anytime.